Embrace the Set-Ups

I was a widow for thirteen years. During that “season”, a dear friend set me up with one of her clients. She thought he would be a “perfect match” for me. He was a widower of three months, a devout Christian who enjoyed traveling and missions work, and was ready for love again.

Not particularly interested, I went ahead and agreed to meet Prince Charming. We were both avid conversationalists in this “getting-to-know you” time at Panera Bread. Then, midway into getting acquainted, he downloaded his loneliness and how much he NEEDED a wife.

In an instant I felt like I was being interviewed to be HER. YIKES! Right away clanging bells went off in my head. I was not “needy” and didn’t want to be needed by a needy man! That was our last “date” and within a couple of months, he had found his match and was married. I’m glad he found what he “needed”.

That set-up didn’t work out, but I do know GOD-setups! Case-in-point is meeting a man where we both served at the election poles. We found out we were both Christians not desiring marriage because we were contented and satisfied with our singleness. But the GOD-setup changed that mindset and here we are today, happily married.

I’m sure you have had GOD-setups too! At first, you encountered a “No” that you were certain was to be a “Yes”! When that happens, we often find ourselves labeling the person or thing that gave us the “No” as a “dream-stealer” who derailed us from the very thing we were meant to do. It’s easy to listen to negative, lying voices.

We thank God for the things that DID work out and the prayers that were answered. But perhaps it is time to start offering thanks to all of the “No’s”… the things that DIDN’T work out. The SET-UPS by God that keeps us on track – even if there are “No’s!

Remember Garth Brooks song, “I Thank God for Unanswered Prayers”? What if we sat down and wrote actual thank-you notes to God for each “No” we had at one time, and are now ever grateful for the “NO”!

I promise God shows hundreds of “Yes’s” that occurred as a result of the “No’s” we once wept over. Many times it’s because we are simply not ready for a “Yes”. And in other cases, He allows us to see the people or the situation that is not ready for US!

Back to “The Set-up”. Maybe it’s time to go back to the “No” and connect it to all the “Yes’s” it produced. We forgive those who stole our dream. They were simply just a part of our story.

We will begin to see the word “No” in a whole new light. We may even need to buy a new box of thank-you notes to send to God for the many times HE set us up for victory!

It may look like a set-back, but it’s simply God setting us up for new levels, for promotion, for healing, for breakthroughs, for the marriage, for the baby, for the fullness of our destiny!

“We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)