When you don’t see anything happening in your life regarding what God has promised you, this is the time of trial to see what is in your heart. How you react determines what is in your heart. This isn’t to condemn you, but to show where you are at with your walk with Jesus. It is you who gets to choose how you react, and if you grow or not.
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails;
Matthew 15:16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
All of God’s promises are for His glory. He wants you to partake in His glory to show everyone His goodness. For us to partake in His glory we must deny ourselves. This is the first prerequisite to following Jesus as well as being part of His glory. Without denying yourself, your walk with Him will be hindered.
John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Rejoicing, praying and giving thanks is the key to grow in Jesus. By doing so, you are fertilizing the soil in which the seed of the kingdom is in. You might now understand why this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
My friends, stay strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Do not be dismayed regarding how long things take. The enemy wants to wear you down so you give up on His promises. Thar’s why we have the faith chapter, Hebrews 11, to look at and remind us that all these people were faithful as we are to be. Be blessed my friends
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.