Are you struggling over direction for your life? Have you felt stuck in one place, in spite of an active life? Like things aren’t happening?
Being in this type of place can be extremely frustrating. Even discouraging. For a follower of Christ to lack a sense of direction and purpose for his or her life, the frustration and discouragement can even go so far as depression. The reason?
Revelation of the future is built into our DNA.
Christ designed us to yearn for and experience revelation of the future in order to have clarification of what we should actively be doing right now.
When the disciples were following Jesus, he continually gave them revelation of what was to come. He did this both on the big picture (his death, burial, resurrection, and second comeing) and the more immediate future (like when giving ministry assignments and instructions for the church once he would physically be apart from his disciples).
The disciples didn’t necessarily understand the revelations they were given. And Jesus’ goal was never to make sure his followers understood the revelation. When they were confused, he would explain with another parable.
This wasn’t because Jesus did not care that they understood the revelation he was giving them. He didn’t trouble himself with over explaining revelations of what was to come because of truth regarding God’s revelation to us.
Why we often misunderstand His Revelation of the future
If you have been struggling with a sense of discouragement because you feel like there is a lack of revelation of you are supposed to be doing or where your life should be headed, make sure you grab a hold of this simple little truth about how God operates and speaks to us.
Jesus didn’t bend over backwards to ensure his disciples understood the revelation he was giving them was because the revelation was for the future, not the present.
When God speaks to about the future, it is not always meant to give you directions now. When Jesus spoke of his death, his disciples couldn’t get it. Their present circumstances gave them no context for revelation of what was to come. They saw Jesus as this awesome guy who fit the description of Israel’s coming Messiah, and they theorized how his coming was going to play out. His revelation didn’t match was firmly lodged in their minds.
Yet his revelation of the future was extremely important for them. The revelation would hit them like a ton of bricks when they reached the destination of the revelation. In other words, when the time came that the revelation was speaking of, the light bulb would go off.
“Ooooohhhh!!!! This is what he was talking about! I get it!!!”
Even after he was raised from the dead, and all the revelation he shared with them prior to that moment that clarified he would die and be rose again.
When Jesus was walking with his disciples after his resurrection, his disciples were overwhelmed with the connection of their current experience of seeing first hand the previousl shared revelations of his death and resurrection being fulfilled.
Yet they show there were revelations that Jesus had given them they still did not understand. In Acts 1, they ask him when he is going to restore the kingdom.
So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; - Acts 1:6-7 [NASB]
Context is needed for understanding
Their context prevented them from understanding the nature of his second coming and the application of what had just taken place with the cross and resurrection.
Another event would take place before that revelation would become clearer. Jesus spoke of it in Acts 1 and the fulfillment came in Acts 2 when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. And that is when the revelation became clear.
...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” – Acts 1:8
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. – Acts 2:1-4 [NASB]
Have you wasted hours like me?
I have spent fruitless hours trying to understand revelation that God has given me of my life. It’s like lots of puzzle pieces with big gaps of missing pieces. I get the revelations. But I don’t have the context to understand them. These revelations are for the future.
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. – Jeremiah 29:11 [Amplified]
So what you do in the meantime?
The key to overcoming the frustration and discouragement y0u may at time feel when you are in the present with revelation of the future that you do not understand is obey what he has told you to do.
Obedience is the key ingredient that will get you to the place where the revelation he has given you regarding your future will all of a sudden make sense.
For the revelation of his cross and resurrection to make sense, he had to be obedient. But for the revelation that was unclear in Acts 1 to become clear, the disciples had to obey what Jesus told them to do in Acts 1.
Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” – Acts 1:4 [NASB]
He commanded them to wait.
When they did what he commanded, the revelation of what was to come came to pass and they understood.
Success brings confidence. And obedience brings clarity.
What has told you to do? What do you need to obey?
No matter how simple, silly and small, do it and watch what happens.
