Become a “yes” man

Many of us spend our lives striving to make our dreams come true, to get our happy ending. From an early age, we’re told “if you want it, work for it.” We’re prepped to work hard, persevere, and succeed.

But what happens when your dream gets taken away? Do you give it up and move on to the next dream? Do you keep fighting for it? Or do you completely surrender and give it up to God?

When I got married, I began to see my happy ending come into effect. My life was far from perfect, but I was happy. My husband and I were about to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary, we were standing strong after the unexpected deaths of my parents, had two adorable kids, had moved into a new house, and it seemed like we were living the dream.

Yet, in a moments time, my dream came crashing down on me. I found out my husband had been struggling with a porn addiction and was quickly heading down a dark path. And my world came to a screeching halt. How could this happen? My marriage was over.

I was completely justified in my initial thoughts. That part of my marriage was over, but did that mean my whole marriage was dead?

In 2 kings, the Shunammite woman lost her son, her one dream come true. In the midst of tragedy, she didn’t despair; she sought out Elisha (2 Kings 4). She knew the only way to resurrect her son and save her dream was to seek him. “But the child’s mother said, ‘as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So he got up and followed her. ” 2 Kings 4:30

I knew I had to follow in the Shunammite’s footsteps. So, I stopped making plans to leave my husband. I stopped listening to my flesh. I stopped playing the victim. I stopped and became still. I didn’t focus on me or my marriage. I just wanted rest. I craved the Lord’s comfort, peace, wisdom, and love.

The more I pressed in, the more peace I felt. God was with me and His grace was sufficient. He used that moment to teach me unconditional love and what that looked like walking it out on a daily basis. He taught me about true forgiveness. He released me of all my fears and insecurities. Then, when I finally was able to let go, I learned it wasn’t my job to fix or resurrect my marriage. It was my job to say “Yes” to the resurrection.

“What we see as death, God sees as a planting.” -Pastor Ben Brinkman

My marriage could’ve been over. It certainly was dead, but God’s grace covered us. He washed away all our sin and let us start new. Because I said yes, God resurrected our marriage into a union I truly only dreamed of. We are stronger, happier, and more Christ centered than we were five years ago.

When your dreams fall apart, don’t allow despair, anger, frustration, or fatigue weigh you down. It is not your job to make all your dreams come true. And more importantly, it is not your job to resurrect them. Press in, go after God, and experience His presence. Then you will see the resurrection of all your dreams and promises. Start shifting your focus and say yes to all God had planned for you!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” Ephesians 3:20

– Sue Backlund