Look Ahead

“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called.” Ephesians 1:18 NLT

Have you ever been in a situation where you see God’s abundant blessing on your home, your work, and your life, and yet you feel there’s something more? It’s a sense of longing, and sometimes you don’t even know what you’re longing for, but you’re not content to settle.

I call it a divine discontent, a sense in your spirit that God is calling you higher and further. There is an inner feeling that a better future awaits just on the other side of this valley, something wonderful beyond your current here and now. If you squint, you can imagine the breathtaking mountains ahead.

The apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus that the eyes of their hearts would be opened; that they would be enlightened to the hope and future they have in God—the “riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18 NIV).

When I feel unsettled, I first conduct a heart-check to ensure my restlessness isn’t a product of an ungrateful heart. I thank God for his goodness and all the many ways he loves and cares for me.

Then I ask him to open my eyes and show me what lies beyond my current sphere, what I can’t see with my natural eyes. What am I missing? What is he calling me to? How can I step towards it?

If you’re feeling unsettled, go to God with a thankful heart and ask him for eyes to see what’s ahead. Ask for his light to shine into your heart and reveal what it will take to enter that promising future. Maybe now is simply the time to pray and believe what he is showing you. Or, perhaps it’s time to prepare with additional schooling or a maneuvering of your finances or other details in your life to accommodate what’s ahead.

Be thankful for the here and now but press into what lies ahead. The timing may not be quite yet, but your future is bright when you are on his path.

Pray:“God, flood my heart with your light!Thank you for your goodness. Help me see into the good future you have for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Seek: What does your heart sense for your future? Is there preparation involved? Pray and seek God for what you should do now to be prepared for what’s to come.

Speak: I open my heart to receive God’s light. I have a wonderful future in God.