Gems of Knowledge

Today’s One Year Bible Verses: 1 Kings 20:1–21:29, Acts 12:24–13:15, Psalm 137:1–9, Proverbs 17:16

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God Makes It Happen

Sometimes the greatest challenge of following God is trusting Him when His promises seem farther away than ever. As I was praying for reassurance of my own path this morning the Holy Spirit reassured me with this amazing Gem of Knowledge:

“Watch the tides turn as I move you forward in your true calling with Me. Everything you think is against you will begin to move towards you. Amen.”

As I reflected on those words, I found myself thinking about the ocean and the remarkable power of the tides. When the tide moves out, it can feel as though the water is retreating farther and farther from shore. If you didn’t understand how tides work, you might assume the ocean was leaving and never coming back.

Of course, we know that isn’t true.

The tide always returns.

But what struck me the most is that no one can stop it. No government can pass a law against it. No army can stand on the shoreline and command it to stay away. No human power can permanently hold it back. The tide answers only to the laws established by its Creator, and when it is time for the water to return, it returns.

Wow! He is showing us that when we walk the path He lays before us nothing can stop the goodness He plans for us.

How amazing!

But it’s not always easy to feel assured in this…especially when our lives may feel like seasons of low tide.

What we must remember is that what appear to be retreat is not always loss – Sometimes it is preparation.

As I read today’s Scriptures, I noticed this pattern unfolding again and again.

In 1 Kings 20, Israel faced circumstances that appeared impossible. King Ahab found himself confronted by an enemy force so large that victory seemed completely out of reach. From a human perspective, the situation looked hopeless. Yet God was not intimidated by the numbers, the threats, or the odds. What seemed destined for defeat became an opportunity for God to reveal His power and remind His people that He alone is Lord.

The tide turned.

We see something similar in Acts 13. For years, Barnabas and Saul had been serving faithfully wherever God placed them. They were learning, growing, ministering, and following the Lord one step at a time. Then, during a time of worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke and set them apart for a greater assignment.

What is easy to overlook is how much preparation had taken place before that moment.

God had been working behind the scenes all along.

Every challenge, every lesson, every delay, every step of obedience had been moving them toward the calling He had prepared for them. What may have looked like ordinary days were actually part of God’s process of positioning them for the future.

The tide was turning.

Even the exiles in Psalm 137 were not abandoned by God and were promised the tide would roll back in towards them eventually.

I think many believers find themselves in a similar place as these exiles did. We look at our circumstances and assume they are permanent. We interpret delays as denials. We view opposition as proof that God is not moving.

But Scripture repeatedly shows us the opposite.

God is often doing His greatest work beneath the surface where we cannot yet see it.

As we walk with Christ, He has a way of bringing the right people, opportunities, resources, and assignments into our lives at exactly the right time. Things that once appeared to be obstacles often become stepping stones. What looked like resistance becomes redirection. What felt like delay becomes preparation.

And just as no one can stop the tide from returning when God has ordained it, no force can permanently prevent the plans He has established for His children. 💎

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Action (5 Minutes with God)

Take 5 minutes to be with the Lord today. Ask Him:

• “Lord, what do You want me to know about this personally?”
  • Journal what He gives you through His Holy Spirit.
• Then ask, “What do You want me to do?”
  • Journal what He reveals – then do it!

Instead of focusing on what you cannot see, thank God for the work He is already doing beneath the surface. Ask Him to help you trust His timing and continue walking faithfully in the direction He has given you.

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Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You that You are always working, even when I cannot see it. Forgive me for the times I have mistaken preparation for abandonment or delay for denial. Help me trust Your timing and Your purposes. Strengthen my faith when circumstances seem unchanged and remind me that You are moving beneath the surface in ways I may not yet understand. Lead me forward into the calling You have prepared for me, and help me walk with confidence knowing that what You have ordained cannot be stopped. In Your beloved name I pray, Amen.

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