I was having a conversation this morning with a friend and was reminded of all the many times over my life when there was a word spoken to me or over me and I would think in the moment, “ok, we will see how that plays out.” My heart would desperately want to receive it fully but something in me would doubt or second guess its validity. In the picture above, is a beautiful pastor’s wife who I met for the first time this night of the photo. She pulled me aside that evening and said she had a word from the Lord for me. In that moment, I thought…”oh, that’s sweet” but little did I know, how I would cling to her words from God for years after that (and still do every day).
But over my life there have been many times when someone would say something to me (sometimes encouraging and sometimes quite discouraging) and I would mull them over a little but not think too much about them. However, as life has carried on, I see SO clearly how God has circled back and a lot of those words have come to pass. I didn’t work towards them (intentionally) but, I’ve seen several of those things manifest in the natural. Some have been really great and some have been really painful, but necessary.
Just a few weeks ago, I was doing some reflection work and praying/journaling through a challenge and I turned and saw a framed written word I’ve kept on my desk for years. It was a prophetic word given to me when I attended a conference maybe around 2019, as a sponsor with the organization I work for. The pastor’s wife there at the time, Andi Andrew, had her team pick the names of sponsors, pray over them and write each one an individual prophetic word. I remember when my friend and I got back to our hotel we could not wait to open them and read them. We were so honored that these ladies, who did not know us, would take the time to do this for us. It was such a blessing and so encouraging!!! But if I’m honest, I took the paper and folded in back up, put it back in the envelope and went on about my duties at the conference.
Months after returning from the conference I found the envelope and reread what had been written over me. I thought then, “God, I really do want to see these things to happen in my life.” So, I took a small step and framed the letter and have kept it in my office since then. I have not really reread it much and only really talked about it when someone would ask. But a few weeks ago when I was doing my soul searching and processing I looked up and it stood out like a flashing neon sign. I walked over to the bookshelf, knocked the dust off of it, and sat down to read it. Within seconds, I was overcome with so much emotion and gratitude. The woman, April, who wrote my prophetic word listed three specific areas where God was going to do a work in my life. As I read each one, I was like, “God, you have done or are doing exactly this!” I don’t know why I was so surprised…He had done and is doing in my life what He had spoken to April nearly seven years ago. His faithfulness, even in my unintentionality to attain these things, was undeniable. God has and is moving me into things I have only dreamed of and I just sat in awe that day. I did not deserve it and did nothing special to obtain anything…I just KEPT GOING.
When things felt hopeless, I held on to the hope He gives. When my heart was broken, I allowed Him to gather the pieces and help me heal. When I was afraid, I stood on the promises of His word and the words that had been spoken over me. When I had no answers, I trusted His way and His timing. In my eyes, I had done nothing to see these things actually take shape. But at the same time I recognized the growth that had taken place over the last seven years, the deepening of my faith that had occurred through compounded loss and trauma, and the letting go and picking up of things that had happened in order for me to be able to see all three of things developing in my life.
You may not have a framed written prophetic word in your office, but I can guarantee someone somewhere has spoken something over you that has pushed you in one direction or another. I am no one special, I needed the written word and a stranger from another continent to speak because God knows how stubborn I am and would not have believed it was truly Him otherwise. But I want to encourage you to take a moment, remember things others have said (and yes, some will be positive and some not so much) but how has God used their words to shape your life? How has he redeemed hurtful words and how has He used encouragement to push you where you needed to go? Thank Him for both and give Him glory for not leaving you along the way! Words are powerful but when paired with the spirit of God, they are transformative!
You may be in the middle of your storm right now and desperate for a word from God and if so, let me encourage you that He is with you. He is strengthening you, even if you feel depleted. He is covering you, even if you feel exposed and vulnerable. He is guiding you, even if you feel lost. He is there in your loneliest moments, He is there. If you are experiencing all that you’ve dreamt of, He is celebrating alongside you! No matter where you are or what you are walking through, if you look for Him, you WILL find Him. He is not far off, He is not distant and He is working all things out for your good! His word, either received directly to your heart from His, or received through someone else, is HIS word and He does NOT lie. Keep going, keep pressing in, and keep trusting for one day you’ll look around and see all the things you have prayed for are just within your reach.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1 (NIV)
Erin L.A. Jones 