Immeasurably More!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." Eph. 3:20

He doesn't only give us what we ask for, but immeasurably more than we could even imagine!

(This is a followup from the previous post "Confidence in Asking", so you'll want to read that one, as well!)

Confidence in Asking

There are many times in the Scripture that God tells as to ask for things. It feels like God has been highlighting this to me. Somehow I just want him to give me stuff without me asking. It can feel really vulnerable to ask for something, especially if it is a very deep desire in my heart.  However, there are different times, that is actually the one condition of being able to receive. 

"Ask and it will be given to you... for everyone who asks receives..." 

Matthew 7:7a & 8a

"If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" 

Matthew 7:11

I think one thing, is to be confident that God wants to give me good things! He has set me up for success. He is not holding out on me. It doesn't depend on performance or me being "good enough". 

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I noticed some time ago that one of the keys on my keyboard at work was worn off. It didn't seem like a big deal, so I kept using it. However, the other day I realized there were now 4 keys with the letters worn off. I thought, Maybe it's time to get a new keyboard. There was still some question in my mind as to whether or not I should ask for one. It still really worked quite well and didn't really bother me unless I actually looked at the keys and had to think twice to remember what letter that was supposed to be. So I thought about it for a few days and decided it doesn't hurt to ask. But even as I was asking, I kind of had this fear that I was asking for too much, which was quite obvious in the way I asked (at least to me). 

I was rather surprised when my manager said that he thought it was past time to get a new one! We then looked at extra keyboards we had on hand to see if anything would work, but he also gave me permission to get a new one if nothing there suited my needs. I actually really liked the style of the one I had and was pleased to find one exactly like it. However, when it was hooked up I discovered there were some keys sticking, which is probably why it was retired to the back room. This I did not like. I was disappointed but not in despair, as I knew I could order a new one. So I asked for the old one back until such a time as a new one could be ordered. But, in the meantime, a coworker, being the ingenious guy that he is, decided to trade out the offending keys with the other keyboard keys that were perfectly fine and now we all are happy!

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Be brave! Be bold! Ask for what you need, out of confidence that you have a good Father who delights to give you what you ask for!

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." 

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Not Disappointed

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." 

Proverbs 13:12 NIV

I have a lot of things running around in my head, so I guess I'll see if I can put it down in a way that makes sense. As Pooh Bear would say... sometimes things that sound good in your head feel differently when they are out there and have everyone looking at them (or something like that). 

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I don't know all the details of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, but I do know that for a time it is in a cocoon and has to go through a process before it emerges. I also know that "helping" the butterfly out of the cocoon before the process is complete, doesn't turn out very well.  

I was thinking about this in relation to seasons of waiting. I felt like I needed a shift in perspective. One thing I found helpful was to think about how God is using this time to prepare and strengthen me for what is to come. Instead of feeling like God has forgotten me, he doesn't care and that he is holding out on me, I want it to be a time of expectation, excitement and hope as I see his goodness and specific ways that he is preparing me. 

Here are some of the things that I am learning:

1.    How to face fears, instead of avoid them.

2.    Understand why I do what I do.

3.    Quit judging myself.

4.    Acknowledge pain and let love in.  

4.    Do healthy conflict.

5.    Recognize triggers.

6.    God's goodness is about him, not me.   

7.    Love can't  be earned.

Through this process God is restoring & healing relationship with myself, him and others. There is also a power, confidence and peace that I've never had before. 

At times I weep because the waiting feels hard, but still I know I am held...

"...then you will know that I am the Lord, those who hope in me will not be disappointed." 

Isaiah 49:23b