Don’t Give Up

When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Oswald Chambers

Has God placed a dream or vision in your heart that hasn’t come to fruition yet? Have your circumstances, the twists and turns of your life, caused you to doubt or even abandon the dream God has given you? You may even feel that God has forgotten you. God never forgets the dreams He gives us. In fact, He is watching over the dream that He has placed in your heart so that He can bring it to fruition.

When God called Jeremiah to become a prophet to the nations, he was not prepared for the calling God had placed on his life. He felt he was too young. He didn’t feel worthy to do the work God was asking him to do. He was afraid of the people God was sending him to. But God assured Jeremiah that he would put His word in His mouth. He assured him that he needn’t be afraid of them because God Himself would go with him and protect him.

Shortly after God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations, God spoke to Him in a vision and drew his attention to an almond branch.

Jeremiah 1:11-12 (ESV) says, 

 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

The almond tree is the first tree to blossom. When it blossoms in late winter, its beautiful blossoms stand out against the stark wintery landscape around it, ushering in hope and new life. Their appearance seems to signify that God is at work. God is also at work in our lives even when everything around us looks bleak. He is watching over His word, the dream that He has given us. He is doing what needs to be done to perform His word. To bring it to pass in our lives.

While God is diligently watching over His word, are you diligently keeping watch so that you can step out when He is ready to bring His plans to fruition in your life? Perhaps there are circumstances in your life that may be preventing you from keeping watch and trusting God to fulfil the plans He has for you. You may feel, just as Jeremiah did, when God called him to be a prophet to the nations. You may feel unworthy. You may be afraid of what other people will say if you step out into your God-given dream. You may be afraid of going against others' expectations and disappointing them. You may feel that you are not equipped or don’t have the resources you need.

God desires that we honour Him with our lives, and this includes obedience to the dreams and visions He gives us. We are to honour Him. Not others or circumstances that keep us away from fulfilling what He is calling us to. We are to have our focus on Him and be diligently watchful to see what He is doing. When we are distracted by others, by what we lack or by our own abilities, we can so easily give up.

I would like to encourage you not to give up on the dreams that God has planted in your heart. Be diligently watchful in prayer. Wait for Him to direct your path so that you will be able to see the doors that He has opened for you. The doors that no man can shut. When you do, you will bring glory and honour to His name as you fulfil His dreams for your life.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

Wait in prayer. Call on God and spread the case before him. Express your unstaggering confidence in him. Wait in faith, for unfaithful, untrusting waiting is but an insult to the Lord. Believe that if he shall keep you waiting even till midnight, yet he will come at the right time.   Charles Spurgeon

Reflection

Are there circumstances or people in your life that are causing you to doubt the dreams that God has planted in your heart?

Do you feel as if God has forgotten you?

Will you trust Him to lead you on the path that you need to take so that you can fulfil your God-given dreams? Remember, nothing is too difficult for our all-powerful God.

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for the dreams that You have given me. Help me not to be distracted by the opinions of others, by my own inadequacies, by the lack of resources. Help me not to lean on my own understanding, but to look to You for wisdom and discernment. Help me be diligently watchful so that I will see the path you want me to walk on. Lord, I trust you to do what only you can do to bring the dreams that You have placed in my heart to fruition in Your perfect timing. In Jesus’ name, amen.