The Conditions of a Promise

Last year I dug into a devotion that called the reader to pray and ask God for a word to live their year by. 

Reading it, I remember being afraid because as soon as I turned the page from day one to day two I knew my word was, “grow.” 

Almost immediately I feared what a year of growth would entail. I knew that growth would come at a great cost. And it has. I knew God would challenge me. And he did. 

When faced with the greatest losses of my life...He called me to keep choosing Him and to say, "yes," when I did not want to. I watered seeds that He planted with my many tears. I slaved in the garden of my heart with the intent that the word of the enemy would never take root. And I dug deep when I was tired of digging. 

No part of growth is easy. Sometimes, the ground is hard. The digging is hard. The dedication to watering the seeds is hard. But all of these things are necessary & among life’s greatest challenges - to grow in spite of adversity. See, perseverance in spite of hinderances is not a show of our strength, but it is in fact, a display of His. 

Some of the deep hurt I experienced this year was not one that many knew about. I sat in my car during my breaks at work, blasted my music, and cried my heart out. More than I wanted anything else in this world, I wanted God to do one of two things, restore IT or release ME. He did neither. I laugh about it now, not bitterly, but knowingly. My pain was a necessity for my growth. 

A Couple years ago, God pushed me from my prayer place in my home and sent me to a deep, dark place in my closet  where I found a notebook I had all but forgotten. He spoke exactly what was to be done with it and at first I gave this project all I had. But then I slacked off until it eventually became a distant feeling in my spirit.  

Many months later after the first of 2019, my heart was shattered, and then it was shattered, and then it was shattered some more. But, as soon as I opened my ears to His urgent whisper, I remembered the book. Laying comfortably in my bed, ready to go to sleep after a long day, I ignored Him. Like always, He said again, “Go get the book.” Defiantly, I rolled over and I told Him, “no,” until I could take it no more. 

Practically catapulting out of my bed I ripped open the drawer of my bedside table and I yanked it out, exhausted from hours of battling with the voice of God. “Fine!” I said, “I’ll do it!” And I did. But again, I was not consistent. I would write what He told me like punching a time card and I would go to sleep. Eventually it was days before I would write again. I'd appeased my conscience and written what was required. However, in my defiance and lack of consistency, the Lord rebuked me. Can you believe it? He dragged me out of my bed at three a.m., to the place where I love to pray and He forced a pen into my hand. 

“Write.” He said, “I will do my part, if you will do yours.” Sound familiar? Of course it does! We, big dummies, receive a promise but deny the conditions. The word God gave to me said that HE would do the necessary work in my life, but not until I finished what I started. He would make a way, but not until I was obedient. HE WOULD DO THE VERY THING I HAD BEEN PRAYING AND ASKING HIM TO DO! BUT ONLY when I did what HE asked of ME. Listen, You and me both know good and well writing in a book is a menial task. It is genuinely a small thing that takes no time at all, and yet I kept saying no. How often do we have to be reminded by the Father that He is waiting to fulfill His promise, to bring big things to pass, or to move in exceptional ways before we LISTEN? 

I’ve had this leather book for two years. I know its value, I know what it can do for me, and yet I avoid it. My flesh says no to what my heart so clearly cannot forget. I lose precious sleep arguing with the Promise Keeper that ya girl is not about  to let Him keep His promise because I am too stubborn. Instead, I tell him to Keep it. 

Can you imagine needing exactly $4,236 to pay off your car. Someone you know and love comes along and says, "if you sit down and have coffee with me every day for x amount of time, I will give you the exact dollar amount you need." AND THEN YOU REFUSE IT! Like a BIG Dummy. You just passed on an answer to prayer.

One of my sweet friends was telling me a few nights ago that God has really been dealing with her about something similar. While discussing how ridiculous we were being, God chuckled in the back of my mind saying, “By being stubborn you are only cheating yourself out of what is already yours.” Somebody jump on the Organ! 

I flipped! Immediately, I responded, “Listen here Jesus…” but really, I knew He was right. He is constantly drawing me to the very thing that can solve my problem. Giving me opportunity after opportunity to get it right. Girlfriend is over here stressing about conditioning my promise to fit me rather than accepting the conditions to receive my promise! THAT MAKES NO SENSE! Truly. But here I am.

WE HOLD THE POWER - He is not going to go back on His word. The promise is mine. He said that it was! However, I am the only one who can do what needs to be done to bring it to pass!

In your life, God may have said, “That guy/girl you’ve been praying for…I’ll do that, but first you have got to give ________ up.” Or maybe it's like mine, “You write in this book and I will bring _______ to pass.” Maybe it is something totally different, but I do know this, God would never require something of you that is something He knew would be impossible for you to accomplish. Life is filled with little things that are set into motion to bring to fruition the prayers we prayed in the altars of our childhood, of sacrifice, of praise, etc. 

Whatever it is, you are responsible for it. I’ve been saying it all last year, all over social media, but here it is again. 

Consistency and faithfulness are the keys to fulfillment in not only your life, but in the fulfillment of our promises. 

I am so Thankful for the “word” of God, both written and spoken directly to me. I know that if HE said that it shall, say it with me, IT SHALL be done! All I have to do is MY part. We are not God, we cannot make things happen for ourselves. 

Repeat after me, “God is God…AND I AM NOT.” Thank. God. Because we would be so terrible at it!

This may not be YOUR season of growth, or of promises, or of waiting - I believe this: no matter what word 2020 holds for us, He will bring it to pass.

If God has promised you something, do not assume He has broken it because you have made a mistake, been disobedient or afraid…He is waiting on you. (Musicians come)

Today, let’s ask God what we can do to submit to the sanctity of the promise. What does He need us to do to bring it to pass? How can we be of service to Him while we are EXPECTING not waiting?

Of this I am certain, if you open yourself up for Him to speak to you…HE WILL. I have absolutely no doubt that He is going to sit down with you, whether for morning coffee, carpooling to work with you, or in the still quiet place of your heart. He will be there, He will speak, and He will give you what you need at the exact moment you need it. 

If you need some help having the right words to say, you can borrow mine:

“God, you have given me this promise. You have spoken it into my heart and I am releasing you to continue to speak to me. This promise, I give it back to you. I trust you more with it than I trust me. Help me not to live frivolously and without regard for what I need to do to receive it. Attune my ears unto your voice that I may hear you and heed unto your word and direction. I thank you for what you have already done, what you are going to do, and what you are in the midst of doing RIGHT NOW. I have faith and believe that I have rightfully placed my trust in you. I give you the Glory and the Honor for it, in Jesus name. Amen.”

The gate is open, the ground is ready, and you have the seeds in Hand!!! All you have to do is follow the directions!