Devotionals

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Refuse to Be Discouraged!

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
Genesis 37: 9 (NKJV)

Joseph had dreams that had been given to him by God. God was not going to forget those dreams that He had given. However, Joseph was unwise in the way that he boasted to his brothers about those dreams. They were still going to happen, but they were going to take a long time and Joseph was going to go through a lot first.

God may have placed a dream or a longing on your heart. It may have even been years ago, but because it doesn't happen immediately or the way that we imagine it to go, does not mean that it is not going to happen. It is amazing what God allows us to go through in order to allow His will to come to pass.

I wonder what Joseph was thinking when he was in the prison for two years? God had given him dreams for his future. He had clearly seen what was going to happen. How he must have felt so very far from his calling when he was in the dungeons. He must have felt far from his calling also as a slave in a foreign land. But Joseph had an attitude which seems to refuse to be discouraged. Whatever he did, he did with his whole heart. That is a big 'whatever'. Whether it was as a slave or even in prison, he did the best that he could in the situation that he was in.

If you listen to that quiet voice within you, you will hear the dreams and visions that God has placed within you. Maybe they were dreamed so long ago, that you're wondering whether you've done something to forfeit the dreams that you had in Christ. But here's the good news: there's no 'plan B' with Christ. He will still fulfil them. Refuse to be discouraged. Instead, pour your whole self into whatever you find yourself doing right now. Colossians 3:23 tells us that 'whatever we do we are to do with all of our heart as working for the Lord.'

One job I had, as a teenager, I had the opportunity to take short-cuts in and would never have been found out. However, this was something that was not possible for me to do as I had that overwhelming knowledge that I was working for the Lord and He would see that I was not working with all of my heart.

Today, cherish the dream that God has placed within you, but refuse to become discouraged if those dreams don't become reality in the time-line that you'd like. Whatever you find yourself doing now, do with all of your heart. Choose to enjoy it and see how you can do it even better. God is above all things and He will honour you. He will give you opportunities you could not even imagine and make His will come to pass in amazing ways. So dig your heals in and know that what God has said, He will accomplish.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for the dreams that You have placed within me. Help me to do everything that you give me to do, with all of my heart. When I am tempted to take short-cuts, remind me that you are there, overseeing all of my works. Help me have a good attitude in all that I do and let me be a reflection of you in everything that I put my hands to. Thank you that your plans will come to pass in my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

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