So tonight in young adult group, Jason talked about Abraham - how he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. The point being, we need to believe God. Not just say we believe Him, but really believe Him. Believe what He says He will do. But then beyond that, we need to act on what He says. True belief in what God has said will result in action. He said that the things God tells us may not happen how or when we think it should. It may take some time, like God's promise to Abraham. But we need to hang on to those promises and not let go.
I was thinking about my own life personally, remembering the things God spoke to me when I was still in high school. And here I am, 11 years later, still waiting. I've made mistakes, screwed up, and turned my back on God since He spoke those things to me all those years ago. I know how the Bible says the call of God is without repentance. (Romans 11:29)
SIDENOTE: Just read this scripture in the Amplified for the first time ever. "For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]" Can you say WOW???
But I also know how the Bible says that whoever looks back isn't fit for the kingdom. (Luke 9:62) So I've been struggling lately to figure it all out. I've been waiting so long...did I miss it? Did I look back enough to just throw away what God had for me and screw up my chances? Or does He still want me? I know He still loves me and all that, I wasn't questioning that. I was questioning whether those things God placed in my heart were still things He has for me to do, or if I've just messed all of that up beyond repair.
So anyway....what Jason was saying got my mind going down this path, thinking these things over. He talked about never quitting. About when it gets REALLY hard, and we feel like we can't keep going, to just take another step. Keep taking one more step, because that's when the promise will finally come. So while he was saying all of this, I had an epiphany!!!
God is omniscient. He knows everything. He knows the beginning from the end. He knew ME before my parents even thought about me. So if He knows everything, when He spoke those things to me 11 years ago, He knew the day would come when I would struggle. He knew I would fall away and do my own thing. He knew I would have to make decisions and that I would end up making the wrong ones. But He still told me those things He had for me.
Why? Because He knew it wouldn't change anything. He knew I would mess up and make things harder for myself, but He knew my heart would come back to Him. He knew that underneath all the mess, my heart would always really be His. And even though I'd mess up, I would come to realize that truth myself. HE KNEW.
And with that said, I can go back to Romans 11:29 in the Amplified. And I could jump up and down right now! "He never withdraws them when once they are given..." It's like Kim Klaudt said one time he came and ministered at church, "God didn't call you when you were 22 sitting on the front row in church. He didn't look down and slap His forehead and say, 'Hey, Jesus! I just got it! Why don't we send Billy Bob to be a missionary in Africa?' He doesn't wake up and slap his forehead and say, 'I could've had a V8!'" It's so true. He knew me before I was born. When He knew me, He called me. He just didn't tell me until 11 years ago.
So now I have hope again. Hope that the work He started in my life, He will finish. I will finish what He has called me to do. No matter how long that takes.
