BUT HOW?

Imagine standing in a valley of bones as far as the eye can see. It’s a low place, surrounded by hills and mountains, filled with dry bones bleached white by the harsh sun. A reminder of what was but is no more and, seems, will never be again. 

You may not have to imagine it if your life feels like that valley of hopelessness. 

A valley whose echo mocks your “me too” as you dare to believe you’re meant to experience love and grace, not just live vicariously through others. 

But how? 

When all you see is what’s gone amid the mass grave of your hopes and dreams, how do you live out the better you’re believing for?

MAKE A NEW AGREEMENT

A man named Ezekiel* found himself in the same predicament. Standing in a mass grave, the Lord asked him if these bones could live? In other words: is there any hope?

And Ezekiel had a choice: answer based on the evidence in front of him and his personal experience or acknowledge that some situations are beyond his understanding. 

He admitted only God knew the answer and in doing so came into agreement with God. This situation was beyond Ezekiel’s knowledge, skill set, and ability. Only the Lord could turn it around. 

My friend, can these bones live?

The same goes for you. There’s a way that’s seemed right to you for a long time, but as you stand in your valley of dry bones, you realize what you thought was right ended in death. And the level of devastation tells you the situation is hopeless. 

You suffered so much for so long, there’s no way you will know the love, joy, peace, and abundant life Jesus promised. And you won’t—if you’re depending on your perspective. But if there’s any hope at all, and there is, the first step is to agree with God that only He knows the way. 

REPEAT AFTER ME

I took three years of Spanish in high school and some in middle school. And I wish I remembered more of it than I do. But I do recall that when I first learned, my teacher would say, “Repeat after me.” 

She’d show me the object, say it in Spanish, and I would repeat what she said. Why? Because this language was foreign to me.

I didn’t think in Spanish. I spoke English all my life. So, if I was going to think like a Spaniard, I needed to speak like one. That meant changing my vocabulary to match the new mindset. 

God told Ezekiel what to say to the bones because, as we already established, Ezekiel didn’t know how to bring these bones back to life. So, Ezekiel had to be willing to talk differently, to retrain his thinking by what he was saying. 

Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Ezekiel was surrounded by death and decay. If the situation was going to change, he’d have to change how he spoke of it. 

If you’re like me, you think a lot and your thoughts are so deep and detailed it feels like you said them out loud. Or maybe you always say the first thing that pops in your mind, but when you say it, you quickly regret it.  

But life and death are not in the power of your thoughts, but in your tongue. And when you speak, you want to be strategic. Speaking as if your words are seeds and you’re planting for a specific harvest, not a field of weeds. 

As long as your words are negative, defeated and hopeless, you won’t spark life in your dead situation. If you believe God has better for you than what you’re experiencing, it’s not enough to think it in your mind or believe in your heart. You need to say it out of your mouth.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak…

2 Corinthians 4:13, NIV

You need to get around people full of the joy, peace and victory you desire and listen to their language. Incorporate that vocabulary into yours. But if you’re like me, you know the best place to source life-giving words is the word of God: in the Bible and what the Lord says to you as you spend time with Him.  

Look in His Word and note His promises to you. The “I will” statements only He can make happen.  

And go beyond agreeing with His promises to repeating them after Him. Then write it down because when you’re learning a new language you need notes you can refer to for practice after class is over. 

DON’T SETTLE

Jesus says you have what you say, so as you repeat after Him, expect to see movement in the right direction.  

At God’s word, bones came together, then ligaments and muscles returned. Things took shape because Ezekiel dared to speak God’s word instead of his own. 

And when you do, things will start shaping up for you too.

Maybe you’ll smile more, complain less or be grateful for even the simplest things. Perhaps you and your dad will start speaking again after a long time of no contact. Or maybe you’ll be more transparent in your relationships, allowing yourself vulnerability. As you speak life to your situation, life will start springing up.

And that’s great! Celebrate the progress but don’t settle. 

When life’s been dry and hopeless for a long time, any sign of life is so amazing, it’s easy to think something is better than nothing. I better just be glad for this and not push my luck. Besides, who knows if this change will last. 

That thinking would make sense if you’re not a believer in Christ, but if you’re a DADDY’s girl, know that your God specializes in over the top transformation so that you may know He is the Lord. 

So, don’t put limits on what DADDY God will do in your life. You’re not a beggar, you’re His princess. And there’s always more at the King’s table! 

The Lord is not satisfied with you existing or surviving. Jesus came that you might have abundant life. So, keep agreeing with Him. Keep repeating after Him, learning the language of victory. And don’t settle for anything less than what the Lord wants to do in, through and for you.  

Let Him breathe into you till you’re not making do, but flourishing in all He has for you. 

I’m rooting for you!

*See Ezekiel 37:1-14