For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time. It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, because it will certainly come; it will not delay.

Habakkuk 2:3

I recently spoke with a friend whose child had just become engaged. As we chatted, she hesitated a moment and explained her child wasn’t walking with God and was doing their own thing.

My heart immediately returned to the ache I’d felt when my child was doing his own thing.

I remembered the shock when he questioned his upbringing and began living contrary to how we’d reared him. I remembered both the embarrassment and need I felt to “explain” his behavior when people asked about him.

The enemy had not only deceived my child, but he also wanted me to feel the shame of my child’s choices so I would be less likely to ask for prayer on his behalf or feel I could bring encouragement to others in their walk with God.

I mean, if my own child wasn’t living for God, how could anyone receive truth from me?

I remembered all those feelings, and I wanted to be sure she wasn’t receiving any judgment from me.

My words to her were, “Yet can be your new best friend.”

You see, I remember when my child wasn’t living for God yet. I remember when the words he used weren’t lining up with God’s Word yet. I remember when he wasn’t sitting with me in church yet.

And I remember when he finally was.

Not Yet

I’ve had many moments where something felt a long way from where I wanted it to be. There were seasons before marriage when I was believing God for a spouse, before motherhood when I was believing God for a child, and other seasons when I was waiting for the job, the car, the house, the resouces, the courage, or the confidence I needed for the next step.

“I don’t have” and “I can’t” are words which can feel final. In those moments of waiting, what I seemed to have plenty of were doubts, fears, uncertainties, emptiness, or unfulfilled longing. Or at least, that was what the enemy wanted me to believe.

But that little three-letter word can change the whole sentence.

I wasn’t ready yet. There was something I wanted to do but couldn’t yet. I wasn’t strong or brave enough yet. I didn’t have it yet. Yet is a simple way to begin shifting our mindset. The struggle may be real, but it doesn’t get the final say. “Yet” is a word that reminds us God is still working.

Yet Leaves Growing Room

Sometimes we mistake where we are right now for where we will always be. We look at our current ability, confidence, knowledge, and circumstances thinking that’s the whole story. When we get in the Word, however, we remember that God is good, and He is still working.

The Word declares in Psalms 84:11 that God withholds no good thing from us who walk uprightly. That doesn’t mean that every desire comes the way we imagined or in our preferred timing. It means we can trust the heart of God when we do not yet understand all the details. Jeremiah 29:11 echos this same principle, that the plans He has for us a good, to give us a future and a hope.

God isn’t working to set us up for failure, and we must get and keep our thoughts in line with His Word. Yet is a way we can transition our minds to a positive outlook and then look for Scripture to back us up.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalms 84:11

When you think of all the sun does for the earth, nothing here could even exist without it, you can get a better feel of why Psalms 84:11 is such a key verse in this conversation. Everything in this passage gives hope for any situation. No matter the circumstance, if we choose to walk with Him, we can trust that good is coming.

God has never been limited by where we are. Moses felt unqualified, Gideon too small. Peter was impulsive, Thomas had doubts. The disciples walked with Jesus in the flesh and had questions. Yet God kept calling, teaching, correcting, strengthening, and sending. He kept giving grace and opportunities for growth. And He hasn’t changed.

Yet Isn’t Denial

God knows what needs to be formed in us before some things are fulfilled through us. Not every dream is instant and we don’t see the results of every prayer quickly. Sometimes the delay means God is still preparing the person, place, provision, and timing. Our job is just to keep doing what He called us to do and stay in faith to His Word.

That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with being blatantly honest before the Lord. There’s nothing He doesn’t already know, and He created us with emotions. When you feel overwhelmed or discouraged, talk to Him. When you say, “Lord, this feels too big for me, I don’t know what to do,” He isn’t angry nor does He turn away.

But He did give us His Word to fight the feelings that try to pull us away from His plan. Emotions are real, but we need to master them.

You can say, “God, this feels too big for me, but Your Word says in Psalms 61:2 that You lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Thank You for providing that place of strength, stability, and security. I may not know what to do next, but Your Word says in James 1:5 that You will give me wisdom, so I ask You for that wisdom right now.”

That isn’t denial. That is faith. It isn’t pretending you aren’t facing problems, but it brings those real problems under submission to the greater reality of God’s Word.

So when you don’t see the answer yet, bring the problem to Him. If you don’t understand the timing yet, you can trust Him anyway. If you don’t feel brave yet, know that you aren’t taking the next obedient step alone.

Yet Has an Appointed Time

I’ve had lots of experiences with “yet” in my life. Maybe you have, too.

Maybe there is a dream God planted in your heart that still matters to you, even though years have passed. Perhaps there is a prayer you keep praying, but nothing looks different yet. Or maybe you’ve made some steps in the right direction, but don’t see how it’s created enough traction yet. Maybe there’s a child, spouse, friend, or family member you are still believing will fully surrender to God.

