Look As Far As You Can See

Your friend recently landed a new life-changing contract that you both have been praying she would get for ages. You are extremely happy, seeing all her years of hard work pay off in the most amazing way!

Your heart is swelling with pride — she deserves this! Your congratulations are loud and nonstop. You are genuinely happy for her newest blessing and glad to witness it.

But yet, beneath all that genuine happiness, there’s a tugging in your heart — a soft sigh.

You do not envy her, no! But you long to have your own moment in the spotlight too. You wonder how it would feel to be like her — happy and accomplished.

Have you ever felt something like this? I have. A lot of times.

Untangling the Heart’s Tension

Being naturally pensive, I tried to unravel this knotty phenomenon transpiring in my heart. I asked myself reflective questions such as:

• “How can I be happy for someone and still be sad at the same time?”

• “Is it not envious to want what someone else has?”

• “Are these two feelings — being happy for someone else’s success and wanting your own in a similar manner — mutually exclusive?”

  
  

I couldn’t reach a logical conclusion in my head, so I opened up my Bible. The ultimate authority.

The Holy Spirit used the most unlikely story to minister to me.

Abram and Lot: A Story of Trust and Contentment

In Genesis 13, God had blessed both Abram and his nephew Lot immensely. Due to their large herds, there were clashes amongst their servants. It was clear that both of them could no longer live together in the same place.

Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.”— Genesis 13:8–9 (ESV)

Note that Abraham, being the eldest, could have rightly chosen the choicest side first, leaving Lot with no choice but to inhabit the other side. He did not do that.

Lot chose the greener side of the fence. His flock would flourish in the Jordan Valley where both food and water were abundant. Abram settled in Canaan — contented with his lot.

Abraham was confident in his good God's abundant heart toward him.

Like Abram, I want to train my heart to believe, and my mind to receive, that abundance does not depend on how good or bad my circumstances are but on God Himself — the source of abundance.

God’s Promise Still Stands

Let’s see what happens next in our story. Lot’s flock will flourish (definitely), but will Abram’s flourish too?

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”— Genesis 13:14–17 (ESV)

Dear friend, lift up your eyes and look out as far as you can see — that is how much God will give you.

God is saying, “As far as your faith can see, that I will give to you.” The size of your faith is the size of your miracle.

Is it the woman with the issue of blood? The blind beggar? The Samaritan leper? You name them. Jesus said the same to all of them:

“Your faith has made you well.”

It’s not their faith in a change of circumstance — it’s their faith in God’s good character. It’s a rest, a yielding to Him and His best plan for their lives.

When Others Receive First

Your friend might move into a bigger house while you are still trying to stay afloat.

The classmates you graduated with might get employed years before you land a good job.

That lady you are acquainted with from your numerous trips to the fertility clinic might someday walk in — pregnant and happy — while you’ve come in still in search of answers.

While your eyes well up with joy for them and your heart prays in silent hope, “Lord, I want this too,” know this:

The heart can hold two truths at once.

You can be genuinely happy for another’s progress and at the same time long for what they have — without being envious of them.

Just have faith in God and His heart toward you — you!

Faith That Opens Doors

Two things I have learned move the God who holds time and space: praise and faith.

Faith opens doors. When those heavenly gates open, blessings abound.

Do you have faith? How much faith?

Guess what? Faith the size of a mustard seed is enough!

Will you trust in God and His heart more than your physical reality? Will you wait on Him for your own big moment?

While you wait, will you keep on being genuinely happy for — and with — those He has decided to bless before you? Will you be content with your lot?

Choosing to Trust

I choose the safest option: to trust Him against all logic and human reasoning.

For His ways are not my ways, nor His thoughts like mine.

And I know that He does not bless sparingly — His blessings come in folds: an overflowing cup, a measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

I invite you to trust Him too.