If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified. Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God.
That could be one of the most encouraging things I’ve read in the past few years. There have been more than a few moments when I’ve wondered if I was chasing a pipe dream. Maybe my dreams an aspirations are bigger than what I am gifted with and able to do. But my hopes and dreams are noble and from God, because the enemy would not plant an idea in my head to chase after something that advances The Kingdom of God.
My hope and dreams are bigger than myself. This is another confirmation that they are from God. To achieve them, I have to be fully devoted and surrendered to Him. Without God, I would be just running in circles and not getting any further than where I am now.
Since my last writing, I have been praying for refinement and seeking God. I used to say that I was seeking God’s will, but that was just a Christian way of saying that I was selfishly looking for what I wanted. Instead, I have been seeking a deeper relationship with The Trinity: Father, Son, and Spirit.
I met with another one of the elders at my church on Saturday morning, and we got onto the topic of the Spirit. As a disciple of Christ, I have The Spirit in me, but there is a difference between that and having the fullness of The Spirit. The fullness of the Spirit is what the disciples were waiting for when Jesus told them that He would send another. The fullness of The Spirit is what they experienced at Pentecost.
So my first prayer of the day is now, “God, fill me with the fullness of The Spirit today. Fill my wife and family with the fullness of Your Spirit today. Help us to recognize Your presence in our lives as we go about every moment of the day. Help us to surrender everything we do to you as an offering to bring glory to Your Name.”