This is where Habakkuk 2:3 encourages me. The vision has an appointed time. God didn’t forget just because it wasn’t immediate. The word translated “delay” in Habakkuk 2:3 is used twice in English, but the original Hebrew words are not the same. The first time, where it says, “Even though it delays,” the meaning of delay (Hebrew word mahah) carries the idea of seeming slow or reluctant. The second time, where it says, “it will not delay,” the meaning of delay (Hebrew word ahar) points to not being late.

The word “delay” in English seems the same, but the original Hebrew words are not the same and have different meanings. You may have to wait, but the promise will not be too late. It will come in His time.

For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time. It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, because it will certainly come; it will not delay.

Habakkuk 2:3

When waiting makes you question what God said, if you heard correctly, or if the dream was foolish, the Word has to remain central. Don’t give up. Let the Word help you course-correct. Our feelings can fade, especially if there is a long delay. But God’s Word never fades. Scripture fuels belief when our confidence wavers.

Yet Waits Without Letting Go

It’s one thing to wait for a package. It’s another to wait for a prodigal child to come home. Waiting in line is one thing. It’s another to wait for healing, provision, direction, or the fulfillment of something God placed in your heart.

Waiting patiently doesn’t mean waiting passively, however. It means we keep doing whatever God has directed us to do while God is working in ways we may not yet see. We keep praying, obeying, forgiving, sowing, showing up, speaking the Word, and refusing to let disappointment become our theology.

Disappointment can tell us God forgot, He doesn’t care, that we are too late, or the dream is dead. The Word tells us a different story.

But he (Abraham) did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God, being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised

Romans 4:20-21

Abraham had a promise and a long wait. He had a word from God and circumstances that looked impossible. He had a dream in his heart, yet grew strong in faith. Abraham didn’t just survive the delay. He grew stronger in faith while He waited.

That is the kind of “yet” that I want, and I bet you do, too.

Yet Isn’t Foolish

Your dream may need refining, additional wisdom, and a different timeline than you thought. It may even require more patience than you think you possess. But It isn’t foolish to trust God with what matters to you, with the things that haven’t happened yet.

God isn’t careless with your dreams, prayers, children, or obedience. His isn’t careless with the quiet places of your heart that you can barely frame into words, the ones you’ve only whispered to your spouse or a few close friends.

While the enemy may try to use delay to shame you into unbelief, sometimes the delay serves a bigger purpose.

Sometimes delay deepens our dependence on God, exposes our motives, or strengthens our obedience. It may prepare us to better steward what we’ve been praying for, deepen our gratitude for His hand at work, or cause us to memorize Scripture and pray in a deeper way. We may not understand why we need to keep saying “yet,” but I want to encourage you to keep hoping in Him. He sees where you are. You’ve not escaped His notice, and He will withhold no good thing from you as you walk with Him.

I don’t know what “yet” place you are standing in, but I know this: yet can cause growth you never imagined. It can fuel hope and strengthen faith. And the thing God has promised will not arrive late, so keep praying, obeying, standing in faith, speaking the Word, and trusting His timing. Saying “yet” reminds us God is still working on our behalf, to hold on to faith, and to keep pressing forward in whatever He’s called us to do.

Your “yet” is not proof God has forgotten you. It may be the place where He is growing you, anchoring you, and preparing an unfathomable testimony.

And when your “yet” becomes your “finally,” you will know He was faithful the whole time.

If this message encouraged you to keep trusting God when the timing feels long and the outcome feels impossible, you’ll find more hope in Holly’s book, Believing for a Miracle available in paperback and Kindle versions on Amazon.

Looking for more encouragement? Check out the post from July 2025: When the Dream Feels Too Far Gone – Holly D. Murray

Free Download: When You’re Still Waiting

Are you waiting on a prayer, a promise, a child, a dream, a calling, healing, provision, or direction?

Waiting can be tender. It can make you wonder if you heard God correctly or feel foolish for still hoping. That is why I created this free Scripture and prayer guide for the places in your life that have not happened yet.

When You’re Still Waiting: 8 Scriptures to Keep Hope Alive

Created to help you stay anchored in God’s Word while you wait. Inside this free printable guide, you’ll find

8 Scriptures to strengthen your faith when hope feels tired
Simple truths to hold onto for each scripture
Prayers you can pray when you aren’t sure what to say
A “My Yet Prayer” page to help you pour your heart out to God
Gentle encouragement to remind you God is still working

This guide will help you speak God’s Word over your waiting place instead of letting disappointment have the final say.

Your “yet” is not proof God has forgotten you.

He is still working.

Download your free copy today and let Scripture keep hope alive in you while you wait.

Still Believing God for a Dream That Feels Out of Reach? This Free Prayer Journal Is for You.

