Whilst you are praying for your heart ‘s desires; sometimes it takes longer than anticipated to come but what if God wants your attention first for his glory before he blesses you with what you have been praying for. If God gives you what you have been praying for all these years will your heart still be after God ? Will all your attention still be focused on God or only on what he blesses you with? You may want to do some soul searching regarding this. What is the end goal of your prayers? What is your heart really after?
Are you fasting; praying all these prayers; going to church etc just so God can bless you with what you have been praying for- that one thing God has not answered you with. If God was to give you that specific thing today- will you still be deep in love with him like before you received what you were praying for?
It is important to remember that the destination is not that thing you have been praying for. It could be marriage; a posh job; family ;a car ;money;a big house etc. The end goal however is eternity. Eternity is a looong time and it is important that we think about eternity more rather than marriage; a fancy job or money etc. Yes it is important that you get blessed with marriage etc but it may become a curse rather than a blessing if you get it too soon.
Maybe God just wants your attention. Do you love God with all your heart and with all your soul?I have noticed that when I love something a little bit too much to go on the obsession side, God takes it away from me or I will just lose it .I tend to lose my focus as obsessing about “things” means I’m paying more attention to “things ” rather than focus on the blessing. I have stopped obsessing about material things so much even though they are nice to have. Do you think about what God would want you to do first before you make a decision or you just do whatever you want. Are you lukewarm?.Is it God’s way or your way all the time? Are you willing to carry your own cross like Christ did for you? Maybe he has put things on your heart but you keep ignoring his voice and you keep telling yourself that you can not do it because you do not have enough money or time to do it. Sometimes accepting God’s will and purpose is the key to opening whatever it is you thought you really wanted. Accept what God is acking you to do and accept to do it for life, whether life is great or whether life is bitter, you accept what the Lord wants you to do.
Psalms 32 vs 8-9
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and I will watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by Brit and bridle or they will not come to you.
Do you ever listen to God to speak to you? We all have a habit of praying for hours and hours but never listen to what God is saying to us. Do you ever have moments when you say “Holy Spirit, speak to me ,I am listening”? or it is just you and your needs? When last did you take a day off to sit and spend time with the Lord without being disrupted by the job, the work, the people? Do you ever ask theLord what he wants to be done asking God questions like what do you want me to do today for you, what is on your heart today? Consider doing this. Remember you are here to do his work more than your own personal goals.
Psalm 81:7-8
7 In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of
a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 8 Hear me, my
people, and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel!
You may consider working on yourself in your walk. Maybe God wants your attention first before he gives you anything you think you need and to fix certain things in your life before he blesses you. It maybe any of the below ,just to mention a few…
1)Get your finances right
You may be drowning in debt and if i.e God blesses you with a child you may not be able to take care of the child with so much debt. It is wise to start paying off the debt, investing; finding another job; pray for other ideas you can make money so that when God blesses you with a child you are able to take care of the child as a family.
2)If you are single & believing God for marriage learn more about
yourself; hygiene ; nails; hair; healthy tips; travel –go to new places you have never been; go to school ; learn new things; acquire a degree; learn new activities; learn how to cook for that future husband ; Enjoy your life. Maybe when God gives you the husband it will be full time ministry and you will not have time to travel and do all these things you can be doing now.
3) We all have weaknesses ; some people have anger issues ; you get upset so quickly ; sometimes over nothing; some have gossip issues –you can not stop talking about others; some have shopping problems-The moment you see that sale ; you can not function; you want that new dress or those new shoes. You may be battling with patience issues; it is this time you have on your hands to work out your issues, try and be patient; work on those anger issues etc.
If you want to be promoted but you have patience issues; how are you going to be able to control a team of people if you can not control yourself ? Do you have the capabilities of a leader? Or if you are praying for marriage do you have your own money or you are waiting for that husband to be the one to take care of you? Or you want a rich husband but can barely support yourself.
