Spirit – Pastor Pushie
Rebuilding your life after failure is hard and giving up seems easier. The New Year is the perfect time to dig deep within you and start again
One of the hardest things to do is to start over. This is where many people give up. And yet, life is a series of endings and beginnings. Each day has a new beginning and an ending. When life has dealt you harsh realities, the task of beginning again can be intimidating.But, begin again you must.
The Bible tells us of the story of Jacob. He left home, moved from where he was living and began life in a new place. He had to start all over again. There, he met and fell in love with a beautiful lady named Rachel. He loved her so much that he agreed to work for her father for seven years in exchange for her hand in marriage. Seven years is a long time to wait for someone, let alone work for them. And yet, the Bible tells us that to Jacob, the years felt like only a few days because of his love for Rachel.
Passion produces power. What others struggle to achieve, you will accomplish if you’re passionate.
After seven years of dedicated labour, there was a wedding, a great feast and a huge celebration. But when evening came, Jacob discovered that his father-in-law had deceived him and given him Leah, the older, not-so-attractive sister, instead of Rachel, the one he loved and had worked for. He also said that in order for Jacob to get Rachel, he would have to wait one week to have her, and work another seven years to keep her.
Oh, the pain of betrayal! What do you do when you did everything the right way, only to get something you never expected? When you trusted in God, but were disappointed by man. When you’ve waited so long and worked so hard, and after all of your efforts, you’re met with disappointment. It feels like God has absconded responsibility for your destiny and left it in the hands of the enemy. After investing years, it’s a struggle to find the strength and the courage to begin again, and you can find yourself losing hope. How do you stay motivated after you’ve been so disappointed? Starting over after a setback is one of the hardest things you will have to do in life.
And often, when God gives you a promise, He doesn’t always tell you the process, in case you change your mind. What Jacob thought would cost seven years would actually cost him fourteen, and a lot of heartache and betrayal. And a promise is often preceded by a problem! Nothing really good ever comes really easy. The pit comes before the palace. Rejection comes before position. Opposition comes before opportunity. You’ll never have to fight for what you don’t want, but faith is necessary to obtain what you do want.
Great things take time! And often, the longer it takes, the greater it is. If it was that easy, everyone would be getting it. Maybe last year things did not go the way you expected. Maybe people let you down. Maybe you made mistakes along the way. Maybe you were overlooked. Maybe it feels like everyone is getting ahead of you. Maybe you think nothing good is ever going to happen for you. But just when it looks like it’s all over, after everyone has had their chance, just when they’ve written you off, just when they think it’s too late for you, God will show up and show off for you. He’s never too early, and He’s never too late. Just at the right time, in the right season, God will remember you. He will turn things around to work in your favour. You will laugh again.
Habakkuk 2 verse 3 says, ‘The vision is yet for an appointed time, though it tarries, it shall not delay, it shall surely come to pass.’ Hebrews 11 verse 1 says, ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.
Don’t be discouraged by what you can’t see. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. God is not done with you yet. The wait will be worth it. In the end, Jacob married Rachel and they had a wonderful son named Joseph, who went on to greatly impact an entire nation and generation. I decree and declare a blessing out of your barren places in the name of Jesus! May God turn around every setback into a greater comeback. May 2019 be the year you give birth to your Joseph. I pray for renewed strength and a fresh anointing upon you. May Almighty God bless you from the top of your head, to the soles of your feet. He is the God of new beginnings. He is Alpha and Omega. His mercies are new every day. On the cross, the devil thought it was over —Hell was throwing a party. But it’s not over until God says it’s over. The Bible says that on the third day, Jesus rose again. The same resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead lies inside of you. His death marked the beginning of our life. No matter what you faced last year, no matter what came against you, no matter what disappointment you had, I pray a new beginning over your life! You can and you will begin again.
Love ya, P
When they’ve written you off, God will show up for you. He’s never too early and He’s never too late. He will turn it around.