Maybe it’s a dream you’ve carried quietly for years.
Maybe life got in the way, and it’s been buried under responsibilities, disappointment, or time.
Perhaps you’ve even stopped talking about it—because it feels too far gone, too big, or too late.

But what if God placed that dream in your heart for a reason?

If you’re believing God for something deeply personal—a calling, a breakthrough, a promise—this free Prayer Journal will help you bring it back to Him with renewed faith and hope.

Inside this four-page printable journal, you’ll find space to:

Name your God-given desire with honesty and courage
Anchor your dream to Scripture and truth
Write heartfelt prayers and listen for God’s voice
Practice daily gratitude in the middle of the waiting
Reflect on what God is doing behind the scenes

This isn’t about chasing every whim—it’s about walking in step with the dreams God has planted in you, and trusting Him to bring them to life in His way and His time.

Download your free copy today and start praying with purpose.

Because your dream matters to God—and He hasn’t forgotten.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

All Hebrew word definitions are from: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003)

The post The Power of Yet: Trusting God When You’re Still Waiting appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises.

Hebrews 6:12, AMPC

I love to laugh. In fact, if you visit my church, you’ll probably hear me before you see me. I’m that person who laughs a little too loudly at the pastor’s quirky sayings—unapologetically. I suppose I could be more refined, but I cherish the freedom of unrestrained joy. Give me a clever line or a funny moment, and I can’t seem to help myself.

I still remember most of the lyrics from the scene in Mary Poppins with Uncle Albert floating around the ceiling in a fit of giggles. Like Uncle Albert, I’m no “squeakeler” either. Mine’s more of a full-on, throw-your-head-back kind of laugh. And while I could probably be more lady-like about it, I just love not holding back the full joy I get from comments I find hysterical.

Joy-Filled Laughter

I think God understands this about me and approves. The Bible talks about the benefits of being full of joy. Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV) says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine,” and Psalms 126:2 paints a beautiful picture of joy:

Then were our mouths filled with laughter and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them.

Psalms 126:2, AMPC

Laughter has power. It lifts heavy hearts. It helps us breathe again when life feels tight around the edges. Laughter reminds us that joy still exists—even in the hard seasons.

But not all laughter is rooted in joy.

Hope for Dreams that Feel Impossible

Have you ever laughed at something—not because it was funny—but because it felt too impossible to believe?

Sarah did.

In Genesis 18, God told Abraham that his wife, decades past childbearing years, would give birth to a son. Sarah heard it and laughed—not with joy, but with disbelief. She laughed quietly to herself, perhaps with the ache of someone who’s long given up hope. She wasn’t scoffing at God maliciously; she just couldn’t imagine such a thing being true. Quiet, hidden doubt wrapped in a chuckle.

At her age, pregnancy was unthinkable. And honestly, I get it. I’m over halfway to Sarah’s age, and the thought of baby-proofing a house or carrying a diaper bag again sounds exhausting. But this wasn’t just a random hope for Sarah. It was a promise from God, one she and Abraham waited on for 25 years.[1] They waited so long, in fact, that Abraham tried to force the promise on his own—leading to heartbreak and complications that outlived them both.

Abraham’s name meant he was the father of multitudes. Genesis 17:5 says, “No longer will your name be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (MEV). Can you imagine the laughingstock Abraham might have been to his neighbors—that his very name meant he was a father of many, yet he wasn’t even a father of one?

I’ve had seasons like that too—when what I was believing for seemed laughably out of reach. Where trusting God with my dream felt harder than letting it die.

Trusting God with the Deepest Desires of Your Heart

Years ago, my husband and I were living in a home we didn’t own on land that wasn’t ours, with no foreseeable way to change any of it. We couldn’t sell it. We couldn’t leave it. And we certainly couldn’t claim it. We were stuck—physically and emotionally.

And while I tried to be content, deep down I longed for more—a home of our own. A place where we could welcome guests, host family, and breathe a little deeper.

But the dream felt laughable.

And maybe you know that feeling, too.

Maybe you’ve silenced your own longing, told yourself it’s unrealistic, selfish to keep praying for, or that it’s just “not meant to be.”
But what if… it still is?

What if God hasn’t forgotten?

Here’s what God taught me in that season:
He sees the desires of our hearts—not as silly or selfish—but as sacred.

Standing on God’s Promises When Nothing Makes Sense

If it matters to you, it matters to Him. Not because He gives us everything we want, but because He delights in placing dreams in us—and walking with us as they grow.

So I got specific with God. I wrote the desires of my heart, and beside each one, I wrote a verse of Scripture. Not to manipulate God into doing what I wanted, but to anchor my faith in something stronger than circumstances. I wanted to pray with confidence and hope. I wanted to remind myself that I wasn’t crazy for still believing. It wasn’t selfish to want something more or something different.

