Joel Osteen Daily Devotional Saturday 1st July 2023 – If Only You Knew

We all go through disappointments and things we don’t understand. It’s easy to get discouraged and lose our passion. But God won’t allow anything to happen that will keep you from your purpose. He’s already taken into account every bad break, every person who walked away, every mistake you’ve made. What we can’t see is how He’s working behind the scenes.

Sometimes He has to close a door so He can open a bigger door, or He’ll move someone out of your life because they’re limiting your growth. What feels like a disappointment is really the hand of God ordering your steps and setting you up to go to a new level. If you only knew how God works all things for your good, you wouldn’t live upset. You’d get your passion back.

Perhaps you’ve made mistakes and you’re not where you thought you’d be in life today. You’ve accepted that you can’t reach your dreams because of what you’ve done. But God knew every mistake you would make, every failure. He’s already lined up restoration, another chance. When God told the prophet Jonah to go preach to the city of Nineveh, Jonah disobeyed and went the opposite direction. God didn’t say, “I’m done with you, Jonah.” When Jonah was thrown overboard in the middle of the sea, God didn’t say, “See, you deserve this. Too bad, but you’re on your own.” No, God had a big fish already in place, waiting to rescue Jonah. It swallowed him and carried him to the shore.

You may think you’ve missed your destiny. If you only knew what great lengths God is going to go to get you back on course. If you only knew that He’s waiting to rescue you, to protect you, to bring you back into your purpose. You can’t outrun the mercy of God. You can’t get too far away, too far down. The psalmist says, “God, if I go to the depths of the ocean, You are there. If I go to the heights of the heaven, You’re still there.” When the fish spit Jonah out on dry land, God told him to go to the city of Nineveh. He gave Jonah another chance. Jonah got back on course and fulfilled his purpose.

You may have gone your own way, done things that were not the best, and think God won’t have anything to do with you. God is saying, “If you only knew what I’m about to do. If you only knew how I’m going to make miracles out of your mistakes. If you only knew how I’m going to restore you, heal you, and still make something great out of your life. Just trust Me, and get ready. I’m about to do something awesome in your life.”