The best days of your life are yet to come
Once in the newspaper there was a cute Peanuts cartoon that showed Lucy and Linus seated in front of a television set. Then, Lucy said to Linus, “Go get me a glass of water.”
Linus looked surprised and asked, “Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me.”
So Lucy responds, “On your 75th birthday,” she promised, “I’ll bake you a cake.”
Linus got up, headed to the kitchen to get Lucy a glass of water and declared, “Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to.”
What are you looking forward to today? Are there dreams and goals that you are pursuing and expecting to happen in your life?
Are you using your Godgiven gifts to make a difference in the lives of others? Or, are you worn thin, erring on the cautious side and not expecting anything good to materialize anymore?
Maybe, you’ve had many disappointments, and now you are expecting more of the same. Stuck looking backwards, perhaps, the bar of expectations has become lowered. For it’s easy to think, “Things are never going to change.” Then, you may be dragging through your days and settling for less, rather than living the purposeful life that God has planned for you.
Yet, don’t abandon your hope for a better tomorrow too quickly. Do not close the door for God to turn around situations and do incredible things in your future. Stop looking at where you’ve been and what happened in the past, and begin to focus on where you can be today and tomorrow. God has far more planned for you. His benevolent hand is present in circumstances, even when it is not visible. So trust in Him and look forward.
In the Old Testament, God spoke to Elijah and said, “Go east and hide in the Kerith Valley. It is east of the Jordan River.” There, God would sustain him.
Elijah might have arrived, surveyed the conditions and thought, “I don’t see any source of food.” He might have felt astray, alone or forgotten, for the situation seemed hopeless.
Thereafter, Elijah could’ve started questioning, “God, I just don’t know how this is going to work out?” Have you ever questioned God in that manner?
But with unwavering faith, Elijah trusted God to lead him to the best path, and “he went to the Kerith Valley. It was east of the Jordan River. He stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning. They also brought him bread and meat in the evening. He drank water from the brook.” – (1 Kings 17:2-6).
As God provided for Elijah, He has miraculous ways to provide for you. He can meet every need. He can send you a miracle. God hasn’t forgotten you. He has a tremendous mission for you to fulfill. God wants to pour out His goodness on you and delight you with amazing wonders and blessings. For He knows how to put you in the right place at the right time. Thus, look forward to good things happening. Expect to experience God’s best and expect the favor of God upon you and your family.
I read in John 2:1-11, where Jesus, His mother, Mary, and the disciples were guests at a wedding in Cana. The wine ran out, and through the urging and expectation of His mother, Jesus took the six water pots filled to the brim with water, and He turned them into wine. However, He created not just any wine, but the finest of wines. Jesus brought something new and better to the guests at the wedding. Instantly, there was a change.
Likewise, positive change is approaching you. Blessings are coming your way that will bring you to new heights of achievement. Doors that were closed in the past will now swing open. Your heart’s desires are right within your grasp. And, suddenly, you’ll be propelled forward.
Out of the blue, good people will come into your life. Remarkable opportunities are going to find you. And conditions won’t be as difficult anymore.
Hence, do not be discouraged or impatient. Stay enthusiastic. Continue helping others. God’s hand of blessing is going to take you along a new, wonderful path. Don’t quit now. Keep moving ahead. The impediments of the past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.
A while ago, I read an interesting story about clothing designer Lilly Pulitzer. In the late ‘50’s, after moving to Palm Beach, Florida, Pulitzer opened a juice stand. Squeezing the juice all day made a mess of her clothing. So to camouflage the juice stains, Pulitzer was inspired to create dresses that she could wear with vivid color combinations.
Adorned in vivid pinks, lemon yellows and bright greens, people loved Pulitzer’s colorful, floral prints so much that she produced more dresses. She began selling them at her juice stand, and Lilly Pulitzer’s iconic lifestyle brand was born. Stumbling blocks were the stepping stones that took Pulitzer higher. When faced with a challenge, she didn’t get discouraged. Pulitzer thought creatively, looked forward and didn’t give up. And as you continue to persist, your challenges may actually be opportunities that boost you to an exciting, new place.
William Booth, who founded The Salvation Army once said, “God loves with a great love the man whose heart is bursting with a passion for the impossible.”
So start dreaming again. Seek to find, knock to get the door opened, and ask before you receive (Matthew 7:7). Raise your sights and aim higher. Whatever you would like to accomplish, you must expect it and look forward to it, even before there are any signs of it coming to pass.
God is not finished with the wonderful plan He has for you. As a parent loves their child, God loves you with an everlasting love. And He wants to give you a future and a life worth living.
The best days of your life are yet to come. Go out and embrace today. And look forward to tomorrow expectantly!