It didn’t happen overnight. But I didn’t wait as long as Sarah did, either.

And eventually, like Sarah, I held my promise in my hands.

There is an old saying, “He who laughs last, laughs best.” Sarah had laughed at God’s renewed promise of a child. But she had the best laugh—the kind that bubbles up from gratitude, awe, and wonder—when she was holding her son. She laughed the kind of laugh that replaces doubt with delight.

In Genesis 21, Sarah says something so beautiful:

“God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”

Genesis 21:6, CSB

Not at her. With her. This is the laugh of joyful, long-awaited victory; the laugh shared by those who have been believing with and praying for you.

Sweet friend, what’s the dream that still lives quietly in your heart?
Does it feel too impossible to even hope for anymore? Don’t label it as too late. And don’t believe the lie that you’re too old, too far gone, or too forgotten.

God sees you. He knows the deep desires of your heart. And the God who made Sarah laugh hasn’t changed. He’s still in the business of fulfilling promises.

When You Finally Hold the Promise in Your Hands

Maybe you’ve told yourself it’s “just not meant to be.” But what if—just like Sarah, just like me—it is meant to be, only on God’s timetable, not yours?

If that desire aligns with God’s Word… if it reflects His character and draws you closer to His heart… then don’t bury it. Don’t mock it. Don’t laugh it off.

Write it down. Find scripture to anchor it. Pray with boldness.
And live with expectancy.

Because when the promise is finally fulfilled, your laughter will ring with joy—not the kind that mocks what once seemed impossible, but the kind that celebrates a God who never forgets what He promised. Your laughter—real, deep, joyful laughter—may be closer than you think.

And believe me… that kind of laughter is worth the wait.

Still Believing God for a Dream That Feels Out of Reach? This Free Prayer Journal Is for You.

Maybe it’s a dream you’ve carried quietly for years.
Maybe life got in the way, and it’s been buried under responsibilities, disappointment, or time.
Maybe you’ve even stopped talking about it—because it feels too far gone, too big, or too late.

But what if God placed that dream in your heart for a reason?

If you’re believing God for something deeply personal—a calling, a breakthrough, a promise—this free Prayer Journal will help you bring it back to Him with renewed faith and hope.

Inside this four-page printable journal, you’ll find space to:

Name your God-given desire with honesty and courage
Anchor your dream to Scripture and truth
Write heartfelt prayers and listen for God’s voice
Practice daily gratitude in the middle of the waiting
Reflect on what God is doing behind the scenes

This isn’t about chasing every whim—it’s about walking in step with the dreams God has planted in you, and trusting Him to bring them to life in His way and His time.

Download your free copy today and start praying with purpose.

Because your dream matters to God—and He hasn’t forgotten.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Abraham and Sarah: Faith and the Promise (Genesis 21:1–7), Wiersbe BE Bible Study Series, Bible Gateway, accessed July 10, 2025, https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/wiersbe-be-bible-study/abraham-sarah-faith-promise-21-1-7.

The post When the Dream Feels Too Far Gone appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In Him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting His Yes within us. By His Spirit He has stamped us with His eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what He is destined to complete.

2 Corinthians 1:20 MSG

I recently received a phone call from a friend I met a few months ago. Her voice trembled as she shared how she felt she was hitting a brick wall with God—desperate to hear from Him. As she poured out her heart, I felt the weight of her struggles. She felt alone, frustrated, and like God was distant. It would have been so easy to sink into the same despair with her, the pull of hopelessness when life feels too hard, messy, and overwhelming. In those moments when everything feels out of control, you may wonder where God is in the chaos.

Maybe you’ve had those days, too. Days when it feels like you’re juggling a hundred things. The moments when life hits hard and you’re standing at a crossroads: Do you give in to fear, or do you trust God and fight back with faith? As women, we often carry so much—responsibilities no one sees, unspoken worries, and the silent burdens we bear for our family. When we’re trying to keep everything together, it just takes one thing to knock you over the edge. We’re pulled in so many directions that it’s easy to lose sight of God’s voice in the mayhem. When a crisis strikes, our response determines our emotional and spiritual health and influences the world around us.

Fighting in an Emergency

God has given us a weapon to fight the battles we face—His Word. But here’s the truth: in emergency situations, you need to have something already chambered in your heart when the enemy tries to steal your peace. You can’t wait until the storm is raging, and the enemy is breathing down your neck to reach for your Bible and start thumbing through the pages for help. Instead, feed your spirit every day. Write specific scriptures to meditate and memorize. Post them on your bathroom mirror, your kitchen cabinets, on the hood of the stove, or in your car. Let His Word remind you, again and again, that you are not fighting alone and that you can trust Him.

