All Things New

All Things New

Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. Isaiah 54:4

“THINGS NEVER WORK OUT FOR ME.” “It’s just always out of my reach.” “My time never seems to come.” Heavy hearts say or think such things, usually with complete conviction. But hearts have selective memories and skewed perspectives. The truth is that God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, promised to make all things work together for our good, and given us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness, including great and precious promises that enable us to participate in the divine nature. None of that sounds like things not working out for us or being just out of reach. Our time has already come. We just need to know how to believe it.

But hearts that are well-acquainted with disappointment have trouble believing the best, and God’s promises are always the best. So we prophesy disappointment over ourselves to protect our hearts from experiencing it once again. But in the Kingdom of God, that’s a problem. It’s a false prophecy, a negative expectation, a lack of faith—or actually faith in the reverse of God’s will. When we assume his goodness doesn’t apply to us, that we just aren’t going to have the same fulfilling experiences other people have, we are suggesting that there is favoritism with God after all, contrary to his assurances that there isn’t (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11). We are letting our shame, discouragement, and hopelessness dictate our faith.

There is only one solution: Stop. Your past disappointments do not apply to the present or the future. No matter how tempted you are to guard your heart by not getting your hopes up, it is imperative to get your hopes up about the things God has clearly spoken. If you need to protect yourself from wishful thinking, go ahead. But if you’re trying to protect yourself from God’s Word, you’re undermining his will for your life. The things-never-work-out-for-me syndrome is a spiritual disease, and faith is the only cure. Embrace God’s promises, sing about them, prepare for them, and don’t give up, no matter how much contrary evidence you think you see. Breakthrough is surely, mercifully, resoundingly on its way.

The best is yet to be.