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You can allow your present circumstances to push you into a negative mindset, or allow your dreams to push you into a great future. Be optimistic about the days to come. Believe for good things. Ones which God has planned. You can have anticipation of what He will do.
When you face disappointment or things aren’t working out, instead of being ruled by negative thoughts, you immediately turn those thoughts around to think something positive. You’re optimistic about what is to come because it’s in the hands of God. And He has something better. Listen to this: you put yourself on a powerful path when you are filled with expectation of God’s plan.
There was a boy who learned this at an early age because of an event that happened to him. Frank was eight years old when his father had promised to take him fishing on Saturday. Throughout the entire week, he was so excited thinking about it.
There had not been any rain for weeks so they felt sure Saturday would be a perfect day. But as soon as Saturday morning came and he got up, he saw that it was raining. It seemed as if it was going to go on all day.
So as he sat and stared out the window at the rain, he didn’t feel he had anything to look forward to. That’s how it is for us when we are viewing the window of our circumstances and all we see are disappointment and problems. What do we have to look forward to? I’ll tell you what—you have God’s plan. That’s what you can believe is coming, and it will be the best.
Frank was having a hard time with that. So finally he grumbled, “Seems as if the Lord would know that it would have been better to have the rain yesterday than today.” Have you ever felt as if you wanted to remind God there could have been a better way to handle a situation, or He could’ve caused something else to happen to change the way things turned out? That’s when it’s tough to have a positive outlook.
This is how Frank felt. But his father was just sitting over by the fireplace reading a good book. He didn’t have a problem with it, so he explained to his son how the rain is needed so things can grow, and farmers need it for their crops. But Frank kept saying, “It just isn’t right.” Oh, I have said those words! I have viewed how things were turning out and thought, “This isn’t right.” It did not seem fair. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to go.
But after we have the thought that something didn’t turn out the right way, we need to turn that thinking around and start anticipating. Get excited. Because something better is coming. God has a plan.
That’s what Frank discovered. About midafternoon, the rain stopped. So he and his father grabbed their gear and off they went to go fishing. Because it had just rained, the fish were hungry. So the two of them had a very successful time. In fact, they came home with a full string of big fish.
Then they fried some of those fish, and I know how good that is. I’ll never forget Mother and Dad frying up some black bass that Dad would catch from time to time. It was so good. So just before Frank began to dive into his supper of fried fish, he prayed with a repentant voice, “Lord, if I sounded grumpy earlier today, it was because I couldn’t see far enough ahead.”
Sometimes you can’t see far enough ahead. It doesn’t appear as if you’re getting to go fishing when you want. Your desire is not being fulfilled. However, if things happened when you desired, the fish may not be biting. You would not be successful. God knows when the fish are going to bite and that’s when He’s going to start things rolling in your life.
Even though you can’t see far enough ahead, God can. He knows it all. And He has a good plan. It’s something you can look forward to in spite of how the present appears. Believe that the Lord has designed what’s ahead for you, and it’s filled with the best things for you.
Events and experiences and blessings that will help you grow and mature.
Those will meet your needs and give you pleasure and delight.
You can have fulfillment and greater wisdom and satisfaction.
You will be able to help others more as a result.
So believe for the best to come.
Spiritual Powerline to say out loud:
“THE BEST IS AHEAD FOR ME!”
Here is a powerful prayer to say out loud:
Lord, I cannot see what’s ahead, but I trust You. I know You have a great plan for my situation. So I have positive thoughts. I anticipate what is ahead of me. And I pull it into my life by my faith. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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