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 AMPC

God’s Word isn’t just words on a page. It’s a living, breathing truth that can cut through the fog of doubt and fear. Find a verse you can use to fight with, because complacency isn’t a choice you can live with. I am not talking about “cherry-picking” scripture—finding a verse that you can twist to fit your situation while going against God’s character and the truth of the Word as a whole or ignoring other passages that also apply. Instead, consider the situation and research what God really has to say about it! When God is backing you up, trust that you can’t lose!

Using the Weapon of the Word

When we respond to situations using His Word as our weapon, we come into agreement with what He already says about it. We trust God’s faithfulness to back His Word. When my new friend called, she wasn’t looking for me to solve her problems. She needed to remember the God who never breaks His promises. She needed to be reminded of what she already knew, but in her struggle, had forgotten. And sometimes, we need that reminder, too. We need someone to come alongside us and say, “God is still with you. He’s still faithful.”

Trust that God is still with you. He’s still faithful.

2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (NIV). When you look up the word amen in the Greek, it means faithful; so be it, may it be fulfilled.[1] When we come into agreement with what God says by saying “amen” to it, we are actually saying “God, You are faithful to Your Word. Let your Word be fulfilled in me.” When we stand on His promises, we partner with God in a powerful way.

Matthew Henry’s commentary explains this passage by saying, “the promises of the gospel covenant, which they preach, stand firm and inviolable. Bad men are false; good men are fickle; but God is true, neither fickle nor false.”[2] God will not violate His Word, and His Word is truth. That He is faithful, even when we are not, takes the pressure off our shoulders. I don’t have to come up with the answers, I just have to trust His.

You can Trust Because of Jesus

The Living Bible paraphrases 2 Corinthians 1:20 by saying, “He (Jesus) carries out and fulfills all of God’s promises, no matter how many of them there are; and we have told everyone how faithful He is, giving glory to His name.” Chuck Smith’s commentary goes into depth, explaining the passage this way:

Jesus is the assurance to us that God’s promises are all true. And all of God’s promises to you are wrapped up in Christ. God has promised to give you life, that life that is in Jesus. This is the record God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. God has promised to give you peace, but that peace is in Jesus. God has promised mercies to you, but those mercies are coming to you in Jesus. All of the promises in Him are yes, or are fulfilled in Him to us, and the fact that God sent His Son is the assurance to us that God is going to keep all of His Word and all of His promises that He has made to us of that eternal kingdom and the glory that we shall share with Him, world without end. Jesus is the affirmation to you that God has meant what He said and that He will keep all of the promises that He has made of the coming kingdom and the glory of that kingdom that shall be yours when you live with Him in His kingdom forever.[3]

He sums it up simply, “All of the promises of God to us have been fulfilled in Jesus.”[4] Jamieson, Fausset & Brown’s commentary says, “‘Amen’ is His oath, which makes our assurance of the fulfilment doubly sure. Compare ‘two immutable things (namely, His Word and His oath) in which it was impossible for God to lie’ (Hebrews 6:18, Revelation 3:14).”[5] Over and over, we have the confirmation that we can trust God’s promises and come into agreement with Him for them to bear fruit in our life. You just have to know what those promises are.

Before Google . . .

When I was in high school, one of my teachers gave me a book of Scripture grouped by alphabetized categories. Google wasn’t a thing then, and that book got a lot of use. When I needed peace, I flipped over to the section on page 131 and began reading on that topic. Years later, when my brother headed overseas to defend our country, I sent that book with him. Today, you can do a quick search on any topic and get all the ammunition you need to fight physical or mental attacks.

The Word is a powerful weapon, and God made sure His children had all the weapons needed to combat the enemy. When we use it the way God intends, it helps us control the thoughts that try to imprison us by taking those thoughts captive instead! 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (AMPC) says:

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

I know how hard it can be to trust God and stand on His promises when life is pressing in. I’ve had moments when I’ve had to fight for peace, too. Recently, a family member had undergone a procedure that made the doctors scratch their heads as they stepped back to determine the next best steps. My mind raced with all the unrealized dreams of the future I’d been counting on and felt slipping away.

How to Trust When Facing Insurmountable Odds

When you are facing what feels like insurmountable odds, or there is so much to do that you don’t know where to start, don’t fall prey to the schemes of the enemy to discourage you. He will falsely tell you that things are beyond your control, you are a helpless victim, and things will never get better. Frankly, he will keep lying until he finds the lie that works—that incapacitates you, because if he can stop your victory, he can stop the domino effect that follows it!

I could feel the enemy trying to drag me into grief over something that hadn’t even happened. I got choked up as my mind spiraled down the path in which the enemy delighted. But amid that chaos, God’s Word rose in me. “Healing is the children’s bread.” It was a truth based on a story of a woman who refused to give up on her miracle, and it brought me back from the edge of despair.

