“I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you to worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.” Jesus Calling devotional by Sarah Young
This Jesus Calling devotional by Sarah Young had my wheels spinning this morning and I can’t seem to stop thinking about the words…the meaning…the possibilities…
Let’s start from the beginning…
“I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish.”
Many times I come to God with my ‘requests’, but do I really (I mean REALLY) come expecting Him to answer and do above and beyond what I can even think or imagine? Or do I just limit Him to a tiny box and only think He can work in my life according to what I can see with my natural eyes? Do I transfer my circumstances of anovulation onto God and think He won’t answer my prayer for a baby this cycle (or even the next one) because currently my body isn’t working properly? God is known for taking less than perfect environments or situations and performing miracles and I must never forget this truth. I need to always come to Him asking for BIG things and then expect big things to happen. There are no limits to God.
“Ask my Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me.”
If you asked me, “Do you have ‘great thoughts’ of God?” I would raise both hands and say, “Of course!”–and I do–but if I took an account for every thought or idle word I speak in regards to my circumstances, could I really say I had ‘great thoughts’ about God all of the time? If I truly believed that all things would work out for my good, then why do I sometimes worry? Why do I stomp my feet and cry out if I trust that He is faithful to His promises? It’s easy to look at our circumstances and lose sight and think that He is not good, merciful, faithful, loving, and working all good things out for our good; but we need to constantly ask the Holy Spirit to control our mind and emotions, so that we only have great thoughts about the Great I Am.
“Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon me, to trust me in the dark.”
My current cycle is the longest it has ever been. I have broken the record for the longest.cycle.ever. and I can’t help but sometimes become discouraged. I have prayed for shorter cycles, to see signs of ovulation, and to be pregnant, but to no avail. But I can’t let myself become discouraged because my prayers are not answered in the time frame that I would like. Time is one of the greatest factors that can kill the promises of God from coming into our lives because we mistake the length (or time) of our wait as the answer “no”, and if we think the answer is “no”, then we will lose sight, give up, or try something else that God has not planned. God’s delays are not His denials. I cannot allow time to be viewed as my enemy, but rather a helper. Eek! Cringe! I almost hated typing that, but I need to open my mind to the fact that God could be using time in my situation as a training tool to wait upon Him. I am a doer and I’m always looking for quick solutions, so the thought of ‘waiting’ on God seems slow, boring and unproductive. However, in the Bible, to wait upon God is not “sitting still” or being “unproductive”, but rather an act of trusting, praising, worshiping, praying, and seeking more after Him. Am I allowing this time of “waiting” to teach me how to trust, worship, praise, and seek after Him more? Are you? I am trying hard to not let my time of “waiting” be useless, but a season of growth in my faith. By doing so, this journey has had the same problems, but the problems are growing dim and the struggle to continue each day is becoming less.
“The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in your situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for my glorious intervention.”
As I continue into this journey, I can’t help but worry or view my situation as getting more ‘extreme’. From my perspective, I should have little hope of conceiving naturally, but I choose to not let the long cycles, multiple pages of medical reports, or my logical reasoning to take over and cause me fear, worry, or unbelief. Instead, I will view my long, anovulatory cycles as opportunities for God to orchestrate a scene in which He can suddenly show up and show out with a glorious intervention that showcases His power. The more extreme my circumstances look, the more glory God will get in the end. Would I like to have a normal 28 day cycle with obvious signs of ovulation so that I could “time” better? Of course! But what I want even more is for my story of God’s miraculous power to leave mouths open and jaws dropped.
Sweet friend, are you facing an impossibility? If so, I encourage you to keep reading over this devotional today, maybe even type it out on paper and put it on your bathroom mirror as a reminder to look at your ‘extreme circumstance’ from a different perspective. Don’t look at the time it is taking or the difficulties along the way as set backs, but as opportunities that God is using them to perfect you and perfect the final scene in which He shows His power and glory. Doing so is an act of faith and demonstration of your trust in Him. Also, let this devotional remind you to come boldly before Him and ask of BIG and impossible things…things we can’t even fathom; but don’t just ask, expect him to answer.
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I can only imagine what amazing things God is going to do for you and me both, friend! Very exciting to see Him at work – we just have to hold on to the faith that our circumstances aren’t truth – Jesus is truth! And I’m thankful for your encouragement in this community – it’s a much needed gift from God 🙂
Amen!! I can’t wait to be passing emails back and forth about how much sleep we are losing because our babies are keeping us awake 🙂 That day will come sooner than later 😉
You are the eternal optimist, and your faith is inspirational. I feel like in my head I know that I can expect God to answer my prayers, but in my heart….that little flicker of hope isn’t burning as brightly anymore. Thank you for helping to kindle that flame, even if it is just temporarily.
Just keep fanning that flame girl to keep it going! Once you start to see a spark, run with it! That’s what I have to do. I start preparing for a nursery, taping verses all over my house related to healing and His faithfulness and I just keep fanning until it starts a bonfire. love ya girl!!! I could always send you one of those “fire poker sets”. lol!!!
I love this! That book is so good and I love your application. God gets all the glory when our circumstances are less than ideal. He is doing good things in His time. Enjoy the opportunity to wait on Him. I can see Him teaching you big things. Love ya!
Do you have this devotional? If not, I would love to send you a copy? Every day I sit down with it first thing in the morning and I marvel at how much it speaks to me and whatever it is I am facing that day. I know it’s the holy spirit working through the words to reach to my heart. Love ya too! You are such an encouragement and inspiration to me!
