You know, you just never know what all God will have you do when He begins to move you into the awesome plans He has for your life. He will bring new people into your life, new gifts, new opportunities, new tests, new vision, and new revelation. It's almost as if, all of the sudden, so much of your life is new. He keeps the BEST that He has given you already, rids you of that which isn't His best, and adds more of His best to your life. Wow! It truly is awesome!
No matter what's going on in your life right now, it is worth it to hang in there for God's best! Don't give up and give in and settle for less than His best. You will end up being more miserable than you already are. I'm telling you, the plans and the things He has for you, you can't even imagine them! He is so going to knock your socks off!
Even now, I am feeling such anticipation and excitement for what the Lord is going to do in your life. Sure, it's tough. I'm with you! Yet, you can do it! I am so seeing God open doors in my life that I would have never imagined. With that, however, I am also seeing Him close doors in my life that I would have never imagined. The way things are unfolding in my life right now are not anywhere close to what I "thought" would take place. I want to encourage you just to "let go and let God!"
Last year, I was faced with some daunting circumstances that I could have just let ruin me. I could have chosen to tell God, "Forget it!" It's been a tough year and a half, but I have seen God do some amazing things in my life. I have probably grown more in the last 1 1/2 years than I had the previous 5 years. When you have to fight for the very things for which God has made you, you definitely grow and get stronger! It was, however, when I let it all go and let God that things began to happen.
I came to the place where I told God that I was done. I could no longer let the call He had placed on my life consume my thoughts. For my mental health, I told Him that if or when He opened the doors that only He could open, then I would walk through, but until that point, I was done! At that point, it seemed as if the last 15 years of my life had been a waste. Going forward about a year, the Lord began to reveal to me something of grave impact on my life. He told me, "Amanda, you laid your Isaac down. That's what I wanted you to do."
See, my ministry had so consumed my thoughts and desires that I was miserable because I wasn't seeing anything happen. My ministry is my promise from God. Abraham's promise was Isaac. He waited 25 years for Isaac, and when Isaac arrived, Isaac was Abraham's life. Abraham lived and breathed Isaac. Then, God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeyed God because he knew God would make a way, if need be, to raise him from the dead. Yet, all God was after was all of Abraham's heart. Isaac had consumed Abraham. Abraham's promise had become his idol.
The Lord showed me that my intent was pure, but my promise had consumed me. God wanted all my heart, and when I laid my Isaac down, He got my heart. I told Him, "Whether ministry comes or not, I love you, and that will never change! Where else can I go? You are the One Who has Life!" Once this revelation of laying my Isaac down came, He began to open doors. Not doors I expected, either. There is so much more to His plans for my life than I ever could have dreamed!
I'm telling you, you are going to be so surprised when God begins to open His doors for you. Hang in there! It's going to be worth it!
Scriptures for reference and study: 1 Corinthians 2:9; Philippians 4:13; Isaiah 55:8-9; Genesis 22
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