Don’t water down your prayers to make them more humanly possible. God is beyond capable of overdelivering! Why do we have the tendency to try to fit our prayers and requests into a more achievable request?
Just imagine for a moment if you would, what if the hopes and dreams in your heart were placed there by Almighty God? Do you think perhaps it pleases Him to have us share what’s on our heart with Him? To boldly ask for and claim the hope within?
Scripture tells us that we have not because we ask not. That God’s ways are higher than our ways. That if we ask, He will do great and unsearchable things which we don’t know. And the references go on!
Imagine this: if you are truly seeking God and living for Him, then those hopes and dreams that are hidden within are from Him. Perhaps it’s time to start investigating them instead of stifling them.
Just Imagine
What is the hidden hope or dream that you keep to yourself and carefully guard? Perhaps it’s the hope of a better work schedule, a loving husband, weight loss, a home in the country, adorable children, etc.
Let me ask: do you live for God? Do you invite Him into every area of your life and seek His counsel? When you become aware that you need to make changes to get more inline with Him do you do so and press on? Do you surrender your timelines and expectations to Him with a confident attitude that He has perfect plans?
Ideally as Christians we answer a resounding yes to all of the above – at least that’s the goal! I confess from time to time my attitude isn’t the best. But I get over myself as quickly as I can, knowing God knows best and I press on, confident in Him.
So if you are making all these efforts to keep God first, do you think perhaps those hidden hopes might just be seeds He has planted of what He has ahead for you? I believe that He will incline your heart in the direction He has for you to go. And when you lean in and claim those dreams, realize them and delve into the possibilities they hold, that cultivates the proverbial soil they are planted in.
Hopes and dreams left alone wither and die. But hopes and dreams investigated, searched out, examined and considered grow!
What Does Scripture Say?
But wait, you may say. What if I’m wrong and these dreams aren’t from God, they are only distractions? To me, that is fear speaking. Fear keeps us playing it safe – too safe. We miss out on life and fail to live up to our full potential because of what might possibly go wrong. But what if we flipped the script and have more confidence in God’s ability to communicate with us? What if we stepped forward in faith knowing that God is well able to help us adjust our course, when necessary. Do you think perhaps if we were less timid and more filled with God’s power the voice of fear wouldn’t hold us back so much?
God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love, and self-control. With God’s strength and help, we are capable of far beyond our wildest dreams. There is no such thing as dreaming too big! Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor mind imagined what God has waiting for those who love Him. Now I don’t know about your imagination, but mine can be pretty ambitious!
I remember living in a house with fourteen people, imagining getting to a place where I did not have to have a bunkbed. And then I remember shipping thousands of mailers and envelopes, dreaming of having a pretty job, not just a job that brought in money. And I could go on! Did those hopes and dreams mean I wasn’t content where God had me? Absolutely not! Perhaps our hopes and dreams are more intended to keep us from growing complacent.
As Christians, it is our job to always keep improving and growing. And what better way than to lean into the many little whispers in our heart, to search them out, claim them, and ask God how to pursue them?!
Don’t Water Down Your Prayers
Don’t water down your prayers. Take out a sheet of paper, pick a specific dream, and then dive into it! If your dream is a husband, identify important character qualities, strengths, abilities, and even something lighthearted that you hold near and dear. Write it down! If your prayer is a child, consider what you dream of them doing or becoming. Do you specifically dream of ballet lessons or rocking them to sleep, taking them on car rides or walking them in a stroller? There’s no dream or detail too big or too small for God.
Write them out, thank God for the hope within you, and thank Him for bringing things together in His perfect time! Ask how you can work to grow to bring your best in each season. Feel free to ask for the season to come soon. You will be astonished how detail oriented God is if you have the boldness and courage to identify the details within your heart!
I cannot describe the hope I feel when someone speaks directly about a dream of mine. When they don’t even know what’s on my heart and yet they specifically reference it and say that’s it is completely fine – and even good – to lean into it and anticipate it! God has a purpose for all things, far beyond our understanding. I believe that when we live for Him, it is our privilege and even our duty to claim and boldly hope for what He has placed in our heart!
Don’t water down your prayers, His perfect answer is counting on you keeping the faith!
Until Next Time!
Hope.