Genie in a Bottle?

Today i am going to close out El Sheddai with some closing thoughts and a recap of the names of God so far....

Elohim: The All Powerful One: Creator

El Elyon: God Most High- delivers us from our enemies

El Roi- The God Who Sees Me

El Shaddai: The All Sufficient One

I was praying yesterday morning and God laid this on my heart....He is the All Sufficient One, Who Sees Me. He can stop the sun in the sky and deliver us from our enemies....but how it must grieve the heart of God- when we treat Him as our own, personal..>Genie in a bottle.

I believe that God grows our faith, in the beginning, with answered prayers. He teaches us that He hears and that He sees and that He can do all things.

But- slowly - just as a baby starts to crawl, then walk, then...run. He must wean us. He must clip us and prune us and teach us persistence and patience.

The answered prayers of yesterday may now have a silent period built in.

This is a time of growing your faith....do not give up hope.

God is not our genie in a bottle. He is not an act at the carnival - put a quarter in the machine (prayer) and wait for your results. He is <> He knows all and works out all for good - for those that love Him, in His sovereign time

How often do we put our quarter in the slot and -rubbing our hands together- wait for an immediate answer, and get discouraged and pout when it does not come in OUR time frame. He is ALL SUFFICIENT - but He is not our sidekick at a carnival. We can not manipulate Him or trick Him....but, we must trust Him and believe in Him, even in the silent prayers. Think about the daffodils that are blooming now. All winter they are hidden from our sight. They are silent We forget that they are there.. The days start to get longer, the light seems to beckon to them through the darkness...and they begin to emerge. They weren't dead, they were growing deeper roots, multiplying...deep within the darkness of the Earth. You may be having a dark period now - and feel that God has deserted His post - as your El Shaddai. He hasn't. He sees you and hears you - but He is growing you like that daffodil. Preparing your heart for an emergence and radiance- in His timing. Hold on daffodils, and let Him grow you in the quiet times....so you can SHINE in the sun when He calls out to you. In that darkness, your roots are growing deeper, you are multiplying and He is stretching you. We have to have dormant seasons- to grow stronger, brighter, higher and deeper.

I feel that we are entering a new season of clipping and pruning - of teaching us persistence and patience. I am not sure how that will play out - but I feel like we are now moving from "rending our hearts" to "persistence and patience". AS always, I say "Yes God - teach us, mold us, use us and grow us!" I believe our faith will be grown and there may be silent times in the days ahead...but He always sees us..>El Roi - is a God that SEES us.

So - here we go ladies, "Persistence and Patience"....trust in El Shaddai - our All Sufficient One.