Then the light changed and the car next to me moved on, revealing the whole scene. A young boy was standing by the woman—indicating that she was a mom talking with her son, instead of a disturbed woman talking with phantoms. Her young son had been there all along, hidden from view.
My original assessment of this scene reminded me of the way in which we often misjudge people and situations based on our limited view. We notice a fellow employee in a lower position who is hardworking and determine that he is contending for our job. We consider a bad report from the doctor and determine that it is the final verdict. We look at the mistakes of our past and determine that we are failures.
If we are not careful, we end up living—and being ruled—by the judgments we make based on what meets the eye.
Consider Joseph of the Old Testament. He is an example of someone who could have been deceived by focusing on what met the eye. The pit his brothers threw him into after he revealed his prophetic dreams to them looked like the end of the dreams! (See Gen. 37.) Joseph could have considered himself defeated, but he kept the faith. In Potiphar’s house, when things turned from bad to worse for him, Joseph continued to trust God—who took the pit and made it the very vehicle that moved Joseph in the direction of the palace, the fulfillment of his dreams (see Gen. 39-41).
Now think about your own life. Regardless of the way things look, God has a wonderful purpose for you. Where is the evidence? Since God is Spirit (see John 4:24), He often moves in ways we can’t see.
That’s why we need faith—defined in Hebrews 11:1 as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (NKJV). We get glimpses of God and the evidence of His work through our faith.
Today, I challenge you to join me in dwelling not on the evidence of your calling, but on the God of your calling—the God who is faithful (see 1 Thess. 5:24); the God who will make it happen, just as His Word promises (see Phil. 1:6); the same God who brought Joseph from the pit to the palace.
The God of your calling cares about what you see. He also cares about what you don’t always see—the evidence of great things yet to come.
PRAYER POWER WEEK OF 1/24/2011
This week as you pray take time to review examples in the Word that provide evidence of His faithfulness through the generations. Thank Him that His plan for your life and his faithfulness in fulfilling His promises is no less secure. Anticipate the good things He has in store for you and praise Him for it. Pray for continued direction and let Him know that you are available for whatever He desires for you. Continue to pray that those persecuted for the sake of Christ would stand firm, and that the American Church would be among those with radical passion for God and His purposes. Remember Israel, our military and our leaders. Thank Him in advance for a great revival and harvest of souls. Heb. 11:1-16; I Thess. 5:24; Phil. 1:6
To register, click here.
To post a comment with out registering, you must provide your "name" and "e-mail."
Under our terms of use, we reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify or delete your comments at any time without further notice. We also reserve the right to republish your comments in our print publication as a "letter to the editor."