The best is yet to come!
A friend sent a card for my birthday recently that reads, "The best is yet to come."
When I opened it, my spirit echoed it, saying, “Yes, the best is yet to come!"
In my younger years, I had already been immersed in radical encounters with Jesus, experienced miracles, witnessed salvations, enjoyed church life, was surrounded by great friends, and launched a fun ministry… so I thought my best years were behind me.
But that was a lie from the enemy, a lie that caused me to feel a sense of hopelessness and a lack of joy about my future. During that time, the Lord assured me, "Your latter years will be greater than your earlier years."
The Lord started giving me promises for my future—promises that I later clung to during the darkest of nights in my 30s. God was equipping me with HOPE for when I would walk through really hard times.
Do you wonder if you've lived your best years? Do you look back, yearning for those earlier years? This was me too, and sometimes these thoughts still try to raise their ugly heads.
The Bible encourages us with a hope for our future. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11, NLV)
He has TREASURES for us in hidden, dark places. "I will give you hidden treasures from dark, concealed places and wealth waiting in secret sites so that you recognize me, for it is I, Yahweh, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name." (Is. 45:3, TPT)
When I lived with chronic pain in early motherhood one treasure I received was an encounter with Jesus, in an open vision about healing. Then when I walked through the valley of the shadow of divorce, God gave me the experience of finding money daily for 6 months straight, reassuring me that He is my provider. I had countless treasures in hidden and unexpected places in my darkest nights. These treasures sparked hope that God was with me and was carrying me through dark places into a hope-filled future.
This is who God is: He speaks HOPE and promises of good things to come. This also tells us who our enemy is... he is the destroyer of hope and a messenger of deceit and doubt. “The devil has nothing to do with the truth. There is no truth in him. It is expected of the devil to lie, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44b, NLV)
So pay attention—when you start to doubt God's goodness or doubt your life or your future, these thoughts are stemming from a lie. They aren’t based on truth. The truth is God has hope for your future. Grab thoughts of doubt & take em’ captive! —Speak hope over yourself. Ask God what He says about the things that seem doubtful or hopeless. Let God speak to you & take hold of what He says.
Whatever you're going through, there is a light around the corner. Don't give up because God continually declares victory, power, hope, & joy over your life, in your darkest of hours, and in your brightest of days.
He loves you fiercely... you can trust Him fiercely.
Igniting Hope Again
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Firstly, recognize thoughts that bring despair or sadness. God doesn’t have despair for you. When you have thoughts of despair ask God if the exact opposite is true. Likely it may be. For instance I felt anxiety & fear about my future finances during divorce. Fear of whether or not I would financially make it —these thoughts were causing incredible anxiety and concern for my future. These thoughts were not from God, God doesn’t want us to have despair about anything. If you have hopeless thoughts about your future recognize and acknowledge that these thoughts aren’t from God.
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Secondly, redirect these thoughts to truth. Stop them in their tracks. Phil. 4:8 encourages us to think on things that are TRUE. When I have anxiety inducing thoughts about my financial future I stop those thoughts and speak truth, “No. God is my great Provider, I’ve never gone without, I’m His kid, I’m faithful with what He has given me, and He will guide me with provision for my future.” Can you ask God for what the truth is about your future?
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