Yes? I love the smell of "Yes" anytime of the day. No?I've learned to graciously take a "No" because now I know that God
sees way down the line. Maybe? On a good day, I've been known to embrace a faith-filled"maybe."Wait? The hardest-to-endure-word in my psychological, mental, emotional, and spiritual consciousness is WAIT.
The only thing that makes wait a concept I can live through is juxtaposing it with God's promises; especially, Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." I've strode to the rhythm of that verse like a mantra during many a brisk morning walk determined to get it into my spirit so that I could hold on, trust God, and go on to the next thing at hand.
And now, in 2008, I know that I'm not the only one who has hoped against all odds that a change is gonna come. I believe this is the year when God will grant us some of the greatest desires of our hearts. Long-time hopes. Eternal-flamed dreams.
I believe that because we waited, persevered, held on to God's promises, passed more tests than we fell short of-because we refused to give up hope, or give the enemy of our souls any ground-because we cried out to the Lord when we had no one else to turn to and even when we did have others to turn we chose the Lord instead-and He made a way. Suddenly-He made a way.
When we felt like quitting, if only for a whisk of a moment and considered laying down on the side of the road, we didn't. Some of us sat down for a minute and caught our breath; but we didn't stay there. We got up in spite of everything that tried to convince us that we were too tired to get up. With the second, third, and fourth wind of the Holy Spirit, we got up and pressed our way.
When all seemed to be against us, we bolded shouted through our tears and groans unleashed by the Holy Spirit, "If God be for us who can be against us?" When it looked like defeat was imminent, somehow we felt like going on.We praised God with the eyes of faith for the imminent victories yet unseen and for the triumphs faith assured us were around the bend and one more shovel of hope away. Thus, we kept digging.
Yes, we persevered. No, we didn't quit. Maybe, we listened briefly to the whispers of doubts; but God's Word hushed them. And through it all, we waited on God and are better equipped to
live out His plans for our lives because of it. God keeps His promises and Jesus stand in the gap for us making sure that absolutely no weapon formed against us prospers.
Thus, we stand here today, clothed in our bright minds and yielded hearts, on the verge of realizing some of the greatest desires of our hearts. We, Chosen Ones, have crossed the threshold of a brand new day and a brand new year-fresh, clean and unused-prepared for us. A new year to live, trust, hope, pray, laugh, prosper, grow, praise, and believe God. This is the year the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
In 2008, WE WILL SEE that it was WELL WORTH THE WAIT.
The promises of God for your life are breaking through! I believe that it's going to be like we will just walk right into them so naturally that we will forget the birth pains because what we behold will be so exquisite-far beyond what we could have asked, thought, or imagined. The past pain will only serve as a spring board on which our awesome testimonies will be launched. And, together, we will continue to overcome, because we will share those testimonies, as the Lord leads-forgetting our insecurities and moving forward boldly in God's Spirit.
We will get in touch with our stories and share them with each another-especially in these last days. It is our responsibility to encourage one another. To let our lights so shine among men that they will see our good works and glorify God in Heaven-that is our destiny. Revelation 12:11 reminds us "We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony."
Yes, 2008, it's all been well worth the wait.It's your time to shine. It's time to shout from the rooftops what God has done for you in the dark. It's your time to mount up with wings like the eagles; to run and not be weary; to walk and not faint.
© 2008, Stanice Anderson, Author & Inspirational Speaker
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What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight;
what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.
Matthew 10:27