Promises
Often times in my life, I’ve pondered and considered the promises of God over my life. The promises fulfilled and the ones yet to come. As of late, God is continuing to teach me to consider the promise of each opportunity that’s been freely given to us each day. This promise relies on us and our willingness to say “yes” to everything He places in front of us.
On both ends of the spectrum, I’ve been guilty of waiting for promises poorly. I’ve polarized on the side of waiting where I do absolutely nothing but wallow in my own self-pity. On the flip side, I’ve also polarized by scraping, scratching, and clawing my way forward in my own strength. Neither are the kind or quality of fruit any of us desire our lives to be marked with.
When we wallow and accept defeat, we forget who we are, diminishing our identity and allowing lies to defeat the mighty word of God over our lives. When we claw our way toward the given promise, we also forget who we are, however we are also in danger of thinking much of ourselves and our own capabilities. Rather than relying on polarizing on either side, I have learned (and am continuing to learn) how to stay in the tension of waiting with hope, contending for the things promised that are yet unseen, and saying “yes” to the things that He’s placed before me, even when they appear to be insignificantly small.
Unfortunately, we look at small yeses as the stepping stones that lead up to the bigger yes. I say “unfortunately” only because I believe God wants us to find joy and revel in the lessons and opportunities found within each day. He’s showing me that a yes which seems bigger to us in the natural is actually composed and made up of a symphony of yeses that taught our wills to bend, our minds to rest, and our hearts to yield. We wait for promises in perfect tension, my friends, all the while trusting and resting in Him.
A story I’ve been pondering has been of Isaac in Genesis 26. Abraham has since passed, and God begins chapter 26 by passing down the promises given to Abraham that now belonged to Isaac to steward and keep well within his heart. At this time, he and his family are dwelling in the land of Gerar under the rulership of Abimalech, the king of the Philistines, which happened to be a part of the land that was promised to Isaac’s family line.
Due to Isaac and his family being richly blessed by God, Abimalech grew envious of them and asked them to leave. Upon leaving, they sojourned in the land of Gerar to dwell in. Isaac and his servants re-dug the wells of his father Abraham that the Philistines had since covered up. Upon uncovering the first, the herdsman came to quarrel with him and his servants. Instead of staying, they left to uncover another. Yet again, as they uncovered another well, the same thing happened and the herdsmen quarreled. Upon reaching and uncovering the third well in Beersheeba, none came to quarrel and they dwelt and rested in the land, calling the name of the well, “Rehoboth,” meaning “broad place.”
This story strikes me for many reasons:
Rather than being haughty or self-deprecating, Isaac rested in the promise of God, even when the herdsmen attempted to press in and quarrel.
He trusted that the promises of God would rest and be fulfilled in His timing, even though the land he was in was yet to belong to the generation.
Isaac’s yeses in times that felt dry and difficult helped shape a generation to follow for legacy and blessing.
As the people of God, we have this opportunity too. Not only will this shape our lives and bear much fruit, it will also pass down and create blessings, life, and favor for future generations to follow. What a great God we serve!
My encouragement today:
Read Genesis 26 (Hebrews 3,4 is also amazing on this same topic)
Invite God into everything, and find joy in exactly where He has you
Take up your space as a son or daughter of the King in humility.
As He calls, say yes in the seemingly small things, because they add up to the big yes to come.
Love you all so much!
Anya
November 16, 2021
On both ends of the spectrum, I’ve been guilty of waiting for promises poorly. I’ve polarized on the side of waiting where I do absolutely nothing but wallow in my own self-pity. On the flip side, I’ve also polarized by scraping, scratching, and clawing my way forward in my own strength. Neither are the kind or quality of fruit any of us desire our lives to be marked with.
When we wallow and accept defeat, we forget who we are, diminishing our identity and allowing lies to defeat the mighty word of God over our lives. When we claw our way toward the given promise, we also forget who we are, however we are also in danger of thinking much of ourselves and our own capabilities. Rather than relying on polarizing on either side, I have learned (and am continuing to learn) how to stay in the tension of waiting with hope, contending for the things promised that are yet unseen, and saying “yes” to the things that He’s placed before me, even when they appear to be insignificantly small.
Unfortunately, we look at small yeses as the stepping stones that lead up to the bigger yes. I say “unfortunately” only because I believe God wants us to find joy and revel in the lessons and opportunities found within each day. He’s showing me that a yes which seems bigger to us in the natural is actually composed and made up of a symphony of yeses that taught our wills to bend, our minds to rest, and our hearts to yield. We wait for promises in perfect tension, my friends, all the while trusting and resting in Him.
A story I’ve been pondering has been of Isaac in Genesis 26. Abraham has since passed, and God begins chapter 26 by passing down the promises given to Abraham that now belonged to Isaac to steward and keep well within his heart. At this time, he and his family are dwelling in the land of Gerar under the rulership of Abimalech, the king of the Philistines, which happened to be a part of the land that was promised to Isaac’s family line.
Due to Isaac and his family being richly blessed by God, Abimalech grew envious of them and asked them to leave. Upon leaving, they sojourned in the land of Gerar to dwell in. Isaac and his servants re-dug the wells of his father Abraham that the Philistines had since covered up. Upon uncovering the first, the herdsman came to quarrel with him and his servants. Instead of staying, they left to uncover another. Yet again, as they uncovered another well, the same thing happened and the herdsmen quarreled. Upon reaching and uncovering the third well in Beersheeba, none came to quarrel and they dwelt and rested in the land, calling the name of the well, “Rehoboth,” meaning “broad place.”
This story strikes me for many reasons:
Rather than being haughty or self-deprecating, Isaac rested in the promise of God, even when the herdsmen attempted to press in and quarrel.
He trusted that the promises of God would rest and be fulfilled in His timing, even though the land he was in was yet to belong to the generation.
Isaac’s yeses in times that felt dry and difficult helped shape a generation to follow for legacy and blessing.
As the people of God, we have this opportunity too. Not only will this shape our lives and bear much fruit, it will also pass down and create blessings, life, and favor for future generations to follow. What a great God we serve!
My encouragement today:
Read Genesis 26 (Hebrews 3,4 is also amazing on this same topic)
Invite God into everything, and find joy in exactly where He has you
Take up your space as a son or daughter of the King in humility.
As He calls, say yes in the seemingly small things, because they add up to the big yes to come.
Love you all so much!
Anya
November 16, 2021
Recent
Archive
2022
March
But Do You Know His Heart?When God Gets in the WayMended with GoldYoung WarriorsRepentance and BaptismThe Trap of ComparisonCleanses from Dead WorksHeavenManna No MoreDon't Miss What God is DoingI Stand at the Door and KnockLovesickSeek WisdomPrescription for a Forgetful HeartImagine This Story...Give Him EverythingHopeRahab and IttaiObedienceHis Love Makes All the Difference: A TestimonyPromisesTruth and FeelingsCount the CostKeep WatchNew Year, New YouNot Me, But HimReflectionA Good BossTo Know the Love of ChristDon't Be Stuck, Be Trained Up
July
August
September
Categories
no categories
No Comments