Tag Archives: hope deffered

Swallowing the Bitter Pill

You’ve been there!  God gives a word either through speaking directly to your spirit man or through another person.  The word has been confirmed and you are excited beyond excited.  Your faith is stirred and you wait patiently.  Finally, the day comes for the manifestation of the promise.  All the signs point to it.  This is it, or so you thought!  Your understanding of the matter is now somewhat clouded.  You begin to drown in despair. What just happened?  A set back is what some call it.  Hope deferred is how King Soloman described it (See Proverbs 13:12:  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life).  Either way, what you are experiencing in this moment of disappointment is quite common to all of us.  This valley like experience has nothing to do with the great purpose and destiny that God has planned for you.  It does not cancel out the promise that He made to you.

So how do you cope?  Here is something that came to mind this morning as I was reading a short article from a ministry called “Streams Ministries International.”  The article spoke of our learning to celebrate private victories as we wait for what God has prepared for us.  I was thankful for the article, but as I pondered this more and more, here is another point that was brought to my attention:  At times, we have got to embrace disappointments.  Sometimes we are just not ready for what is ahead.  Swallowing the bitter pill of disappointment and “hope deferred” as King Solomon put it, is really a pill that is good for the soul.  No, it does not feel good, but once we endure we will come out on the other side more polished and mature and ready to face the responsibilities of the blessings that our future promotion holds for us.  Until we are back on that path (because there are detours we must take on our way into our destiny), we must remain in love with the Father!  We must worship as we have never worshipped before!  Worshipping and continuing to declare and study God’s word during these types of seasons will sustain us and keep us grounded.  Keep busy.  Do for others.  Follow after peace and do the things that you can for God’s Kingdom.  Be satisfied with His goodness!

So…go ahead and cry, yell, ask God how you are to tread from this place and swallow that pill!  Someday you will be glad that you did.

Denise Cook-Godfrey

Minister/Author/PlayWright/Liturgical Dance Instructor

https://www.amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey

denisecookgodfrey@gmail.com

[contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Website” type=”url” /][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea” /][/contact-form]

IS THIS WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR?

Well hello everyone!  It has been a “minute” since I have written in this blog but that surely does not mean that I have not had anything going on or anything in particular to write about!  God has given me this creative gift and any inspirational writer will tell you….you can only go so long before picking up that pen and letting go of what is inside of you by spilling your guts on paper!

Today, on this rainy afternoon, I contemplate on feelings of chasing the wind!  Ever feel like the more you attempt to live at peace with everyone and the more  you try to walk in the Spirit and live a Godly life, the more it seems as if you have to lay down and take all types of assaults, meanness, and just down right disrespect!  Hey, what about those times when it appears that all your sacrificing, praying, ministering, laboring, is just as if you are chasing the wind and throwing pebbles in a large ocean and never hearing the sound!  Well, it is ok if you are feeling that way or have felt that way.  This is just the way it is.  I am there right now and that is the reason for the title…..”IS THIS WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR?”  Well, I am mature enough to know that my life is in His Hands!  Sometimes our God will allow these times to come upon us so that we can take a moment to realize that we did not sign up for anything, we are responding to the purpose that God has for us.  Even though we have our moments, God is still molding and shaping us into what He truly wants us to become.  So we will not deny the way we feel; however, we will not allow the feelings to dictate how we respond to life’s disappointments.  We will continue to seek the face of God and continue to say “Yes Lord” to Your will and Your way!

My prayer today is that we all take a moment to reflect on our purpose and never forget that He who has begun a good work in us, is able to complete it unto the coming of Christ!  (See Philippians 1:6)  So, when you feel like you are going through a season of something you really did not sign up for, or you are persecuted and attacked just for doing good and what is right, cheer up!  Know that God has your back and that no good deed goes unrewarded.