February 4, 2010

Today's Passage: Joel 2:25-27
Memory Verse: Joel 2:25

There's a period in my life I often refer to as the "lost years". When I reflect back over that time, I see with great sorrow that they were years filled with selfishness and my futile desire to find happiness. What ended up happening, however, was that this happiness continued to elude me, while I lost my innocence as well as the dreams I had of being what God intended me to be.

Once I committed my life to the Lord, and began to walk the narrow road of surrendering it all to Him, I have had to fight the doubts sent by the enemy that those dreams will never be fulfilled. And that's where the Word and will of God comes in. Yes, Christ requires that we lay down our own desires and be consumed with His desire for us. Yes, at times it may seem as though what we want may never come to pass.

But God's Word assures us that not only does He have a plan to prosper and not harm us (Jer. 29:11), but He also is able to go into our past and restore the dreams that we lost when we lived for the enemy. So, as you lose yourself in Him, I encourage you to look forward to the new seasons of promise you will gain. One thing I know about my Father: He NEVER makes idle promises.

Prayer: Daddy, I love You today. I'm so glad You saw beyond what I did when I turned my back on You. Thank You for receiving me as Your child, then erasing my past as if it had never taken place. Furthermore, You've taken my original dreams and are in the process of bringing them to fruition. May the rest of my life always bring You glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.