Episode Transcript
[00:00:09] Well, hey, friends, welcome back to the weekday podcast. Here's something I've noticed. It's easy to believe God for what he's done, but it's harder to believe him for what's next. We love a good story that ends neatly. The prayer that's answered, the miracle that's received, the breakthrough moment. But life with God doesn't really come with the end at the bottom of the page. It's more like a series of chapters. And just when one closes, God starts writing another. And that's the heartbeat of today's episode on the podcast. Because faithfulness doesn't stop when something's finished. It keeps anticipating what God will do next. Now, Nehemiah's story. The people had rebuilt the law. They restored worship. They re established their rhythms. They'd done the impossible. But when Nehemiah came back, he realized something tragic. Their faith had stopped expecting. The wall was up, but their wonder was down. Their sense of anticipation had literally flatlined. And honestly, we can fall into that same trap. We pray for God to move, and he answers. And then we quickly settle back to normal life. We stop looking forward with faith, and we start living backwards on memories. And that's why I love how the apostle Paul reframes our perspective. In Ephesians 3:20, he says now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all, all we ask or imagine according to his power, that is work within us. Now, in the original language of Greek, the phrase immeasurably more literally means beyond what you could ever measure or even imagine. Paul stacks up words until they practically overflow. He's saying you think you've seen God's best. You haven't even come close. God's future is never limited by our finish lines. The same God who started your story is still writing new chapters. And they're better they than you think. It reminds me of those early mornings when you're driving before sunrise. The world's still dark. You're half awake. You're holding a cup of coffee. The windshield's a little foggy, headlights barely cutting through the quiet. And then off in the distance, you catch that first faint streak of light that's not full of daylight yet, but it's proof that morning is coming. You sit a little taller. You turn the radio up. Because even though the night hasn't fully ended, hope is already breaking in. And that's what faith looks like. It's learning to rejoice before the light fully breaks through. It's celebrating the glow before the dawn. We don't wait to praise until everything's perfect. We praise because God's already on the move. So how do you reignite that kind of anticipation? Well, here's three simple ways. One is praise in advance. What I mean is, don't wait for the miracle to thank God. Praise him now for what he's done and what he's about to do. Gratitude today builds faith tomorrow. Number two, pray with expectancy. Stop praying safe, small prayers. Ask boldly. Dream big. Pray like you actually believe God is listening. Because he is. Your imagination does not intimidate him, it delights Him. Number three, participate with joy. Don't just wait for God to move. Join him. Serve where you are. Celebrate the small wins. And when you approach life as a privilege instead of a chore, you'll find your energy for faith returning. Anticipation is the spark that keeps faith alive. Because joy isn't just a reaction. It's a response to who God is. Right now. We celebrate now because the sun is already rising. Proof that morning always comes. So today, choose anticipation over anxiety. Don't let what's behind you limit what God can do ahead of you. Because the same light that broke through Nehemiah's walls is still breaking through ours. God's not done yet. And the best chapters, they're still being written. Have a great day. We'll see you back here tomorrow for the final day of our Week T podcast. This week, have a great one.
