He is Able
“[Abraham]...was fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to do.”
Abraham was totally convinced that God would fulfill all His promises. Are you? Are you totally convinced that God is going to fulfill His promises to you? When God says, “Yes.” Do you believe Him? All the way?
Or - do you only partially believe that God will fulfill His promises to you? Or do you doubt that He will come through for you? If you’re anything like me, doubt seems easier.
Hoping is hard.
Sometimes it feels so much easier to doubt and expect to be let down than to hope. I spent years living from that place - from a place of expecting to be hurt, to be let down, to be disappointed. When I’d experience a “high” in prayer, I’d catch myself thinking, “How long is this one going to last me before the floor drops out, and I go back to normal?” I simply didn’t know how to hope without getting hurt.
Hoping can be painful - really painful. Hoping really hurts sometimes, especially when we’re disappointed. Whether we’re in the midst of disappointment or in the aftermath or somewhere in between, it’s a heavy boulder to move. I lived expecting to be disappointed, and so I was. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Expectant faith has to be cultivated.
Expectant faith didn’t come naturally to me. I was more comfortable with my bitterness and frustration. I was really good at being a victim, and, truth be told, I still struggle with that sometimes. But I have a loving Father who wants the best for me. I have a loving Father who will come through every time.
He’s worked much greater miracles than the ones I’m hoping for. Of course He will fulfill His promises. Our God isn’t a liar. He’s honest. He’s true. You can trust Him. You can believe Him.
He is able to do what He has promised.
Nothing is impossible for Him. When we start choosing to engage that mentality, to embrace gratitude, and to believe that God works miracles in our lives everyday - that’s when the disappointment begins to fade and hope can start to grow.
When we put all of our trust - not just pieces of our trust, but all of it - in the Father, He doesn’t disappoint. When we turn from anger and frustration and disappointment, that’s when we begin to see His hand. And He is there with more love and joy and peace than we could ever receive. Even if things don’t turn out the way we think they should, it’s always for the best because God chooses a plan and a life for us that isn’t the one we would choose - it’s better.
God doesn’t let us settle for our plan.
He doesn’t. He has more for us than we could imagine for ourselves. He builds lives for us that are beautiful and fulfilling and rich - in both suffering and happiness.
Sisters, take life as it comes, knowing that your Father has it all sorted out for you - and it’s better than the plan you’d settle for if you had the choice. Allow yourself to hope in His goodness, and you won’t be disappointed. He is able.
Father,
Thank You for preparing a place for us. Thank You for designing a plan for our lives. Thank You that You meet and exceed our expectations. Thank You that our lives don’t go according to our plans - but that they run according to Yours.
Father, please rid us of disappointment. Help us into genuine grief if that’s what we need or into happiness if the time for suffering is over.
Father, thank You for Your faithful love. You are such a good friend to us and such a good God.
We love You. We believe You. We trust You. We’ve seen You move, and we choose to believe that You’ll do it again.
Amen.