A lot of us have these big unfulfilled desires, anything from a desire to be married, to have children, to have a certain type of job, but unfulfilled desires can damage our faith. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” We get to a place where we don’t want to “expect” anything from God, because what if He doesn’t show up? How do we allow ourself to return to a place of “expectation” knowing that is where faith resides?
Unfulfilled desires damage our faith only because we don’t know or believe God. Desires need to be held loosely. Often we take our desires to God expecting Him to fulfill them without asking Him what He wants. This can quickly turn into a test of God’s faithfulness. There are many things we can expect from God…their called promises. He will love us, be kind to us, challenge us, transform us, redeem us…etc. God always wants to be at the center of our desire.
In this New Year how can we begin to see God in places where we thought He had decided not to show up?
We need to set God free. It sounds funny writing this thought down but I believe it’s right. I see many people everyday that have trapped God with their pain, disbelief or inaccurate understanding of He nature. We need to let God define Himself. Pray asking God to help you see the truth and the areas of the your life that you have closed off from Him. He’ll begin to move…in His time and in His way. Be patient.
Ken Edwards is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and has earned a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling and a Master of Arts in Religious Education of Southwestern Seminary. But his discernment matches his education and for me often the greater gift. He lives with his wife Janet and three children in Franklin, Tennessee. And this is him enjoying what he loves, the mountains in Wyoming. Except he's usually behind the camera. And he has been kind enough to spend Friday’s with us. What he is offering us regarding his time is a gift. I hope we will take advantage of it.
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