Last week I wrote a devotional about Lot’s wife and reflected on how God’s promises can’t be attained by looking back at the destruction of the past.

Since then, I’ve had some time to think about what it means to look forward when you’re waiting on God’s promises.

You may hear the term “God’s Promises” a lot, but you may not be sure what that means for your life.

You may wonder, “How can I discern what God’s promises are for me versus what is just on my wishlist?”

Well first, we must know that the greatest promise that God has for us is eternal life in heaven, which comes only from our belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There is no promise greater than the promise of eternal salvation.

Our time here on earth is short, so the promise of eternity with God is paramount as far as promises are concerned.

But nobody wants to endure a miserable, unfulfilling life with the hopes of going to heaven. We want eternal life and a happy life here on earth.

And God wants that for us too!

Jesus said Himself that He came so that we could have life and have it abundantly. So it’s definitely not in God’s will that we should feel incomplete and unfulfilled while we’re here.

He wants us to present our requests to Him through prayer. He’s eager to bless us because He loves us.

In John 14: 13-14, Jesus says, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

But just to be clear, this doesn’t mean asking God to help you win the lottery in Jesus’ name.

Remember, we’re called to be in alignment with God’s will. He’s not bending to fit into our will.

When we’re asking God to fulfill the desires of our hearts, we’ve got to be Kingdom-focused.

So what are some things that we might ask God for?

• A spouse to love and support us, who will keep us grounded in Christ
• Children to love, pour God’s Word into, and leave a legacy for
• Peace in the midst of troubling circumstances
• A clear purpose to live by that will sustain us financially

It’s my belief that God’s promises include granting us the desires of our hearts. He has the power to do that and He loves us, so why wouldn’t He?

But what do you do when you’ve been praying for a while, but your prayers haven’t been answered?

I can tell you what you don’t do.

You DON’T look at the past as an indication of what’s going to happen in the future.

You move forward in faith because that’s the only way God is able to work for you.

Faith without works is DEAD.

That means you can’t receive God’s promise if you’re not willing to move in the direction of the promise. If you continuously look back at the past, you’ll end up frozen in time like Lot’s wife, never to experience God’s blessings.

You can’t pray for a spouse and then not mix and mingle, take care of your hygiene, or work on personal development.

You can’t look back at every failed relationship, worry about being too old, or spend time lamenting over missed opportunities. Doing these things constitute “looking back.”

You have to put your best foot forward and pray continuously believing that God will supply what you’re asking for when the time is right.

If you are believing God for children, and the doctors have given you bad news, you may need to fast and pray. Miracle babies are born every day.

Whatever you’re believing God for, you also bear the responsibility of putting in some work so that the promise can materialize.

Looking forward means putting faith into action and being certain of a positive outcome.

If you’re dealing with depression, anxiety, or trauma and are struggling to obtain the desires of your heart, seeking professional help is an absolute must.

The moral of the story is that you have to close those old chapters of your life and start writing new outcomes for yourself.

Tonight, block out 30 minutes to meditate, pray, and develop an action plan for yourself. Visualize the promise that God has decreed over your life. Write out your prayer on a piece of paper and list your action steps in detail.

It’s time to get your life in gear!

Aren’t you excited? I am!

Be Blessed,

Alexia