From the desk of Steve Shultz:
I don't have to tell you these times can be discouraging times. And for many, in the midst of this, the wait for God's promises to come to pass is not over. But the love of God is also NOT over. His love for us is as strong as the day we first met Him, and it has no shadow of turning and does not pause or take a break with the changing of seasons.
If you find yourself in a place of discouragement and weariness in this season, your hope diminished or almost gone, or you know someone else struggling to have hope, please read this word by Victoria Boyson and pass it on. Put your hope in the Father's love. You will not be disappointed.
Here are also a couple of resources that will help you grasp just how LOVED you are:
Victoria Boyson:
Hope in Love
God's passion is seeing you walk in all that He has for you.
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. Psalm 147:10-11, NIV
I know that sometimes it is very difficult to trust in God while waiting for the development of your destiny. But we hope not in hope itself; we put our hope in God's unfailing love for us. And His love for us is strong enough to sink our hope into, because in the vast creation of the whole universe, His delight...is in you.
Our Father's Pleasure
I love the way David expresses himself in Psalm 147. He says our Father's pleasure is not in the great strength of a horse or the strength in the legs of a man. Of course, He made these things and is pleased with them, but they are not what He delights in. Yes, God has the stars, moon and sun that He could delight in, but they do not hold any great pleasure for Him. What God is passionate about is not the world He has created. They were only gifts He made for the one He loves to enjoy. What He delights in, my friend, is YOU.
You are the apple of God's eye. You are what He is passionate about. Not the great white whale, the Hawaiian Islands or the Rocky Mountains, but you. And when you turn your gaze toward Him, His heart skips a beat. You are what He loves – the great passion He delights in. And those who hope in His love for them, He will not deny.
Your Hope is Your Worship
Your hope in God is the greatest honor and praise that you could give Him; it delights Him. You could not show your love for God any greater than by hoping in His goodness, trusting in His love. God wants for you to really know that He is good. And when you do, He will stop at nothing to bless you.
Unfailing Love
It is difficult to wait and hope, yes. But let's think about what we are hoping in – His unfailing love. God's love is not fickle like man's love. No, Psalm 145:8 (NIV) says, "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." His love is unconditional. We think we understand His love, but really we do not. If we did, we would not treat others the way that we do.
God does not stop loving us when we fail. He does not want us to fail because He knows it will hurt us, but He definitely does not stop loving us. His red-hot love for us does not cool either. He loves us as much today as He will ever love us in our lifetime. He knew exactly what He could expect from us before He first chose us, and He chose us anyway.
Seasons Change
Flowers do not bloom year round, but do we lose faith in them because they stop blooming for a time? No, because we understand the different seasons they go through. And God understands that we go through different seasons and changes. Sometimes we bloom and sometimes we don't.
God loves us and appreciates us just as much when we are not in bloom, because He knows all and sees all. You may be going through a difficult time right now, but God looks ten years into your future and smiles. He never panics when we make mistakes, He just uses our mistakes for His glory. That is the love we hope in.
There is a time when every pot is a lump of clay, but God looks at that lump of clay and sees a beautiful pot!
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11, NIV
No matter what you are going through right now, God's plans for you remain the same. When a little child is just learning to walk and happens to fall down, his parents do not become angry with him. They do not get upset with him because he falls. Instead, they rejoice in the fact that he is trying to walk. They do not regard it as a failure, but enjoy watching him learn. And your Father in Heaven sees you exactly the same way.
God never gives up, no matter how many times we fail, His plans for us never change. We may have to endure a time of chastisement or setback, but His plans for us never change. He will never give up on us, either, because He sees the finished product.
The Least of the Least
In Judges 6, the Israelites were crying out to God to save them from the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern countries who raided their land and left no living thing for Israel to survive on. They were desperate and prayed to God for help. The help God sent was Gideon. God had great plans for Gideon, but Gideon did not see it in himself. There was greatness in him, but he felt inadequate for the job and even argued with God about choosing him to lead Israel (v 15).
God spoke to Gideon and told him to "go in the strength you have." When Gideon argued and asked, "How can I save Israel?" God's answer was simple. He said, "I will be with you" (Judges 6:16, NIV). The answer to all of Gideon's inadequacies was the same, "I will be with you." Gideon was left with only one answer and that was to hope in God's unfailing love for him; that was enough.
Even though Gideon was the least of the least of the tribes of Israel (see Judges 6:15), God used him to change a nation. And He will use you in the same way, because He delights in those who put their hope in His unfailing love (see Psalm 147:11). You may feel like nothing special right now, but God sees greatness in you. He sees a mighty warrior!
There is Greatness in You
As with Gideon, God sees greatness in you. For much of your life, that greatness may be kept a secret, but it is still in you. God is faithfully preparing you for your destiny. He is molding you into the person He desires you to be: The kind of person who is bold enough to know that there is greatness inside of them, but humble enough to know where that greatness comes from.
It can be very troubling for you to believe in your destiny when you feel inadequate, but let me assure you – there is greatness in you. And you will, like Gideon, fulfill your destiny in God. He will have His way with you if you place your hope in His unfailing love. Put your hope in the fact that you know He loves you and that He desperately wants what is best for you. He wants to make your dreams come true. He wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed.
Hope in God – hope in love. Let go of fear, for your destiny is in good hands. He is able to do above and beyond all you could ask or hope or dream (see Ephesians 3:20). He is driven by love. His passion is you and seeing you walk in all that He has for you, and He will do whatever it takes to get you there. After all, it was His idea to call you in the first place and He will finish what He began in you.
You are on the adventure of your life, so remember to enjoy the process. Enjoy every aspect of your journey with your heavenly Father who loves you. And praise God with your smile. At a time like this, the best thing to do is smile, because you are in God's hands.
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love O Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of Your hands. Psalm 138:8, NIV
Pray this with me: Dear Father, help me to see Your love for me and help me to hold on to Your love. I want to see myself the way that You see me. Help me to trust, believe and hope.
My prayer for you: Dear Father, I ask You to bless this dear saint with everything they will need to see the birth of their destiny come to pass. Anoint them for Your purposes and help them to succeed. Help them to know of Your great love for them, and help them to trust in that love. Please send people to them who will represent Your heart toward them.
Victoria Boyson
Speaking Life Ministries
Email: victoria@boyson.org
