March 18, 2022

by Kimberly Hobbs 

EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Maybe you have heard this old adage before, “personality opens the door. Character keeps it open.” Even truer is this: “As we delight in the Lord, He establishes us.” (Psalms 37:23).
God puts dreams in our hearts and writes a destiny over our lives. And if we trust Him enough to take Him at His word, we will find ourselves on a journey that prepares us to fulfill the Kingdom call.
Unfortunately, the path of promise is often fought with thickets and thorns.
“Our promise is not released without problems,” a quote I just heard recently from Dr. Jia R Conway.
 Nothing worth having ever comes easy or without opposition, does it?
 Storms come, lions roar, people bite and snap, and just like that – our fears rise up. God allows opposition and training times for us because He knows exactly what our character needs.
 God wants us to be able to stand strong in our next place of promise. He has a plan dear sister. He is on it! “You can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you.” (Phil. 4:13)
And so, as we follow His lead, we will at different times find ourselves in a valley of decision. It’s in those places we can embrace God’s beautiful work in our lives, or we can just cut out and run and do our own thing. It’s all about choices, obedience and you making the right call.
That brings me back to the picture of the valley of bones. It takes humility and faith to persevere through times of testing, to let your flesh die so that your dream can live.
 It’s better to leave your self-sins dead in the valley than to leave your dreams there. Give faith to your dreams and life to your hope.
 Here’s the test though: We have a free “will” and our ways will often be seen easier than God’s ways, and at the time we are free to choose the easier road. Many go right ahead and do just that.  They take the path of least resistance.
Maybe you are in a place that is all wrong for you, but God has you in that place for a reason. His reason, not for you to know right now. He’s using you, changing you, and building a gritty perseverance in you, giving you a new sense of His heart for the hard to love in your midst.
 What do you do now?  You submit!
You obey until He tells you differently. A great place to trust Him is in the wait of the journey!