Healing is the Children’s Bread

The story found in Matthew 15 tells of a woman who came to Jesus because she wanted Him to heal her daughter. She wasn’t Jewish, and Jesus responded that He “was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (vs. 24, AMPC). Verse 25 says, “But she came and, kneeling, worshiped Him and kept praying, Lord help me!” When Jesus seemed to be unchanging in His decision, her persistence in faith moved Him. Verse 28 (AMPC) says, “Then Jesus answered her, O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish. And her daughter was cured from that moment.”

It was remembering a simple phrase I’ve meditated for years. Based on a scriptural principle, it was the key which unlocked the door of the mental prison the enemy tried to keep shut. And once I tasted that bit of freedom, other passages quickly came to mind. I also remembered the many, many times God had faithfully been true to His Word or healed previously. Revelation 12:11 tells us we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony—saying what God has done for us before. If He did it once, I could trust Him to do it again!

Taking my thoughts captive didn’t change what the doctors saw. Taking my thoughts captive and focusing on the Word changed what I saw. It gave me the strength to keep trusting. I had the power to hold on to the promises Jesus purchased for me. Then I asked others to join me in prayer.

Taking my thoughts captive didn’t change what the doctors saw.
Taking my thoughts captive and focusing on the Word changed what I saw.

That’s what trust in God’s Word does—it shifts our focus from the storm to the One who calms the storm. And that is exactly what my friend needed, too. She needed a reminder that God was still working, even when she couldn’t see it for herself. Her faith and assurance in God’s Word just needed a little jump-start. She needed someone not in the middle of the situation to remind her of what God said about the problems she was facing and to encourage her she could fight the overwhelming feelings of discouragement with the Word of God.

Trust God’s Faithfulness

If you are facing something that seems insurmountable right now, remember this: God has been faithful before, and you can trust that He will be faithful again. When was the last time He came through for you or for someone you love? Think about that. Find the promises in the Word that apply to your situation. Make a list. Meditate on them. Say them aloud. Write them everywhere you’ll see them until His Word is louder than the lies in your head.

And as you hold on to His promises, listen for that still, small voice whispering to your spirit, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish.” You are not alone in this battle—God is with you, and His Word is your greatest weapon. Keep fighting, keep trusting, and watch Him come through for you again.

Ever feel like you’re just not enough? Check out the post, “Disqualified by Doubts and Fears? Discover How to Still Answer God’s Call.“

If you want to trust God to be faithful to His Word in the area of healing, please grab a copy of my book, Believing for a Miracle. God is still doing impossible things today and you can trust that His Word is true!

[1] G281 – amēn – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 24 Oct, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g281/kjv/tr/0-1/

[2] Henry, M. “Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 by Matthew Henry.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 1 Mar, 1996. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/2Cr/2Cr_001.cfm

[3] Smith, C. “Verse by Verse Study on 2 Corinthians 1-2 (C2000) by Chuck Smith.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 1 Jun, 2005. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_2Cr/2Cr_001.cfm

[4] Ibid.

[5] Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, . “Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown.” Blue Letter Bible. Last Modified 19 Feb, 2000. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/2Cr/2Cr_001.cfm

The post How to Trust God’s Promises in Difficult Times: Finding Faith When Life Feels Overwhelming appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.

“HOLLY! I NEED YOU!”

Hearing this yelled out is rarely a good thing. I was already on my way out the door, my youngest son having secured our pets in their kennel. My husband Keith had come storming in the front door moments before while I had been calmly dressing for the day. I heard him say that a rattlesnake had fallen into his office.

I have no idea what I was thinking when I threw my fluffy, gray robe back on and slipped into my flip-flops before heading outside. But before I rounded the corner of the office to find out more information, I heard his yell. I had no weapons in my hand.

We live in the country; so do snakes. About the only time I get any sun is when I’m outside cutting the grass. We keep the whole field in front of our house cut short to deter creating a hiding habitat for creepy crawlers. With all the cutting I’d done, I’d not seen one snake. Now I walked toward the very thing I work to avoid.

Creepy Things

His office door was open and I watched my husband, broom in hand, move items stacked closest to the door. He was watching closely, moving cautiously. He said he needed me to look for it as he reached down and began to move a couple of small boxes out of his way.

Leaning against the building behind the open door was my steel-tooth rake. Glancing around where I would need to place my feet before stepping, I grabbed the rake and pulled it toward me. I began pulling the few items on the floor of the office outside the doorway to where I was standing, watching carefully for any movement.

My husband shifted one of his saxophone cases and I yelled, “I SEE IT!” He froze. I had seen a sliver of silver flash as the body of the snake slithered further under the case toward my husband.

