Luis Alberto Alves
We have a very ugly habit: that of criticizing God when He doesn't make the dream we cherish so much come true. Imagine something you chased, prayed, cheered, fasted, climbed mountains and stayed there for nights and even dawns. But what I expected did not happen! I'm not talking about something futile, but about a project that would revolutionize your life.
Even for 18 years as a pastor, to this day I meditate on Deuteronomy chapter 29, verse 29: “The secret things (or hidden depending on the translation) belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, to that we do all the words of this law.”
Every human being has a dream. Project that he intends to carry out in several areas of life, before he dies. Some dream of completing a university course to gain financial independence and even the happiness of working with what they love so much. For this he dedicates himself entirely to making it a reality.
Periphery
Others have the goal of buying their own house to fill their lungs and say out loud: "it's our dreamed home"! Even if this home is in a distant neighborhood on the outskirts, which needs to take a bus or train and take a few hours to get to work or even to college. In this scale of tasks, the dream of marrying someone who is your soul mate also enters, because of complete harmony.
Liking is different from loving. Those who love dedicate themselves deeply to the other or another. It is one flesh, as Jesus Christ said. It may seem like utopia or talk in the head, as some young people say, but when single people have this dream. After all, how can we find someone who will make us happy among the millions we meet every day in the streets and avenues of this great city?
The real evangelicals (currently there are very generic ones, with the face of a servant of Jesus Christ, but the heart is still united with darkness) pray and present their petitions to the Lord. The wish is that they come true as soon as possible. But as written in Isaiah 55, verses 8/10, “The Lord's thoughts are higher than ours, because He is in Heaven and we are here on Earth. His ways are higher than ours, for we are on Earth and He is in Heaven.”
You
As much as you are intelligent, have a deep knowledge of the Bible, have a great theological background, you will never know what God thinks about you. How the Lord values you. We have an image about our life. We usually never imagine that we have defects. After all, they only exist in the lives of others. We are perfect.
On top of this we begin to bargain with Jesus Christ. We present projects to Him, which in our human perspective are excellent, but for God it is ruin. It could lead us to bad paths and even increase the distance with the Gospel. Upon this we pray. We ask that the Lord grant this request. We cry out, we go on fasts of up to 12 hours, to sensitize God.
As much as you are spiritual, my sister or brother, we don't have ears prepared to hear God's no. The first reaction is to be sad, upset, discouraged, without strength even to carry out any task. We get up to go to work, but without any disposition. The Lord's denial messed with our self-esteem.
Yes
It's natural, because human beings are spoiled. Unconsciously, we grow accustomed to hearing yes to any question we ask someone. It is like this at home, with parents, wife, husband, children, relatives, etc. Even when our heart's team loses the championship, we let sadness dominate us. Who wasn't upset when the Brazilian team returned early from the World Cup in Qatar?
In this fight, we ignore signs that that dream come true could cause serious problems later on. Even so, we insist that God satisfy our will, which is in conflict with the Lord's. Which person didn't have a great love in adolescence and dreamed of being by his or her side forever? But none of this happened and sadness arose about Jesus Christ?
Do we usually open our mouths to say the word “why”? We are looking for reasons. What attitude contributed to the separation? And for a while this situation will punish our heart, it will hammer in our soul and even shake the spirit. We clash with God. In our view, the Lord was wrong to make us sad.
God
I remember a true story of a mother who lost a daughter in her late teens; she was alone. She remained several years muttering, questioning Jesus Christ for taking someone she loved so much. Every day her prayer consisted only of asking God why He allowed (in her view) such evil. She went on to fast and pray insistently for God to answer her.
A long time has passed. On a certain night she dreamed of her daughter prostituting herself in a nightclub, consuming drugs and showing the suffering coexistence of the two at home. She praying in tears, in this dream, for God to remove her daughter from that dark world. At a given moment in this dream, the Holy Spirit begins to say that this was the future that darkness reserved for that young woman. That's why the Lord took her before.
In my 62 years of the race that Jesus stipulated for me to run and I don't know when it will end, I had many dreams that God did not fulfill. I confess that for some time I was upset, without spirit. I even thought about sleeping soundly all day and night, trying childishly to forget everything. I went to church and prayed that the Lord would bring joy back to me, such melancholy.
Head
Fortunately, I am married to a great servant of Jesus Christ, small in stature, but gigantic spiritually. To look at me and ask, in the name of Jesus Christ, to lift my head and continue walking. Keep running towards victory. I was able again to stand and hope in the Lord's best. It's not easy. However, Jesus Christ will always have the best for all of us. He knows our future.
I don't know my brother or sister what is the dream you've been chasing for so long and so far it hasn't come true or maybe it won't even come true. But regardless of the outcome, keep trusting Jesus Christ. He will put into your life what is excellent. It doesn't matter how it happens. God's projects will be much better than ours. Do not lose faith.
As written in Deuteronomy chapter 29, verse 29, what is hidden belongs to God. The Lord will not reveal it to us. Even for our own good. Continue believing in Jesus Christ that the Lord's wonderful projects will come to you in the form of a blessing. Don't let sadness get you down. Get up, take a deep breath and return to the fight. In Jesus Christ we are more than conquerors. Sorrow is of Lucifer, "the joy of the Lord is our strength."
Luís Alberto Alves is a pastor.
