Better at Being Almost There
“We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”
Genesis 40:4-8 (NIV)
Do you ever feel like you’re “almost there”? You’re standing on the precipice. You can feel it, you can taste it, you can emote it, you can hear it, you can see it, you can discern it, but you can’t touch it yet. You can’t enjoy it yet.
Every single one of us can relate to the space in life where we’re “almost there.” God’s plan is not moving at the pace you’d like but you have to find some peace and freedom in this space as you look forward. Being “almost there” is being free to embrace the future but also feeling like your life right now has you in a prison.
How do you honor God when you’re in a space called “almost there”? When you finally can say, “I discern that I’m doing what I am supposed to do, and I will not feel restricted in how I use my gifts right now,” you can be better at being “almost there.”
This is what Joseph does. He doesn’t let his gift be as restricted in its flow as he is restricted in his autonomy. His gift is being pulled on in his exchange with the cupbearer and the baker. Joseph easily, swiftly, and spiritually discerns their dreams. Joseph doesn’t let all that’s happening to him make him sit idle. When his gift is being pulled on by others, he becomes fully engaged and decides “I may not be where I want to be, and where I am is certainly not an optimal space. It doesn’t seem to match the vision that God has given to me, but since I am where I am and I can’t do anything about that until God decides to make a transition in my life, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to use my gift.”
Do you let your gift starve because your circumstances are not optimal? The worst thing you can do when you carry big dreams is to be stingy with your gift. God is giving you an opportunity to exercise it and mature it so that you don’t mess it up when He takes you where you’re meant to go.