Using the Tools at Hand

Strengthening my grip on the rake handle, I carefully hooked the rake tines under the handle of the saxophone case and pulled it out of the door toward me, exposing the snake. Quick as a flash, my husband simultaneously pinned the snake’s body with a yardstick and stepped on the small, triangular head of the snake.

I didn’t scream. I fixed my eyes on the long, thin tail of the young snake as it shook, rattling, and then curled over the black shoe my husband had planted firmly on its head. Keith didn’t move.

When the snake stopped moving and keeping the body pinned with the yardstick, my husband moved his foot from the head. I hooked its lifeless body with the tines of the rake, carted it into a dense part of the woods, and flung it off the rake. I returned the rake where it didn’t belong, and came inside to dress for the day.

Strength

Coffee hadn’t given me strength this morning. I’d not fixed a cup yet. The only accomplishment for my time that morning was the time I’d spent in the Word of God and prayer. God was the source of courage I’d used.

Scripture works even when you don’t think to quote it. Jeremiah 1:12 (AMP) says, “Then the Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.’” It is God who fulfills the Word. My job is to have faith that He will do what He says.

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That realization takes the pressure off, doesn’t it? I must be obedient to do what He tells me and be faithful to walk in relationship with Him. This is simply knowing Him more by spending time praying and in His Word. While I am responsible for my part, He actively performs His Word! He never fails to keep a promise—even the ones we hope we never need.

Authority

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:19a (TPT), “I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith.” He goes on to say that this was the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. He writes that Jesus is over every authority forever. Ephesians 1:21 reads, “not only in this age, but in the age that is coming” (TPT). God’s power is available for us to use by faith. He gave us the authority to use it for a purpose. The enemy may wield his power in this world to bring trouble, but we have the authority to use God’s power! There is just no comparison!

I never want to tread on scorpions or serpents. I never want to see my husband do it again, either. But it isn’t just physical scorpions and serpents we have the power to tread on. Luke 10:19 says we have, “the ability to exercise authority over all the power of the enemy (Satan)” (AMP). The enemy of our souls wants us to believe that we are powerless against his schemes, attacks, and distractions. But take courage! God provides every tool that we need to conquer those troublesome things we face. We can exercise our God-given authority over anything the enemy tries to use, even the creepy things!

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves who we are so that we can remember the authority we have been given. Click here to download this free printable to remember you are His!

To read more from Holly, get a copy of her book, Believing for a Miracle, on Amazon.

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So do not stop believing God now. Your faith will bring you much reward. You must not give up believing. Then you will do what God wants you to do. Then you will get what He promised you.

Knowing what the future holds is intriguing. There are games and apps to “predict” the future or give direction, and there are countless fortune tellers who will give you their opinions for the right price. The latest craze hitting the Internet changes a photo so you can see what you might look like as an older person. While photo aging is harmless, I couldn’t help but consider that it demonstrates the inward pull to know the future.

Who knows the future? God does. God has a plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11). While you may not know every detail of what tomorrow will bring, we know that if we are walking in God’s plans and call for our life, He will cause all things to work for our benefit (Romans 8:28). You may know who knows the future, but what should you do? What is His plan for your life?

Much of our future rests on the pages of His Word. You live your perfect future by opening His Word today and reading (doing) what He commands. Isaiah 1:19 (AMP) says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the best of the land.” The Bible is full of commands and promises. Open it. Get a word from the Lord about your future. Start working His plan. And instead of being dismayed by what you might look like in twenty years, get His picture and the encouragement you need to keep pressing until you finish your race.

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Check out the Believe EncouraJournal on Amazon if you are looking for an amazing tool to encourage your faith!

To read more about how God provides perfect promises for you, read Untapped Promises!

The post Who Knows the Future? appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity – in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground – in the land He swore to your ancestors to give you. The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

I have a confession to make. I’m in a particularly busy season. I finish projects and take on new ones that excite me. I look forward to digging in and start cranking out whatever the project calls from me. Sometimes, I get so focused on what I plan to accomplish that I often skip meals and breaks unless someone reminds me of the time or tells me to stop. Even then, it is hard for me to put away the process.

Yesterday was one of those days. Focused on accomplishing much, I didn’t stop until I realized I had completely exhausted my capacity to type one more thing. I took a break to watch a few minutes of television with my husband, then went to bed. As I lay there, I thought about the next steps in my project and what I needed to do to complete it.

Swamped Season

This morning, the Lord woke me with a thought. I get so busy, and so focused that there are other things I neglect doing. Before I start working, I take the time to get in the Word. I even usually fix coffee first. If I didn’t, those two things might be neglected or forgotten entirely. But the Lord was bringing to my mind something specific. He reminded me that I’ve been so busy that I’ve not yet changed the account numbers on one of my businesses.

