Girlfriends in God - Apr. 19, 2011
God’s Great Plans for You
Today’s Truth
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV).
Friend to Friend
Last week I shared about the broken dream of infertility and miscarriage. As you recall, I have one incredible blessing in my son Steven, but my dream to have a house full of children did not materialize as I had hoped. During one of my times with the Lord, I was studying in the Song of Solomon about being the bride of Christ. This is a very romantic book of the Bible about the courtship, engagement, and eventual marriage between a man and a woman. Many compare it to the relationship of Jesus with His bride, the church. That’s how I was reading it on this particular day.
As I read Song of Solomon 2:1, God stopped me. “I am the Rose of Sharon,” the woman said to her beloved.
What was her name?God seemed to ask.
“Sharon,” I answered.
What is your name? He again seemed to ask.
“Lord, my name is Sharon,” I whispered aloud.
Look it up,He prompted my heart.
I went to my Bible dictionary and looked up Sharon. It meant - a fertile valley near Mount Carmel. God was telling me that while my medical chart had INFERTILE stamped across the front, He made sure that my name meant FERTILE before I was even born. No, I do not have a house full of children, but He has made me fertile in many other ways. Through writing, speaking, radio and simply obeying God when He nudges me to reach out to one of His own, God has allowed me to birth and nurture many spiritual children.
God does not always give us babies or husbands for which we’ve prayed. All of our dreams may not turn out the way we had hoped. But He will always give us access to everything we need to have an abundant life filled with purpose, passion, and His provision. When God says “no” we can rest assured there is a greater “yes” if we will but relinquish our shattered dreams to Him.
Someone asked me recently, “But would you rather have the house full of children, or the ministry opportunities you have today?”
“I want exactly what God wants for my life – nothing more and nothing less,” I replied. “Because I know that whatever He has planned for my life is much greater than anything I could ever imagine or conceive.” And girlfriend, that is true for you as well.
Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I get so excited thinking about the great plans You have for me. Help me not to get so mentally stuck on what I want, that I miss what You had planned all along. I want to grasp Your great dreams for me and move forward full steam ahead.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
More from the Girlfriends
Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s new book, 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Wants to Fulfill Them(a new revised version of her previous book, Dreams of a Woman). This book is for every woman whose life hasn’t turned out like she dreamed it would … and I think that includes most of us. Can you risk the hope that God still has dreams for your life? That He hasn’t forgotten you? Place your hand firmly in His--take a deep breath, and begin the exciting journey to a place you thought you’d never find: the dream God planned for you all along. Let’s dare to dream again!
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