Elevation Point Church

We have a tendency to find our excuses and disqualifications of why God can’t fulfill what He’s spoken about our lives. While we may believe for a moment, it’s difficult to continue to see it through after facing disappointment. As we end another year, we no doubt look back and see missed opportunities, failures, and disappointments. But while this year may not have looked like what we expected, here’s what we do know — if God has promised something, He will see it through.

We often hear it said that Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year.” But the reality is, for many it doesn’t seem wonderful. For a wide array of reasons — from unmet yearly expectations, to loss of loved ones, Christmas can be a difficult season. Yet, while it may not feel wonderful for all, it truly is wonderful — not because of the reasons we’ve grown to expect and measure it by, but because of what is truly celebrated during this season…the birth of our wonderful Savior, Jesus.

Mary being chosen to give birth to Jesus was miraculous, but it was also inconvenient. Telling Joseph, explaining to others, making it to Bethlehem — it was all inconvenient. However, it all took place for Mary because she was favored. In our lives, we tend to get hung up on how inconvenient God’s plans seem, and we overlook just how favored we are to be a part of the bigger picture He has planned.

It’s often difficult for us to get our hopes up for anything great because we’ve been let down so many times. The truth is — life and people have a way of letting us down. Because of this, we find it easier to just expect anything great, even when it’s something God has promised. But to move forward into the fullness of what God has for our lives, we have to move beyond past disappointments, and raise our hopes and expectations to the level of what’s He’s spoken.

We tend to live as if we know what’s best. We feel we know ourselves best, we know what’s best for us, and so on. Then, when what we believed for doesn’t happen, we think God is mad at us. However, He’s not mad at us. He just has something better. If you feel your plans have been wrecked, that’s not a reason to be upset — it’s a reason to rejoice. It simply means God has a better, immeasurable plan for you.

Life is full of mountains and valleys. On the mountains, it’s easy to be thankful and to rejoice. However, in the valleys, there is just as much reason to be thankful and rejoice. While valley experiences are never easy, and while we prefer to be celebrating on the mountain, Jesus is still good and worthy of gratitude. He’s with us on the mountain, but He’s also with us in the valley. Circumstances and situations may change, but His love, care, and protection for us remains the same.

Most of us have no trouble trusting God when we’re in a time of abundance. However, in moments where things seem to be bleak, desperate, and impossible, we can feel like we’re holding on for dear life. In those circumstances, we tend to trust more in what’s left than we do in what God said will happen once we surrender it to Him. The widow in I Kings 17 felt she had nothing left, but she chose to trust what was left with God, and He turned it into more than enough.

Mary and Martha were both in the room with Jesus. They could both see Him, talk to Him, hang out with Him. They both had total access — but only Mary took full advantage. Martha missed the one that mattered, because she was consumed with a multitude of things that did not. We, too, easily forget the One who matters most, as He gets lost in the busyness of our lives. This leaves us feeling tired, depleted, and even shorted. We feel as if we’re missing Jesus, when He’s right there. We were just too busy to realize.

How many times do we enter into tension, strife, stress, adversity, that we could have avoided by slowing our response? It’s easier said than done, but our first reaction is almost never the correct response. While we cannot control what happens to us and how others treat us, it is our responsibility to control our we respond. It’s not up to everyone around us to ensure peace is brought to circumstances we face and are a part of, it’s up to us. No matter what happens, we’re to be peacemakers. As we pursue peace, God brings the solutions and fulfillment of His word.