We changed bank accounts not too long ago – okay, maybe it’s been a few months. Keith set up all that he needed to do on his end, but we wanted to have funds from one of my businesses to go into a different account. I’ve not yet completed that task. It isn’t hard to do. It really doesn’t take that long. And I have money sitting there doing me absolutely no good because I’ve not done what I needed to do. You see, it isn’t in savings – making a percentage while not being used. It really is just sitting. Serving no purpose whatsoever. Dormant. Unused. Untapped.

From Sterile to Successful

As the Lord spoke to me about this simple fact, He stirred another thought in my spirit. What else lies untapped in my life? You see, He filled His Word with promises. But, we need to reach out and take hold of them – they are ours for the taking, to believe and work until we see them realized. God wants us to shift our season from sterile to successful.

Do you believe in God’s ability to fulfill the promises He made in His Word, or are you just too busy in this season of your life to tap into those dormant promises? The Word works, but it is powerless until you wield it. You must work the Word for the Word to work on your behalf.

Define Your Desire

Need healing? Find Scripture that promises healing and confess them over yourself. Take His Word like a medicine along with the wisdom He gave you and your physicians to administer healing to your body. Keep repeating all doses, until you have the healing for which you believed. There’s never a worry of overdosing on God’s Word.

Do you need a financial breakthrough? God’s Word contains promises for that. Are there relationships in your life that need mending? God’s Word has answers for that, too! Do you need wisdom? Yep, you guessed it. Look in the Word! I’ve yet to experience a problem that isn’t addressed in God’s Word. First, I need to define my desire and believe that God’s Word works. Then, I need to do something with it in order to see God’s promises and purposes come to pass in me.

What is it that you need? God loves you. He doesn’t want you to just live, to endure, to barely scrape by. He wants you to thrive. Declare defeat over the dry seasons and dormancy of your dreams. God’s Word breaks the drought and delivers the downpour. Provision has been made; this is the season to tap into the promises.

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To read more on the steadfastness of God’s promises, click here!

Photo Credit to https://fshoq.com

The post Untapped Promise appeared first on Holly D. Murray.

Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

This morning, I completed a few daily tasks while the coffee brewed. Determination marked my countenance. Unlike yesterday’s event of brewing without drinking a single cup of the hot, piquant liquid, today I planned for success. I noted the sky outdoors looked a little on the gloomy side. Inquiringly, I popped open my weather app to see what the day would hold. The forecast called for storms for the next couple of afternoons.

            Sitting down at my desk, I pulled out my Bible and it fell open to the book of Luke. Let me say, I’m not usually a “read where it falls” kind of girl. Typically, I plan with a specific book in mind or my daily Proverb first. Today, however, felt different. The headline that grabbed my attention was “The Lesson of the Fig Tree.”

The Lesson

            Initially, my thought was that this passage would be the story where Jesus cursed the fig tree. I recently heard a sermon about that, and the familiarity left me feeling rather pious. This should have been my first clue that I needed a lesson. Pride and thinking you know what God wants to tell you before He speaks isn’t the best approach to morning devotions.

            Instead of the “cursing of the fig tree” story, this passage began with calling attention to the change in seasons. Also, it happened to describe the exact seasonal shift we currently face in south-eastern Georgia. Summer approaches quickly (And all the teachers and students shout, “Amen!”).

            As usual, I read the passage and highlighted the verses referring to the cyclical change and the fulfillment of prophetic words. I felt a nudging in my spirit about the many words prophetically given over me. Some from people and, more importantly, some contained in the very Book I read. But it was the last verse in the passage that I felt leap within me. “Earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose” (Luke 21:33, TPT).

Earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose.

Luke 21:33

Promises

            I meditated what my eyes read and listened for the Lord to make all the connections to my heart. He always does when I’m patient enough to wait. Today was no exception. He reminded me that I have natural expectations, but the spiritual realm is just as real as what I see with my eyes. When I walked the dog, it never occurred to me to wonder if the sky hung where it should. And with equal confidence, I must recognize that God’s Word, His promises to me, will be accomplished in my life.

[tweetshare tweet=”Recognize with confidence that God’s Word, His promises, will be accomplished in your life.” username=”HollyDMurray”]

            Scripture tells us in Psalms 93:1b that “the world is established, it shall never be moved.” Psalm 104:5 reads, “He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.” 1 Chronicles 16:30 reads, “Tremble before Him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.” Ecclesiastes 1:4-5 tells us, “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.” Genesis 8:22 (TLB) reads, “As long as the earth remains, there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.” The world isn’t going anywhere, and the sun never fails to rise and set. The lesson – even more steadfast than the cycles in this world are the promises that God has spoken.

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Please note: All Scripture written as ESV unless otherwise notated.

Do you like peace and quiet? Get your official copy of the album Peace in the Storm from my store or listen for free to select songs on YouTube (SK Murray). Great listening for reading the Word and meditating your promises!

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