There are some blessings in life that we do not have to pursue in order to possess them. Nevertheless, in life, there are many things that we must pursue if we are to possess them. Men for centuries went out in bands to hunt for prey to fulfill some of their dietary needs. The animals, however, did not approach these people and say, “here I am. You can now take me down for supper.” The hunters had to hunt for prey; which means that they had to strategize and physically pursue and capture their prey on a chase that could, at times, take several days and be dangerous, as well.
When it comes to many of the blessing that God has promised us, we too must go on a hunt. In other words, we must pursue them to possess them. The bible tells us that God on one occasion promised Moses and the Israelites that he would give them a land that was flowing with milk and honey, (Exodus 3). God initiated this by doing great things through Moses to lead them out of Egypt. Yet, what they learned during this adventure was that the tactics that God used to deliver them ‘out’ of Egypt, would not be used to lead them ‘into’ The Promised Land. They instead would have to take up arms and fight along side of an invisible God, to possess what he had promised them. Eventually, with Joshua as their leader, they pursued what God had promised them, and later, possessed it, with God’s help. It will also work out that way for you, when you with God’s help, pursue what he has promised you.
There are ‘certain things’, however, that we should not pursue without a promise; because to do so is to work against our own interest. It’s like pursing a spouse that God has established or promised to someone else. Such a pursuit will lead to something counterproductive. In fact, in most cases things ultimately, will not work out. Samson was a good example of this. In the bible he pursued women that God did not promise or establish for him, and as a result, things were absolutely terrible for him (Judges 15, 16).
That said, are there things that you are pursing that God has not promised you? Are there on the other hand, some things that God has promised you, that you are not pursing? To experience true success we must avoid pursing what was not promised to us, but instead, strictly focus on and pursue those things which were indeed, promised to us by God.
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Heavenly Father we give you thanks for your love and great kindness towards us. You have freely given us more blessings than we can count. There are some things that you have promised us that we must pursue if we are to possess them. In other words, we must go after them because they are not going to fall into our laps. Give us the wisdom to understand what these things are, as well as, the knowledge to pursue them in the right way. Give us also the passion and insight to avoid pursing those things that you have not promised us. In other words, those things that will not benefit us, in order that we may experience and enjoy the abundant life that you have made available to us, in Jesus name. Amen.
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