Devotionals for the Heart: Trusting God to help you reach your destiny

How God Prepares Us for New Seasons
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“Faith motivated Abraham to obey God’s call and leave the familiar to discover the territory he was destined to inherit from God. So he left with only a promise and without even knowing ahead of time where he was going, Abraham stepped out in faith.” –Hebrews 11:8 TPT

Is there a sweater in your closet you no longer wear, but you’re hanging on it anyway?

My grey sequined sweater is my go-to top on chilly days. But as much as I adore it, it’s stretched and worn, and I don’t feel comfortable wearing it in public. Nevertheless, I can’t seem to part with it. Sweaters are only one example of what we need let go of to reach our spiritual potential. Unhealthy friendships, work environments, and mindsets can weigh us down and keep us stuck in unhelpful patterns. And comfort zones, like sweaters, aren’t meant to be a permanent part of our lives because God cares more about our character and building His kingdom within us.

Abraham obeyed God’s call by leaving the only land he had known behind and trusting God to help him reach his destiny. With his heart set on God’s promise to make him into a great nation, he set out on a journey toward a future he couldn’t see or understand, but Abraham knew the God who keeps His promises would protect and guide Him (Genesis 12:1-9).

In my life over the past few months, I’ve seen God unravel old mindsets and commitments that hindered my growth and wouldn't serve me well in the future. It’s been a painful and often discouraging process, and I’ve experienced grief by letting some things go, but I’m grateful God loves me enough to do what's necessary to mature me.

When I researched online about how God prepares us for new seasons, I learned He sovereignly orchestrates our discomfort to motivate us to move forward. It’s never easy or convenient, but it’s necessary if we want to experience His best. When our lives fall apart at the seams, what seems like chaos is God positioning us for the promise we have been praying for.

Eagles illustrate this principle beautifully. A mother eagle knows her babies will never learn to fly unless their nest is too uncomfortable to stay. So, with her long talons, she starts stirring up the nest by bringing up the thorns and sharp rocks, exposing them to the surface, and slowly moving away the comfortable feathers and wool. If God is stirring up your nest, you can count on Him to help you soar above it.

Leaving the familiar behind can be scary, but when we obey God’s call and reach the land of promise God has prepared for us, most likely we will look back and realize the struggle to get there was worth it.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God, thank You for leading me out of my comfort zone into the future you’ve promised me. Change is hard, and when I want to return to the familiar, help me trust You to equip me with everything I need for the journey ahead. I know you’ll be eagerly waiting for me when I arrive. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song for Reflection: “Seasons” by Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their ‘best of’ spread. 

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about her cocker spaniel Gigi was published in Guideposts’ Mysterious Ways. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

Sarah's devotionals have been published in David C. Cook’s The Quiet Hour and Devotions, The Secret Place by Judson Press, and Pray a Word a Day by Guideposts. Her short story will be featured in an upcoming book, Too Amazing For Coincidence, also to be published by Guideposts. To this day, Sarah smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she's not writing, she's enjoying her hobbies that include dog sitting, watching cooking shows and taking day trips.

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Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittyc65
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@SarahCo45835279
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.cole.52