In the Pursuit

Scripture

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. -I Corinthians 14:1 

In the summer of 2001, I took my first required History course in college. At the time, I was completing an internship with my astronomy professor in the science building. We were analyzing data from a telescope in Arizona. My major was in Physics because I wanted to work for NASA as an astronomer. My professor told me that the only way to know if the profession was for me was to do an internship. I quickly found out that it was not for me. It was the most boring, mind-numbing work. However, after attending two classes of my History course, I was sold. I immediately changed my major to History. There were engaging discussions, I was learning new things, and my professor expressed a passion and zeal for History. It was contagious, and I was hungry for more knowledge! This caused me to pursue a degree to become an expert in the field for myself. 

Beloved, this is the same concept in the Kingdom of God. When we are exposed to revelation and knowledge about the principles in the Kingdom, such as the gifts or the fruit of the Spirit, we are not automatically enabled to do it. Being exposed to the principles of the Kingdom is designed to develop a hunger in us for the principles to pursue them. This is why the scripture above says to pursue. Let's look at it from a broader perspective. God speaks His promises for our lives to us, whether someone gives us a word of knowledge, prophecy, preaching, or through the Word of God. The things that He has for us don't always come upon us and overtake us. We are to position ourselves to receive these things in surrendering to His wisdom and might to pursue them. What's amazing about God is how He does things in His timing and seasons. For example, He spoke to me years ago that I'd be an entrepreneur, but it wasn't for the time that He spoke it to me. Because I am in constant fellowship with Him, I was able to discern the season to pursue this aspect of life. The conversation about entrepreneurship began to surround me. I would come across videos and literature on leadership and entrepreneurship. I would have missed it if I weren't plugged into God's hand on my life. Understand this, Beloved, being exposed to the knowledge does not make me an entrepreneur. What it does is open up an understanding of what is possible for me. Now my job is to pursue it with the counsel and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.  

Beloved, what has God been revealing to your heart that you're waiting on Him to put in your lap? The things that we need will come to us, but those things we want, has to be pursued. Is this the reason some promises are unfulfilled? Because we're waiting on them to come to us when we should be pursing what we already have access to? Examine your promises today, Beloved. What has God exposed you to? Are you waiting on Him, while He's waiting on you? 

Prayer

Father, thank you for exposing us to your promises. Give us the hunger to purse them for our lives. We pray for the wisdom to discern the timing and season for your promises. Amen.