4)Ask the Holy Spirit every day to open your spiritual ears so that
you can hear exactly what God is saying to you. When the Holy Spirit speaks to you; you will not run around every time you are attacked by the enemy. In fact God will speak to you way before you get attacked or God will direct you through the difficult time you will be going through.
5)Worship– Keep worshiping God as if there is no tomorrow and stop focusing on the issue at hand because only God can deliver you when it’s time for you to move on to the next level.
Acts 16 vs 25 & 26 VS 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to
God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.
6)Pray without ceasing
God knows where you are ; God knows what you are battling. If God keeps adding some more years to your life; be assured that he has a plan for your life. Pray without ceasing ;develop “an often” prayerful life; pray anytime anywhere. Listen to different preachers to encourage yourself more often. Maybe God wants your attention. Christ alone fills you up and helps you through your season of trying when you keep praying and keeping your eyes on the prize.
7)Start a prayer altar
This is when you re-commit to the Lord and say I will show up everyday in communion with you and sit here to pray. Choose a time and never miss that prayer time. If you say it will be from say 9am to 11 am , show mup everyday for the rest of your life. It’s a commitment and sacrifice to do that but do it anywhere. The word of the Lord says draw near to me and I will draw near to you James 4 vs 8. Doing this is you taking the first steps to draw near to him and believe me, he will draw near to you just as he says in his word.
Maybe you do everything right; pray; fast often; encourage other Christians to find God; You are winning souls for Christ; you have a pure heart; you live for Christ and you have discovered what your purpose is but the blessing has not come .God has not answered your prayer as yet. The good news is you are not abandoned; you are right where God wants you to be. He wants your attention and for you to realize that only he can save you. Stop getting frustrated but rather ask God to show you the areas where you need to focus on and improve before he blesses you with your heart’s desire. Ask God what you can do for his kingdom. Ask God to reveal his purpose to you. The goal is not material things; the goal is finding him who is found in the secret place.
Remember God promised Abraham a son and it came to pass ;if God promised you a child ; marriage or that high quality; high paying job ; be certain that it will come to you when its time. It will only happen in God ‘s timing ; only in God’s timing zone. We don’t know when that is and no one knows either. Love God; work for God; encourage other people to pray and live for God.
Romans 4:20-25 King James Version (KJV)
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Never force things to happen; maybe badmouth people at work to try and snag that position .If the job is meant to be yours God will give it to you. If the marriage is supposed to happen; God will bless you with it. His time not yours. God is not a man that he should lie nor a son of man that should change his mind. God is the owner of your life; he protected you in your mother’s belly. He knew you before you were created. He made sure you would come to earth. He still got you. The Holy Spirit is your GPS, he is your satellite.
Jeremiah 1 verse 5
Before I formed you in the womb ; I knew you; before you were born I set you apart. i appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Isaiah 46 vs 4
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you , I have made you & I will carry you. I will sustain you & I will
rescue you.
God has the power to turn your situation around but are you willing to die for him? Are you willing to make it your devoted walk ; that even if He blesses you or if he chooses to not bless you ; You will still walk with him; You will still pursue him? Why would he leave you now? Maybe God is sparing you and covering you from that big job before you are quite ready for it. If its marriage;maybe God is protecting you until your husband is ready. Are you willing to say I will worship you only till eternity. Make that vow today.
8)Trust in God
Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take
courage; wait for the Lord!”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
Trust in God for the impossible. BELIEVE IN GOD!!!
9)Lastly NEVER GIVE UP – if you keep asking he will give it to you or if it is not good enough he will give you something better than what you have been praying for .Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened unto you. PAY ALL YOUR ATTENTION TO GOD. Develop a habit to pray and worship him with all your heart all the time.
Maybe God just wants your attention before he blesses you.
Luke 10 verse 27
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
I will say it again –Trust in God for the impossible. BELIEVE IN GOD with all YOUR HEART!!!