Keep Dreaming the Dream

"For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay" Habakkuk 2:3 NIV

Who among us has not believed God has promised us something but it didn't come in our timing? Was it the perfect job? The spouse we longed for? The child we seemingly would never conceive? As I was reading Habakkuk 2:3 it made me think about how I question God's faithfulness to complete what He has promised. I even begin to view His promises as impossible or past the point of being capable of fulfillment.

Think of Jacob, and the years that he believed Joseph was dead. God had promised him that 12 nations would be born from him, but then he seemingly was reduced to 11 sons. Joseph, the first-born of his beloved wife Rachel, had perished and with him the dream that the vision God had given could be fulfilled. God had forgotten him. God had not deemed him worthy to fulfill the promise given to him.

Isn't that how we feel when things don't work out the way we believe they should? Our thought process goes through a litany of questions and possibilities: 'Was the promise from God in the first place? Did I do something to lose the promise, did I prove myself unworthy? Did I miss the promise and now it's gone forever?' Then our thoughts move on to things like: 'I feel so stupid for thinking I could accomplish that. I could never be in that position. That would never happen for me.' How many times have these thoughts swirled around in your head when things didn't work out in the time frame we believed they should? I know I have gone there.

"For the revelation awaits an appointed time, it speaks of the end and will not prove false.' This verse reminds me that it is God who is faithful to the vision He has given me. Jacob waited about 22 years before finding out that Joseph was really alive and that all the time God was positioning things for the success of the vision HE had given. God was working behind the scenes, moving things into position so that success and life would flow from the fulfilled vision.

I must remind myself often that the dreams God gives are not solely dependant on my abilities. God has created me for a purpose, HE has given me dreams, HE created me to live out those dreams. When I dwell on what has not come to pass I begin to not live life to the fullest. I forget the joy that goes along with the dream. I forget that it is HIM that makes me worthy. I forget that HE plans for me to succeed.

God's vision for my life will not prove false. I must remind myself that God has plans to prosper me, plans to give me a hope and a future. I must wait on the LORD, and I must keep seeing the dreams HE has given me. When I spend time in the King's presence my hope is renewed, my strength is renewed, and I realize that waiting on His perfect plan will be worth it all.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV