WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST HOPE OR DEEPEST LONGING?

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST HOPE OR DEEPEST LONGING?

 

Many women have trouble focusing on their greatest hopes and

deepest longings. Some feel they don’t deserve the incredible

gift; others are too tired to care about such unrealistic loftiness;

still others refuse to verbalize their wish for fear of it coming

true and changing their life. Pause for a moment to remember

who put hopes and longings in your soul. God did! Acknowledge

him and thank him for his love. What do you hope for or

long for that, perhaps, you’ve never told another living soul

before? What would, absolutely, be too great a gift to you?

 

What would cause you to shake your head in disbelief and live

in gratitude? Pray persistently until your miracle arrives, and in

the meantime, do your part with utmost faithfulness. Make this

exercise today a prayer to God about your hopes and longings.

 

If you honestly can’t think of anything that you long for right

now, just smile and pray in full anticipation that you will soon

discover or rediscover it! God wired you to have hopes and

longings.

 

WHAT WOULD ROCK YOUR WORLD?

 

For a moment, try to ignore all possible excuses for not

being able to dream. Do you wish you could live in a house

with a white picket fence, see the world, gain or lose weight,

explore the arts, or run a marathon? Do you hope to take piano

lessons, learn sign language, or regain your health? Do you pray

diligently about having a child, finding a book agent, or becoming

a career missionary? Do you want to get married, take a

sabbatical, or get out of debt? Do you long to hear your unique

assignment in God’s “glory story,” use more of your giftedness

in your career, or see your daughter marry a loving, Christian

man who would be the spiritual leader of their household?

Remember, dreams do come true! Let Nancy Stafford, who

played Andy Griffith’s law partner for five years on the television

show, Matlock, share one of her greatest hopes with you.

 

NANCY STAFFORD HAS SEEN DREAMS COME TRUE

 

Nancy has been a costar on numerous television series and

movies. Host of TV’s Main Floor for the past nine years, she

also has authored two books: The Wonder of His Love: A

Journey into the Heart of God and Beauty by the Book: Seeing

Yourself as God Sees You. As a speaker and author, she sets out

to lead others toward freedom and wholeness. She loves helping

them realize their true identity and worth, and thus grasp

the depth of God’s great love for them.

 

Nancy has a passion for quieting her soul and pursuing

intimacy with God. She and her husband, Larry Myers, a pastor

and worship leader, operate their ranch retreat center in

Southern California where people can go to restore and refresh

their souls and to work on creative projects.

 

Nancy says that one of her greatest hopes is that she will

continue to be used by God to help others get their dreams out

of their hearts and into reality. She says that this often happens

with prayer, reflection, and Holy Spirit–led conversations in the

peaceful ranch setting. Nancy longs to develop a more intentional

mentoring process to help people devote their lives to

Christ and his plans.

 

She says, “God has given each of us a dream—a treasure—

as an aspect of his own heart. To discover the gift that he’s

placed in your heart, ask yourself, ‘What burdens me?’ and

‘What am I hungering for?’ And don’t forget to help others

along the way—because as we help others fulfill their godly

dreams and vision, we begin to see more clearly the dream God

has placed in our own heart.”

 

What Is Your Greatest Hope or Deepest Longing? King David Had a Longing

 

King David, the Levites, and the people of Israel dreamed

of bringing the ark of the Lord’s covenant to Jerusalem. It had

been in Baalah for twenty years. Read 1 Chronicles 15:1–16:3.

Do you feel like you have been waiting forever (five, ten, twenty

years) for your longing to come to fruition? If yes, how are you

holding up?

 

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

 

All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. (Psalm 38:9)

 

SUGGESTED PRAYER

 

O dear Lord, all my longings lie open before you; my sighing is

not hidden from you. Today I, _________, pray that you will

grant me or inspire in me a great hope, a deep longing. Help

me not feel selfish or guilty for wanting to have and become all

you desire. At the same time, I surrender to you even my present

and future longings and your providential intervention in

making them come true. I put each day in your capable hands.

 

So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?