Hopeful and Expectant

Change; it’s inevitable and unstoppable. It can come suddenly or after long periods. However change comes, it usually involves waiting in some way, shape, or form. When I go to Chick-fil-a and place my order in the drive-thru, I know that I’m about to get a delicious meal that will have everything I asked for because that’s what Chick-fil-a does. I don’t know the people working the window, yet I fully trust that they’re going to do their job to provide me with the result I want because they’re reputable and they’ve never let me down. I am hopeful and expectant every time. If I am willing to wait on and trust a fast food restaurant so relentlessly, how big of a capacity for those same qualities can I have while waiting on the Lord who provides more than I could ever dream of? (Eph 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”) 

The Lord has laid these two words on my heart the last couple of weeks and I'm excited to share them with you all. When we think about waiting, we may think of impatience, anxiety, and groaning. By the world’s definition, these things notoriously linked. I have noticed in my life these same feelings trying to creep in when the waiting process isn’t going my way or taking longer than expected. The enemy will push its way into every vulnerable corner of our lives if we don’t fully maintain the armor of God.  

But the Lord equips us with his promises that give us strength when held onto. We can expect to go through times that we don’t understand but are we holding hope and expectancy while trusting fully that God has it under control? Because he is reputable even when we can’t see it, He is always on time and provides bigger and better than we could ever dream of. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  

In the ever changing seasons of your life, cling to Him and enjoy the ride. In the end, you will be provided with more than you could ever imagine, and it will be worth the wait.

Rooted in Victory

Did you know that trees take anywhere from 10-30 years to grow to their full size? Not only do they take this long to grow, but they take anywhere from 3-4 weeks just to root themselves into the ground once they’ve been planted. As the tree continues to grow, more roots form and begin to connect with surrounding roots, in turn creating a communication system between the plants. So, while I may not know whether or not a tree makes a sound when it falls in the forest if no one is around to hear it, I do know that trees talk to one another using their foundational system and it screams God’s design. 

Just as trees must be planted in good soil in order to grow and flourish, we too must be rooted in proper ground in order to fight all that is combating against us. As Christians, we’re called to be set apart, and being set apart in a world that is focused on self, pleasure, achievements, and possessions isn’t always easy. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) are all things of the world that the enemy is using to distract us from living the pure and holy life God has called us to. In order to live the life created for us we have to take root in ground we can be settled in.

There have been times in my life when I’ve chosen to gratify the desires of the flesh and root myself in temporary circumstances only to find myself being uprooted and longing for my Savior. Whether we’re fighting against temptation, struggling to control our temper, or choosing to listen to the world rather than Jesus, we’re all in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. It’s evident that with our sinful nature and the enemy working against us that there will be times when we fall short, but when we are rooted in victory our failures can never define us. 

There is a way we can overcome the world and all of its desires, and that’s through our faith in Jesus. 1 John 5:4 proclaims, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.” Faith is not only believing that God is able, but that God will do what He has promised, and it not only gives us victory over our sin, but victory over all of the temptation and pressure that comes along with it. When we give our lives to Jesus, we’re identified with Him and have eternal life through Christ, therefore His victory is our victory and our faith in Him conquers the world and all that is in it. Because of Jesus, you are an overcomer. You are not bound to any sin, any lust of the flesh, or any lust of the eye. The battle has already been won and you can walk in victory, rooted in Christ, and with full assurance of your faith. 

Trees not only need to be rooted in proper soil to grow, but they’re dependent upon us to provide them with a key component they need to flourish. In the process of making their own food, plants expel oxygen that our lungs need to breathe, and with each respiration we provide them with the carbon dioxide they need in order to grow. Therefore, not only do we need to root ourselves in the One who suffered and died on a tree so that we may live, we also need to continuously breathe life into one another. With our faith and fellow believers by our side, we can stand rooted in victory no matter the circumstance and be able to withstand any storm that threatens to blow us over. 

With love, 

Miranda