God gives us the vision, then he takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience.
God places us in obscure places and situations because we’re not ready yet. Our spiritual maintenance lights are on. Outside forces must be brought to bear to shape us into the kind of people who can handle the vision we’ve been given.
Until that happens, doors remain shut. This happens because God knows that without the valley, the vision will never come to fruition.
Let’s be honest: It’s hard to focus on what God wants if we depend on getting recognition from those around us to stay motivated, isn’t it?
It’s hard to rely on God when doors of opportunity seem to open by themselves.
And it’s undeniably difficult to take the hits, comments, pushback and outright opposition that comes as we pursue God’s vision for our lives if our self-worth is rooted in what other people say about us.
If recognition, opportunity and self-worth are stirred up into the fuel that drives our culture, then the valley is God’s opportunity to flush that unholy concoction out of our exhaust. God-sized dreams are never driven, nor sustained, by worldly ambitions.
God has a vision for how each of our lives will turn out. He has a series of meaningful and weighty assignments that we’re called to accomplish.
Unfortunately, more often than not the training for how to handle those assignments doesn’t usually happen until after they’re handed to us.
So, if you have been asking for God’s favor on your life, and he has “blessed” you by giving you a dream, but
- doors have been shut,
- emails have gone unreturned,
- applications have been turned down,
and calls have gone unanswered, even though you’ve
- tried everything,
- prayed everything,
- given everything,
- and sacrificed everything,
then hang on. And consider embracing obscurity this time.
You’re exactly where God wants you to be right now.
(continue reading by ordering a copy of Finding Favor HERE)
This article about embracing obscurity originally appeared here.
