Something that’s been on my mind a lot lately are the promises of God and the promises he has for my life. A friend of mine asked me, “Do you really believe every one of God’s promises come true?” and my knee-jerk reaction was to criticise that idea as doubt in God’s word and make sure they knew they are wrong for even allowing that thought, but instead I took the time to consider the question.
Could I undoubtedly say that God’s word is forever, or would I be saying what I want to believe without really believing it? It’s one thing to have knowledge of truth, but to know it to your core is to believe it.
Past disappointments
I know that as I mention God’s unfailing promises, there are many people out there who have trouble believing this not because they don’t know that God is faithful, but because there have been disappointments in their life. There’s a great hopelessness that comes when you start to believe God’s not true to His word. It feels like you’re alone, you’ve been betrayed, there’s something wrong with you and even sometimes you can believe that you’re getting the punishment you deserve.
As much as I understand this devastation that can bring an effect on every area of your life, we’ve got to encourage each other to always remember that God has a plan to prosper me and GIVE hope. A great reminder a friend of mine said this week was “We don’t celebrate the miracle of Easter while still believing this situation is all God’s got for us.”
Jesus didn’t die to give us life so we could get through things easier, but so we could live prosperous lives full of faith, hope and love. How do we remind ourselves? It’s simple, we read the Bible.
The Bible
The Bible isn’t just a book full of old tales and proverbs, but of people finding out how faithful God truly is. If you’re waiting on a promise, remember Abraham’s delayed promise of a son. If you’re looking for a promise, remember God’s word is full of promises for your life. If you’re doubting your promise, know you’re not alone, the Israelites definitely doubted if God had delivered them from the slavery of Egypt, or he was bringing them to an even worse situation.
Even David writes about this when he said, “Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.” (Psalms chapter106, verse 24)And that’s exactly what it takes, faith.
My life
So, do I believe that in every circumstance God’s promises come true? Yes, I have to! I have to have faith that God wants to fulfil the desires of my heart. “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” (Psalm chapter 20, verse 4).I’ve had God promise healings in my family, I’ve had God promise that he would get me to the other side of a financially impossible week, I’ve had God promise that he will restore, heal, redeem parts of my life.
Although all of these things came in a different method that I expected, I know God will come through for me now because he always came through better than I planned. As I went through battles or waited on God even when it seemed like He wasn’t near, but he always came through better and stronger.I KNOW God is faithful, not just because the Bible says it but because God has shown my family, in different times and in different ways, that he cares for us.
It’s not uncommon to doubt your promise. Throughout the whole Bible you will see people question God’s faithfulness, but don’t let that doubt rule over the promise itself. Sometimes we can get so caught in the doubt or the worst-case scenarios or the fear of disappointment that we forget how big God actually is. God’s power is stronger than our doubt and stronger than our disappointment, our circumstances. He can and will move mountains for you, don’t lose heart!
God’s promises are true. I know that because I have to. God has only proven himself faithful. I can’t deny there is real scenarios and real doubt, but I also cannot shake the conviction that God is good, he makes all things work together for good and his intentions for my life are to give me a future and a hope.
This isn’t just something I know off the top of my head, but I can confidently solidify this in my heart, to my core, that God is true to his word.
“Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” (Joshua chapter 21, verse 45)
Rochelle Ross lives on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. She loves people, the moon, dirty food and Jesus and is very passionate about seeing young people know God. She loves a great story and one day wants to write about people’s lives and achievements.