Shall I bring to the [moment of] birth and not cause to bring forth? says the Lord. Shall I Who causes to bring forth shut the womb? says you God.
(Isaiah 66:9)
We forget that once we have sown the seed in good ground and that what we have sown in faith God has promised to bring to manifestation and fruition.
Although we may not always be able to see it with our natural eyes, we must believe that God is at work behind the scenes bringing forth the birth—at the time He has set and appointed.
I remember when I was pregnant with each of our children. I carried all of them to term and beyond. One of them was almost six weeks late. I was so warn out with carrying that child I asked the doctor to start my labor.
That is the way you and I become spiritually. We are pregnant with dreams and visions, but we get so tired of waiting for them to manifest we start our own labor.
After one trip to the hospital, my doctor finally told me, “Go home and relax. This baby is not going to come until it is good and ready.”
The lesson you and I need to learn from that experience is that we are not to waste our lives trying to make something happen that is not in God’s perfect plan and timing. If we keep trying, we will just end up as weary warriors and fainting saints.
That is not God’s will for us. He wants us to learn to be patient. He wants us to trust Him to complete and bring forth—on His own schedule—the good work He has begun in us (Phil. 1:6).
If good seed has been planted in good soil, sooner or late it will produce good fruit. Keep on keeping on and refuse to give up!
Let Your Life Be a Seed
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but live] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many other and yields a rich harvest.
(John 12:24)
Instead of trying to rush things, we need to slow down and spend more time waiting on God in faith and patience.
We should concentrate on depositing ourselves with God, trusting Him to take care of us to bring forth what we need day by day as we patiently wait for Him.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.
