Happy 2021, friends! Ahhhh…A NEW YEAR!
In 2020 we watched the entire world fall on tough times. Hopefully, 2020 was the low point, leaving only one direction to go from there—UP!!! May God help us rise from the rubble, brush the dust off our knees, and move on to a happier new year. Though Mr. Coronavirus’s threats, face masks, social distancing, and political unrest will be a part of our lives for a while, those things can’t stop us from dreaming the dreams God has dreamed for us!
Let’s look at the blank boxes on our calendars as opportunities to think out of the box with a God whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours.
“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” -Isaiah 55:8-9
Let’s peer past the pain of our present suffering to imagine God shaping our struggles into launch pads to greater things.
Twenty-twenty held a lot of suffering, and I realize you may feel too stuck in the suffering to dream about the future. Whenever a new hardship fell on me and my family, I initially felt too burdened to blog…too tired to converse with neighbors I met while walking my puppy…and too overwhelmed to contemplate it. Maybe you’re feeling similarly.
Do you feel too distracted…too burdened…too fearful…too weary…or too weak to be used by God? Does your life seem too broken to become God-glorifying? If yes, that’s your “humanness” speaking! Don’t let your humanity leave you with timidity of faith. Let your humanity usher you into humility before your Maker. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” –James 4:10
Don’t let your humanity leave you with timidity of faith. Let your humanity usher you into humility before your Maker.
aimeesimmons.com
It’s encouraging to remember that God filled the Bible with stories of beauty birthed out of suffering. Through, Jesus’ suffering, God brought about our salvation. Through the suffering of Mary, God delivered a Savior into the world. Through the disciples’ suffering, God shared Good News with the world, and many believed in Christ. Through the suffering of Apostle Paul, God discipled His Church, and many grew in Christ. Suffering often opens our eyes to people (including ourselves) and places that need more Jesus. Through our suffering, God can bring forth the beauty of the Gospel, helping some to know Him and some to grow in Him!
Friends, let’s aim for Him and D-R-E-A-M!
I’m excited to share a fun question that will help you reach past your humanness and dream with God.
Here’s the story of how God brought the question to me:
Through my good friend, Niki, I met several staff members who worked with her at First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. There was no reason for this group to take an interest in me or to minister to me, yet God prompted them to do just that. They reached out to me, sharing that they saw my heart for Jesus and asked if I would be open to exploring the possibility of working there. At the time, I was only a few years into my walk with Christ, in the beginning years of my career, and seeking God’s direction in my life. Believing their invitation was a door God opened for me, I reached back to them.
This group of newfound friends got to know me better and generously gave of their time to come alongside me to help me discover what God was up to in my life. Several times they shared, “We hope God is leading you to work here, but more than that, we want you to be where God wants you to be. We’re honored to be a part of your journey.” They genuinely cared about me and my walk with Jesus, and I found their loving-kindness profoundly inspiring.
The pivotal point in the journey happened when Anna, one of the ladies in the group, invited me into her office to pray. After praying, she rotated her chair to face her desk, took pen in hand, and drew on a blank piece of paper. Then, she handed me the paper, which contained a drawing of a blank check. At the time, checks were a popular form of payment. Anna drew a check to symbolize the resources (money, time, skills) needed to carry out a big endeavor.
As I looked at the drawing, Anna said, “Imagine that you have a blank check. You have unlimited resources to do ANYTHING to glorify God and make Him known. What would you do?”
As I considered her question, she added, “Don’t overthink or second guess your answer. Speak what’s on your heart.”
Confidently I answered, “I would learn what missionaries are doing around the world and write about it so that others can know God’s heartbeat for people of every tongue and tribe. I’d help them know how to join God in His mission.”
Over the next year, I spent much time in prayer about this heart desire to make sure it was truly from God and not a passing feeling or impulsive desire. I want to emphasize the importance of prayer when drawing out the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” When it says “the desires of your heart,” it isn’t referring to your natural human desires. It’s referring to the supernatural desires God places in your heart through the Holy Spirit.
I ended up pursuing my heart’s desire. If you want to hear more about my story, let me know in the comments. I’m happy to share and answer any questions you have!
Just as God led me to my friends at First Baptist and to that question, He led you to this blog and to the same question! Now, it’s your turn!
Unlimited Resources Activity
Getting Started:
- You’ll need something to write on. I recommend printing a copy of this blog, or use a journal.
- If you haven’t spent time reading your Bible today, I encourage you to do so. Reading God’s Word helps us disconnect from distractions and connect with God’s voice!
Reflection and Prayer
- Spend time in prayer, eager to listen more than you talk! Remember, the Holy Spirit is with you, helping you converse with your Heavenly Father. “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” -Romans 8:26-27
I’ve included a starter prayer and Bible verses for reflection. Feel free to use this prayer, or pray on your own.
Heavenly Father,
I come to You with an open heart, eager to listen. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that {You are} God. {You} will be exalted among the nations, {You} will be exalted in the earth!” (Reflect on who God is, His majesty, His power, etc.)
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Reflect on how high are the ways and thoughts of God.)
Father, align my thoughts with Your thoughts. Align my heart with Your heart. Empower me to walk Your way. (Read the verses below aloud and reflect on them.)
- {The Greatest Commandment} “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” –Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
- {The disciples ask} “’Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ Then Peter said in reply, ‘See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.’” –Matthew 19:26-30
- “And he said to {his disciples}, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’” –Mark 16:15
Father, help me answer this question: If I had unlimited resources to do ANYTHING to glorify You and make You known, what would I do?”
(Reflect on the question and sit still, open to hearing from God.)
(If you sense God leading you to an answer, write it down. If you sense Him prompting you to do something on a smaller scale to serve Him or another, write it down. If you don’t sense God leading you this time, that’s ok, too. This is all in His timing—His perfect timing.)
(Close your prayer time. If you wrote something down, continue to pray about it in the days ahead.)
Let me leave you with this encouragement: Sometimes God directs us to paths that may take a long time to walk. Sometimes He leads us down a path to learn something and then redirects us to another path. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in walking with God is that He cares FAR more about relationship, loving people, and the process of walking a path with Him than how quickly we reach the destination. Enjoy the walk with Him!
Happy New Year, friends! Keep dreaming!
