Prophetic Gift

SCRIPTURE: “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’” Jeremiah 33:2-3 AMP

THOUGHT: All my life it seems I’ve had thoughts like, “if I could only know what happens [tomorrow, next year, when I’m 25, if I get the job, if I marry this person, etc.], I could make a good decision.” But reading Jeremiah 33, I realize afresh that having a prophetic gift – being told great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish – isn’t really about revealing God’s plans so you can make better decisions. Even when God speaks, you may not understand what you are being told!

First of all, you likely have a prophetic gift because you have already made good decisions, and will continue to do that no matter what happens in the present or the future. Jeremiah wept bitterly over being the mouthpiece of God. It was like a weight too heavy to bear, but he carried it faithfully to the end by listening and loving the God who created it all and owns it all, the God who invited, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you.’

Secondly, the prophetic voice doesn’t unveil the future so you can figure out how to maximize opportunities to your advantage, like a stock tip or something. In fact, sadly, knowing the future doesn’t often seem to change human trajectory – the prophets were often shunned or worse.

Finally, the prophetic voice in Scripture isn’t really about one person and their desire or need to know. It’s about a people who need to know. God is faithful to speak of coming judgement and coming mercy to his people. A people he created and loves. A people whose hearts he wants to win. He is a God who is patient and gives warning after warning before judgement falls. Peter, among the inner circle of disciples, offers this to the early church (and us): The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9 AMP).

PRAYER: Oh God, let me not stubbornly refuse to do what I already know to do while I long to know how tomorrow will turn out. Let me not seek a new word from you when what I really need to do is obey what you’ve already revealed. Most of all, help me trust the future to you, and walk in peace rather than anxiety.