January is that month of new beginnings—a new year, a new start! There are any number of things we each strive to do, or do better for the new year. In order to do these things we must make changes. We must step out of our comfort zone in order to create a new normal. I’ve had lots of people tell me, “I pray everyday for God to open that door and make a miracle!” Sometimes, I believe, we try to answer our own prayers. Sometimes we have in mind the means to the answer to our prayers and will accept nothing that seems off course. We can ask God, know that only if it’s in His will, will the answer be yes. We also know that if what we desire is not in His will, the answer will be no. And sometimes the answer is wait. We still have a tendency, to ask then start imagining what the steps to the yes should be. The Bible instructs us to, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV) Our prayers should be a dialogue with the Lord, not a time during which we dictate the work we want Him to do in our lives. We must listen for His “gentle whisper,” (1 Kings 19:12 NIV) to receive His direction. Moreover, we must act in accordance with His direction. We are not privileged to know the means by which our blessings will come. We must, however, be ready and willing to say yes when opportunities arise. It could be through a seemingly unrelated opportunity that God is answering our prayer. Ephesians 5:15-16 instructs us to, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” How many times do we decline opportunities to volunteer, opportunities to present, opportunities to donate. Maybe you were asked to serve on a committee—who knows who you may meet on the committee? There could be someone you’ll meet who will help you to feed your passion. Maybe you are being asked to volunteer with the youth at your church. Who knows what meaningful relationship will grow from this time? Maybe your company needs someone to travel to a boring conference and no one wants to go. Say yes, who knows what doors may be opened as you make the most of the opportunity. We do not know God’s steps to the yes. But if we decline every opportunity that seems unrelated to our goals, we could be saying no to God’s provision. Say yes! I encourage you, in 2018, to say yes and see what God will do. Your LIKES, COMMENTS, and SHARES are greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading! Kim Copyright 2018 Kimberly G. Massey Book Signing on Saturday! Shepherd's Fold Bookstore (415 Cherry Rd Rock Hill, SC) will host a book signing for me on Saturday, January 27, 2018 from 11am-2pm. I would love to meet all the people who read my blog! Please stop by and bring a friend! So You Want to Publish a Book | Kimberly G. Massey Interested in publishing your book? Enroll in a short course with me, the author of this blog and eight books. The York County Arts Council (Rock Hill, SC) will host me as I teach a group of aspiring authors on Sat. April 14 and Sat. April 28 how to get started with writing and publishing. The cost is $60. Registration is limited so that I may give ample attention to each person in attendance. Register today!
2 Comments
Cynthia
1/21/2018 04:04:51 pm
Kim,
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If you like this style of writing, you will enjoy Turn North: A 30-Day Devotional and Journal written by the author of this blog.
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