Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. Proverbs 13:19

It is not the severity of God or God being hard on us that should cause us to do the right thing.  I grew up seeing our heavenly Father as a disciplinarian.  He was watching me and knew when I did wrong things and therefore I would “get into trouble”.  I thought He was just waiting to discipline me.  What a wrong view of my heavenly Father!  What I didn’t understand was simply the laws of sowing and reaping.  What I sow (do, give out), I will reap (receive back to me). 

“…the goodness of the Lord leads us to repentance.” Romans 2:4  God is pouring out His love and goodness towards us.  Sometimes we feel it, sometimes we don’t.  So, the question might be, how can I experience His goodness more often in my life?

The answer is found in partnering with God in His goodness or in His promises.  The bible is filled with hundreds of promises from God.  In other words, one of His promises is His way of telling us of the goodness He want us to experience.  Just because He wants something good for us, doesn’t necessarily mean that we are going to have it.  Because He gave us a free will, He will not force His goodness on us.  We must want it and do our part to receive it. 

When we desire His promise and do our part to receive it, we partner with God to bring it down from heaven and into my life.  I call this activation.  I am acting on God’s promise and daring to believe it.  And showing my belief by acting on it, doing my part of the promise. 

For instance, the promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

What is my part?  Humble myself and pray, seek His face and turn from my wicked ways.

What is God’s part?  Then God will hear me from heaven, forgive my sins and heal my land.

God needs us to do our part so He can do His.  Our heavenly Father desperately wants to pour out His passion, His goodness towards us; but He needs our partnership, our agreement, our activation in doing or setting in motion His goodness, His promises to be manifested in my life. 

Partnering (co-laboring) with God or activating His promises is like turning the key in the ignition of a car.  It sets things in motion.  You can have the greatest car in the world and apart from activating it, it’s just something to look at.  I don’t want to look at good things anymore.  I want to actually experience them! 

When Jesus died on the cross, He purchased or paid for all the precious promises of my heavenly Father for me.  I see them like Christmas presents, hundreds of them sitting on the table, all wrapped up, just waiting for me to open each and every one of them.

How is your heart doing today?  Are you joyful, experiencing the God kind of life He desires for you?  Could you use more of His goodness in your life today?    “Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

What are the areas in your life that you want and need more of God’s blessing?  How are your relationships with Him and others, your home life, your finances, your vision and calling, your purpose in life? 

I’m suggesting we look up the promises of God in each of these areas.  See your part in a given promise.  See God’s part.  Now, partner with God and do your part, setting in motion for God to do His. 

Let’s take one area, finances.  I don’t believe God punishes or disciplines us when we don’t tithe or give.  I do believe we don’t enter into the blessings that God passionately wants to pour out when we don’t do our part of His promise to us.  Do we want see the windows of heaven open and have God pour out blessings that we can’t contain?  Do you want Him to rebuke the devourer on your behalf?  Then, partner in the promises on tithing.  Do you want God to give so much that you are running over with excess?  Then, partner in the promises on giving.

Don’t tithe or give out of fear or blind obedience.  Tithe or give because you want to partner with God and activate His goodness in your life.  Now, you are releasing your faith!  Now, you are doing it cheerfully, joyfully!  And God loves that!

Finally, what is your life like?  What are you experiencing in life?  Could it be changed by finding the promises of God and begin partnering with Him in them?  If you will, you will activate or set in motion God’s passion towards you that He has always been wanting and waiting for you to experience.

Let’s no longer be “blown around” by the winds of life.  Let us, in faith (believing God), set the course of our life by daring to agree with our heavenly Father and begin to walk in the abundant life He so desires for us!

This then, will be truly, sweet to my soul!