The Future

"Do not seek to see it <the future>.  You are robbing Faith of her sublime sweetness if you do this.  Just know that all is well and that Faith, not seeing but believing, is what will bear you to safety over the stormy waters." 

Lysa Terkeurst, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God

I have had to live by this statement for the past 8 years and I didn't even realize it until I read it on Monday.  When we  try to make plans for our future, there is nothing wrong with doing what we can to make those plans become a reality.  But sometimes, life happens and plans just don't go the way we expect them to. Does this mean that we just throw in the towel and forget about it?  Certainly not!!  If a plan is thought out and prayed over and guided by God, you can almost bet there will be bumps along the way, but you will get there in HIS time.
Initially, we  may react in a human way to things that come along, after all, we ARE human with a human nature...just the way God designed us. As a human,  born of the flesh, our future is most assuredly, uncertain.  It is enough to drive the most sane person, insane, if allowed to dwell on  it.  I have been down that road so many times and a few times nearly cost me a short vacation to crazy ville with a deluxe suite and some seriously relaxing medications!!

This was my stormy water. A time when I suffered a blow so severe to my life, that I did not have any idea what my future was going to be.  I could not see past the hand in front of my face and all I had was my Faith.

Fortunately, I DO walk with Christ and while I may have been down for a brief moment in time, I do not allow myself to stay in that dark place for long.  I have learned that my Faith and love for Christ is the only way to keep that smile on my face and the very thing that keeps me going.

I realize that the thing that put me down all those years ago, is the very thing that now has enabled my strength and continued Faith.  Sounds kind of backwards, but we can't let the past define out future.  We can't let someone else dictate our future.  God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows the plans He has for us.  Plans  to prosper us, not to harm us. He has plans to give us a future filled with hope.  

Often times, we allow ourselves to get in our own way.  We try to fix things that we have no business trying to fix. The best thing for us to do is move aside for our own good and give it to God; He already knows the future!!  This reminds me of the story when Peter walked on the water to get to Jesus in Matthew 14:22-31.   The disciples were out in the boat, and Jesus was walking out to them and they were terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.   

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Peter allowed his surroundings to bring fear into his life, and when reality hit, he realized that he should NOT be able to walk on the water and began to sink. Verse 30 says that he saw the wind...I believe that he took his eyes off of Jesus and when he did, he began to sink.  

Life is like that, we take our focus, our eyes, our purpose, off of what Jesus has called us to do because of some bump in the road and it can cause  detrimental consequences.  We must keep our eyes on God, we must allow our FAITH to lead the way.  Not everything makes sense, it certainly didn't make sense that  Peter could walk on water, but with the help of Jesus, he did!!

"You of little faith, why did you doubt?"  We have to trust God for our future and allow the trials and tribulations we have gone through to define our strength and resolve through Faith, and not let those same trials and tribulations dictate our future.

Just remember that faith is what will carry you through the stormy water and God's hand will be there to catch you...YOU JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE!!

#yestoGod #saywhat #palmsup