Lessons in the Lack

Before the promises, before the blessings, before crossing over into the path or destiny you have been praying for, there are lessons to be learned, lessons in the lack, the lack of unanswered prayers, unfulfilled dreams, or provision prayed for.

You have to learn about obedience, even when you are frustrated, perseverance even when you are tired of the long path and losing hope, integrity, trust and patience.

When the path seems long until you reach your unanswered prayers, trust and know that God is just building your character.

Your dreams will not take you where your character will not keep you.

II Peter 1:5-11

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Look at what Joseph went through…..God gave him dreams, dreams that were a foreshadowing of things to come. That one day he would be over his brothers and father. But he was just a teenager and did not know how to handle those dreams. His brothers were already jealous of him and older, it was not too smart to tell them his dreams, but in his immaturity of a teenager, he did. This made their jealousy worse. The threw him into a pit, and of a mind to kill him, but Rueben stopped them, and after a while, Judah came along and helped. Rueben’s name means, “behold a son.” You see, even in your worst trials, and your emotions are all over the place, God wants you to know, that you ARE His child. His love for you is not based on your actions, but because of who He is; Love. And on His Son, Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:8) “God shows His love for us in this, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” They decided to sell him into slavery. You see, in his pit (much like our trials), I am sure he dealt with emotions, and finally when he began praising God, he was pulled out of the pit. How do we know that, because Rueben tried first, to no avail. And then Judah comes along, whose name means praise! So, when Joseph began to praise, praise God in his storm, trial the deliverance came. That wasn’t all, the man’s wife who bought Joseph, accused him of molesting her, which he didn’t, he ran, leaving his cloak behind. Then he was thrown into prison, for something he didn’t do. But while in there, with the help of the Lord, he interpreted 2 servants of the king’s dreams correctly. When the king had 2 dreams and no one could interpret them, the one in prison with Joseph remembered. This led to him being 2nd in command to the king! Joseph’s dreams as a teenager. God needed him there because the king’s dreams were about 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine, and God gave Joseph the wisdom to know how to save in the years of plenty for the years of famine. All around came for grain, including Joseph’s family! Restoration and forgiveness came as a result and 2 nations fed, Egypt and Israel!

He trusted God through his and you can too, God has not given us the spirit of fear.

II Timothy 1:7

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

God has given you dreams and desires in your heart, for His eternal purpose,

Psalm 37:4

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

He will not fail to bring them to pass, He makes know to you the end from the beginning, and does that, to encourage you that it will happen.

Isaiah 46:10

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”

Trust that God has a reason and far above what you can imagine, just like what He did for Joseph, He will do for you.

Ephesians 3:20

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”