Seed Thoughts

//Lynette Hagin

At the beginning of each year, I like to take an inventory of my life. I look at every area to see where I have succeeded and where I need improvement.

I also make sure that I have not veered off track from the plans and purposes God has for me.

We each wear multiple hats. Sometimes it’s difficult to successfully change the hat we are wearing, and to do it at the proper time. For instance, I wear a hat as a wife, mother, and grandmother, but I also wear hats as a pastor’s wife, minister, and business administrator.

I have dreams and goals that I desire to accomplish in each of my various roles. For example, my husband and I have always attempted to make sure that our family life and children were not
slighted because of the vast demands of ministry. However, we also know that we must not neglect the call of God upon our lives.

To maintain proper balance, I constantly look to the Lord for wisdom. James 1:5 (NLT) says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” Many times I need wisdom to handle situations. Whatever wisdom you need, know that God is right there to supply you with the knowledge and ability. But His rule is, you must ask! I also ask God for strength to function in my various roles. I constantly proclaim, “I have the life of God in me. And if that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me, He shall quicken my mortal body.” I speak life and energy to my body.

We are snared by the words of our mouth. So speak positive words over your life and body. Don’t confess, “I’m so tired” or “I’m always a failure.” When you do that, you put those words into motion in your life. Remember, what you confess you will possess. Therefore I make positive confessions over my life and body.

It is important to have dreams and goals. However, it is most important to carry out the dreams that God has for us. Proverbs 20:24 (NLT) says, “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” We must live committed and submitted to God’s plans and purposes for us.

As Christians, most of us want God’s perfect will for our lives. We want to live out His plans and vision. However, we must be very sure that it is God’s plans we are following. Often we can be so caught up in our own plans, purposes, visions, and dreams that we mistake them for God’s plans. It is very important to listen closely to His instructions. If we allow His desires to become ours, we will find that even our personal desires will become a reality.

To submit to God’s plan, I had to put some of my dreams on a shelf and say, “God, I guess that was not part of Your plan for my life.” However, those dreams came to pass many years later. You see, God’s timing was different from mine. He had larger plans, and He knew that I needed more experience and training for the job. Therefore He took me on a journey during which I had to simply say, “I trust You, Lord.”

I sense that there are readers who have experienced disappointment in life. You have questioned God, wondering why the dreams and visions that were placed in your heart many years ago have not materialized.

The Lord would say to you, “Just trust Me. Know that I am leading you down a path that will eventually take you to the place that I desire you to go. If you will follow and stop questioning, you will get there sooner. If you will speak positive words over your present situation, you will find that the situation will change and you will experience victory where there has been defeat seemingly on every side.

“I will lead and I will guide, if in Me you do abide. Listen to My voice every moment of the day, and the doors of opportunity will come your way. And that which you have so long desired will come into place, and you will then understand the path that you had to take. It will be much greater than you thought, and then you’ll be able to say, ‘My, my, my—look what the Lord has done!’”

As I was writing, those prophetic words began to flow. I trust that they will witness to many hearts. Remember—place your life in God’s hands and He will bring those dreams into reality in His time.