There is another chance for you to begin again

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At times, life has a way of trying to suppress, stifle or keep us down. Perhaps, you have made an unintentional mistake. You’ve hit some stumbling blocks. Someone made demeaning comments toward you. Or, your aspirations seem to be at a standstill.

Feeling vulnerable and unsure of the future, after a while, you might start to talk yourself out of following your heart’s dream by looking at ‘ all the obstacles in your path: you may think about “what you don’t have,” that “you missed your chance,” along with the guilt and regrets of the past. Then, you could lose your drive and enthusiasm and just withdraw and say, “I’m going to stop trying. Good things happen for other people, but they can’t and won’t happen for me.”

Yet, let me ask, “Why not you?” Everything may be coming against you, but it is not the time to quit.

Now and then, we’re all prone to feelings of discouragement. But don’t suppress your gifts and creativity with negative thoughts or limit yourself because of a past setback. Do not settle for less than what you truly desire. God’s promises for your life can still come true. So, stay the course, keep praying, keep believing and don’t give up on your future. God can do the impossible.

In the Old Testament, I read about the profit Elijah. They were in the middle of a huge drought and Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel to pray for rain. Previously, the Lord had told Elijah that rain would come to the land ( 1 Kings 18: 1). So Elijah dropped to his knees and prayed persistently and actively, expecting God’s promise to transpire.

As he was praying, Elijah told his servant, “to look toward the sea” for a sign of rain. The servant went up and looked. He said, “There is nothing.” There were no clouds in sight.

Elijah, empowered by his unwavering faith, spoke to his servant, “Go again!” Yet, the servant came back uttering, “There is nothing.”

Is what you are striving for in your own life taking a long time to come to fruition? Do you trust and expect that what you ask in God’s will is as good as done?

It would have been easy for Elijah to lose his patience, stop and think, “If it were going to materialize, it would have already happened.” However, Elijah did not give up. He kept on confidently praying. Elijah did not cease in his request. Sometimes it may take months or even years for our God- inspired dreams to transpire.

After six negative reports of no rain, Elijah still believed. Scripture tells us, “Seven times Elijah said, ‘ Go again.’ Then it came to pass the seventh time that he ( the servant) said, ‘ There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!’” ( 1 Kings 18: 43- 44). The sky became dark with clouds, and there was rain. In His time, God poured out His blessings upon the land.

So persist with the assurance that God will come through for you. You’ve come too far. You have worked too hard, and sacrificed too much to give up on the desires of your heart now.