I got a new rug yesterday that I ordered online. It was nice, but it wasn’t quite what I thought it would be. On the picture it was more vibrant in color and I loved it. When I got it and unrolled it, it didn’t look the same and I was slightly disappointed. I decided to put it under my dining set to help the wood flooring stay a bit nicer. It is all bubbling and sticking up in places because of being rolled up tightly for so long. As I learned from the first time I bought a rug and laid it out on my floor, it takes time for the rug to settle down and lay as it is supposed to.

How many times do we have similar expectations in life? We have a vision or a prophetic word and we see this vibrant and beautiful thing, only to find out that perhaps what we saw in our minds eye, was not what it turned out to be. I think about things I have desired in my life and they don’t seem to be turning out as I had expected. Does that mean that my dreams are not coming true? No, absolutely not. Just like that rug. I saw it on my computer and it didn’t quite turn out as I expected, but it still seems to be just what I needed. It fills the space I wanted it to and it is the colors I wanted, although a little more toned down that I thought they would be.

We all have dreams and visions of what our ministry will turn out to be. We could be allowing things to pass by because it doesn’t quite fit our vision. We could be living our lives not to the fullest because we are always waiting for that perfect vision in our mind to come to pass. How many times have we ‘sent something back’ when it doesn’t meet our specifications when we only need to give it time to get all the ‘bubbles’ out?

I hope what I am trying to say is clear. Don’t give up on something just because it doesn’t appear to be exactly what you thought it would. Don’t automatically say no to something because it may be missing some ‘vibrancy’. A building doesn’t get built in one day. A vision or ministry doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and patience. Don’t let your vision die, but don’t assume that what comes in front of you isn’t what you want until you give it some time. God knows our hearts and wants to give us our heart’s desires. He wants what is best for us and we need to learn to trust Him more.