This weekend I had to make the decision to walk away from a dream. My husband supported each and every step of our decision-making process but each of you know how when the Lord speaks specifically to your heart it’s a very dear thing. And owning a new home had been something I felt the Lord had been speaking specifically to my heart about.
The prospect of owning a new home with land has always been in my heart. Finding it had been a different story. Until a couple of weeks ago. We found a beautiful house we felt the Lord wanted us to make an offer on. We knew that He had to make all the financing work because it was out of our price range.
As of today that financing has not happened and we felt it time to walk away. Walking away and letting go was an act of obedience for me just like walking into the possibility of owning the home. It belongs to the Lord and it is His to do with as He chooses.
Neither my husband nor I wanted to walk into a financially devastating situation. And as of today that is what the new home would have been for us.
I do not think I realized how deeply implanted in my heart this home had become. It wasn’t the physical aspect of it but the spiritual aspect of all that was taking place with me and the Lord.
I don’t have any answers. I don’t know what the rest of the journey is going to look like but I trust Him. I trust Him with my well-being, with my sorrow and with my disappointment.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity."
Jeremiah 29:11-14
and bless your obedience. It's when we sit so close to HIM when He teaches us the best things.
I was where you were about 4 1/2 years ago. I so desperately wanted to move. I hate the cold and I just couldn't stand it anymore. But then God gently (well sometimes not so gently) asked me " can you be content where you are forever…knowing that you have ME to sustain you?" That was tough for me. But I got to the point, well, He got me to the point where I could let go of my dream and be content.
Yet, about a year later, doors starting opening and things starting working and now… we live in the south..PTL!!
So maybe you don't have to totally give up on your dream, God does love to give you the desires of your heart, just as long as they are in His will and His timing. You've surrendered it .. and God will bless you in your obedience in SO many ways. Through peace, contentment and maybe even a little surprise or two.
God bless you today as you walk so faithfully following His way!!
the season of waiting is not my specialty, to be sure.
I appreciated your words of wisdom so much the other day … true balm to my spirit.
I like what I read in Erwin McManus' book … some dreams are meant to be fulfilled, and some are just that … dreams. But, dreams give us hope, and excitement for the future.
and, like the Martin's sing If you're gonna dream, dream big!
I am still waiting on a dream or two, and I wait with hope in Him, and with great expectation.
Julie-
You know I was just where you are at not to long ago. With us we knew that everything had to work for us to know that it was from the Lord. Our situation closed when it was going to be a HUGE financial strain on my husband. Unless the sellers were wiling to wait for our hiouse to sell the choice was very clear. We would be left to hold two mortgages and make huge remodeling costs (heating and air a kitchen right off as well as a second bath bath to be manuvered in somewhere. (Plus what needed to be doen with the "farm" to make it work for us. It was a dream and we were not afraid of all the sacrifice our family would need to take but than it was up to the Lord — He knew what was best. SO we prayed that we would honor him and be at peace with whatever the outcome was to be. I still get glimpses of that dream but remember that God knew what was best. I trust Him.
We ARE at peace and I pray that you will know Hid peace as well.
Since than I imagine an old home on a much smaller piece of peoperty which would be much less to maintain. We'll see what the Lord has in store for us….and you.
Blessings,
Maria
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, yea, I have experienced that heartsickness. Regardless of what anyone says, it hurts. The rest of that verse says "But a longing fulfilled is a tree of life".
So often the things we desire seem to elude us. What could God be up to, is a frequent statement out of my mouth. We just finished a season where my husband had 6 jobs in 4 years. All of the jobs paid thousands less than our living expenses with long hours away from home. What could God possibly be up to? Hope deferred was a frequent companion during those days.
What I discovered is that God is building a testimony in my life.
There was a Walgreens drugstore going up down the street.
Each week as I drove by there would be new progress done.
Sometimes the stages were messy and boring, and then other times it was interesting to watch. The thing was each stage of the building had their necessary part.
During the times of waiting on God He is building some part of His story into our lives. We are His story bearers. We bear the story of God to those watching us. It's hard to see and understand sometimes why He says No, or Wait. All I know is that in the waiting something beautiful is taking place, like the butterfly being formed in the cocoon.
He is transforming you in this time. As you wait know that He sees you, He knows the desires of your heart. He is about good things in your life. He is writing His story on your heart.
Yes, He knows the plans….and they are plans to prosper you.
We have come out of the "season of jobs" and as I look back I see the story line that was woven…I see the beauty He was unveiling… I see God.
Love, Jewelz (another Julie)
I was going to leave a comment, but it seems most of the comments are right along the lines of what I was going to encourage you with.
I was in a similar situation last year. God brought me through it for a reason..all the reasons I'll probably never know, but one big one is He protected us from getting in over our heads financially. I still drive by the entrance to the house and wonder, and know that I poured my heart out to God about that place, sitting on the front porch of it actually, and we shared a special time there, but He's got a better plan than mine..a better way, a better time, a better me…God bless you as you walk through this.