“Quit telling God what you want your story to be and embrace the favor of God in the script you are in.”
Recently, Pastor Mickey preached a powerful message on navigating the dark seasons of life. I LOVE the story of Joseph. One thing I’ve noticed as I read his story-I can’t find any place where he complains. Does he speak to the injustice? Yes, several times- as he requests to plead his case to Pharoah, or as he reflects on his story with his brothers. But over and over in the script of his story, we see God’s favor upon His life, something Joseph testifies to.
I wrestle with embracing the favor of God in the script I am living. My story has not turned out the way many young girls dream of. I am richly blessed-I have a wonderful career, a comfortable home, great friends and extended family, and my needs are met. But I have grown comfortable saying, “I may not have everything I want, but I’m grateful I have everything I need.” It’s one of the ways I navigate the tension in my season of waiting and the deferred chapters of my story.
There’s a character in the Bible who can relate to wearied waiting and deferred dreams. Her name is Hannah, and her story is found in the beginning of 1 Samuel.
Hannah was one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. Hannah had a deferred dream, as she could not have a child of her own. She was taunted, ashamed, and brokenhearted. Even in this, Hannah knew where to turn as she navigated her dark season:
“Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray…” (1 Samuel 1:9-10)
Hannah took her seemingly shattered dreams…and she surrendered them to the only one she could trust-placing her faith in the LORD. No, really, she SURRENDERED her son to God!
“…if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you.”(vs. 11)
Hannah placed her shattered dream in God’s hands, trusting that only HE could satisfy the dreams in her heart. She didn’t abandon the dream, she surrendered the dream, having full faith that HE could make it happen..and, HE did! (1 Samuel 1:19-20)
I’ve navigated the tension of living in the story of my unfulfilled dreams for years. But here is what I am learning:
- Where is my focus? What we focus on grows…
- Is it on the seemingly shattered parts of my story? Have I abandoned hope?
- Or is it living in gratitude for the favor of God and what He has done? There IS something that I can be grateful for and places I can find God’s favor in my story.
- Then, I don’t deny my reality. Instead, I surrender the seemingly shattered dreams to God, and am hope-fully watching how HE redeems my story.