Bless your dear heart, Elisha! My heart just breaks with you, but in your deep trials, today, I found so much hope. I am so sick with pneumonia, and oh, my, tonight has been rough. It is seeming to take so very long to be healed, I seem to be taking one step forward and two back, and a lot of very negative, dark thoughts were swirling around in my head. I was REALLY battling the enemy, when I came in to check email and found your post. I sat here and read it, in light of your situation, and I remembered how I was once RIGHT where you are with the PCOS, anovulation, etc. BUT GOD, in His infinite mercy opened my womb…ONE TIME, for that one moment, and HE sent us the sweetest baby boy. When I read your post, it was a gentle reminder that if God can do that for us, He can do that for you. If God can send us a baby, He can heal this pneumonia. If you think of me, please remember me in prayer for healing, as I am praying for you, also. God’s peace be with you as you wait on Him, Cheryl
Yes I am praying right now that God’s healing power would surround you. Isaiah 53:5 says that by his wounds you ARE healed. It is not will be, but already are…and I’m believing that for you right now. I’m praying that as you continue through the night and wake up in the morning that your symptoms will be less and you will be back to feeling normal.
My light shall break forth like the morning, and my healing shall spring forth speedily. Isiah 58:8
Thank you so much. God is hearing and answering prayer! I know He is doing the very same thing in YOU, my friend! Thanking God for you…love, Cheryl
I look forward to the day that you announce this miracle has happened in your life. You are so strong and so good!
I look forward to it as well 🙂 I can’t wait!!! I get excited and hopeful just thinking about it. Thanks for the encouraging words!!
Seems this devotional touched a lot of people today. I posted on Facebook this morning about how this was a reminder I needed. God definitely met me right where I am.
I look forward to the awesome blessings he has in store for us in the future!! Praying the we can all remain patient and hopeful.
amen!! As long as we keep looking to Him for our source of strength and not our own, then we will be able to endure. I am believing that!! Love ya!
Wow – what a fabulous devotional that was! We have to be ready to receive all that He will give us and know that we deserve it too 🙂 something I continually struggle with. Using God to channel all my anxieties and worries and give them to God! Love this post!!
so glad God spoke to you through the devotional as well. And yes! You totally deserve every blessing!! He is a loving God for sure and loves to shower us with good things!
I love that you and Caroline are also reading this devotional. This one really spoke to me as well, and I’m glad you posted about it, because I needed to read it again today! Just more reminders that we need to ask, not only for what we’re praying for, but to also expect MUCH MORE! Thanking Him in advance right alongside you!
This is my third year of doing Jesus Calling. I have a couple other devotionals that I like as well, but I’m always drawn to this one more. Even though it is my third year, the Holy Spirit always speaks something new to me each day through it. I’m thinking about typing this one out and posting it on my office wall at home or in my bathroom. It is a good reminder and will help build my faith. Hugs to you!
Amen!! I Love that devotional 🙂 It says exactly what I need to hear each day and makes the wheels start turning. I will even reread the day before’s passage for another round of marinating 🙂 Having patience is the WORST thing for me. It took me 5 months of being told, nope, not pregnant to finally figure out that God is trying and testing my patience…BECAUSE I ASKED HIM TO MAKE ME BETTER AT HAVING PATIENCE! FAIL. But it wasn’t a total fail because the light bulb came on and after a session on my knees repenting, I brushed the chip off my shoulder and put my chin up: I will conquer the next “not now” answer with praise and glory in his name for having other big things in store and know that his timing is perfect.
Amen Gabby!!! I also have a bad habit of reading ahead to the next day too :/ hehe!! Praise stills the enemy so in the midst of our disappointments, that’s exactly what we should do whether we feel like it or not. Thanks for your words of encouragement!
AH!!! Read this yesterday and thought it was perfect… SUCH A GOOD DEVOTIONAL!
I know I love Jesus Calling!
“God’s delays are not his denials”— LOVE that. I need to tattoo that on my hand I think!!! 🙂
haha!! I have to remind myself of this all the time 🙂
Yes!!! As we wait for Gods answer and His timing it’s a blessing to be able to spend time in prayer and growin closer to Him! Even when His timing (or even His answers) are not what we want, our faith in Him can and will be strengthened!
amen!! Our faith being strengthened is the ultimate prize 😉 Thanks for sharing your words of encouragement!
It truly was a perfect devotional on the 6th! Just loved it. Your breakdown was beautiful. Just because He hasn’t answered our prayer yet in the way we are seeking, doesn’t mean He isn’t still working!! Xoxo!
amen!! I love the quote…”while you wait, God works” perfect!
This is lit’really such a great post! 😉 Love this!
I am so glad it spoke to you too!! hugs girlie!!!
When we place the little we have into His hands, He is always going to give us more than we expect and then some! This Sunday we talked about when Jesus fed the 4,000 and He provided more than enough for them and there was even LEFTOVERS! Why would He change now? He won’t. What a cool promise!
I love that you can zoom out and see the bigger picture, already! Because you, and soo many of us, have such devastating, dramatic, extreme circumstances God is orchestrating huge testimonies to show His power and Glory, all with the intentions to bless us beyond measure and care for our every need, and build His Kingdom. When we become God-focused in our circumstances, we are able to rejoice over the waiting, and become excited over the expectations for Him to deliver His promised! Great post girl! You are Profoundly loved by our Creator! xoxo
yes I love the story of feeding the 4000! I also love the one where they needed money to pay their taxes and so He had a fish spit out a coin, which was the exact amount they needed. He always provides and does it in the most astonishing and unpredictable way. I love that!! Thanks so much for your encouraging words and He loves you just as much!! xoxo