miss maryann whom i mentioned to you just last week uses yet a lot when encouraging others who are upset about this or that not having happened. two examples might be a loved one hasn't come to Christ or there hasn't been justice in a situation. she says sweetly and cheerfully something like: honey, it's just that it hasn't happened YET. not yet doesn't mean not ever and when we thank Him in advance of what we want to happen, we prove or demonstrate our love and trust in Him.
she has many stories of how she prayed for years for the "not yet" and then the "yet" took place and her prayers were finally answered, if you follow me with that verbiage.
what are you waiting for that is in the not yet category? add yet to what worries, concerns or discourages you and it makes a huge difference in your thinking. in fact your thinking becomes more biblical, more hopeful and demonstrates that trust and love for the Lord maryann talks about. we are to live by faith and the verse below about noah where he acted on faith in things not yet seen points out the faith focus of the yets.
my son isn't walking with the Lord (yet).
my mother doesn't know the Lord (yet).
there's been no justice with that enemy (yet).
i still have no answers to my illness (yet).
i don't know what to do about continuing conflict with a co-worker (yet).
i can't love the person - no i can't (yet).
i know God has forgiven me but i can't/won't accept His forgiveness (yet).
i want to get back into church but it just seems like i never will (yet).
i'm still unemployed and struggling financially, there's no job around the corner (yet).
God is the God who turns our not yets into yets for us when He wills of course, the timing being for our good and His glory.
taking a bit of a rabbit trail, it reminds me of a theological principle of the "already and not yet." for example, as believers in Christ, we are already spiritually seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty (ephesians 2:6) but not yet there bodily. one day He will turn this longing to be fully present with him in heaven from the not yet into the yet! a second example taken from the verse in 1 john below is that we know we are children of God but we don't know what that looks like yet until he appears in the future when we shall be like him - when we see him just as He is!
hebrews 11:7
by faith noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark.
1 john 3:2
beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. we know that, when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him just as He is.
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