I love when it’s time for a Guest Blog! This one is brought to you by one of my very favorite people… my husband, Jon Wright. I love how he illuminates Truth in a loving and inspiring way. His heart is for you to pursue your dreams with God! Be encouraged in faith today as you read and receive! 

This year I’ve been reading through a Bible in a Year plan. On the plan I’m using, I read from Psalms or Proverbs, a chapter or two from the New Testament, and a chapter or two from the Old Testament each day. For the New Testament part, I recently started into Luke. In Luke 1, it tells the stories of two angelic visitations and two similar yet very different responses. The first one is to a man named Zechariah. He and his wife Elizabeth had no children because she was barren, and they were very old. One day, an angel visits Zechariah and tells him that he and his wife are going to have a son, and that they are to name him John. Here’s Zechariah’s response:

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” (Luke 1:18)

About six months later, the same angel went to visit a young virgin named Mary, and delivered the news that she too would have a son, and that she is to give him the name Jesus. This is how she responded:

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” (Luke 1:34)

At face value, those seem like very similar responses, yet if you read further in each story, it becomes clear that they are vastly different. “How can I be sure this will happen?” versus “How can this happen?”

I always find it helpful to read a few different translations when I’m diving into a certain verse or passage. Above was the NLT. Here are those same questions in the NASB:

Zechariah: “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” (Luke 1:18)

Mary: “How can [will] this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)

Zechariah’s question came from a lack of faith, trust, and humility. Mary, however, believed, trusted, and humbly asked for further instruction.

The angel Gabriel responded to Zechariah by making him mute until the baby came. Yet he responded to Mary by explaining how it would happen.

Now, let’s make this practical. Every single one of us is meant to do something that is unique to us. God has put giftings and abilities inside each of us, and they may be similar to others, but just like a fingerprint, no two are the same. One of my gifts is music. Now musicians are a dime a dozen, and there are countless musicians who are far better than I am. So when God speaks a vision into my heart, as He has done, it could be easy for me to look at all the other musicians, especially those who more skilled, and I could respond like Zechariah: “How can I be certain this will happen? I’m not as good as those other people.” Or, I can respond like Mary and humbly ask, “How will this be?” Or another example, the desperate cry of a father found in Mark 9:24: “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Years ago, my youth pastor preached a message about being pregnant with a dream. (Sidenote: I had the distinct privilege of beatboxing to one of the most epic freestyle rap sessions ever starring Sean Cannell & Jeff Moors on the subject. It’s possible that still exists somewhere.) In the same way that Mary, through the Holy Spirit conceived a child, we have “conceived” something, and perhaps are still carrying it. Mary carried baby Jesus for about nine months, but maybe you’ve been carrying your dream for nine years. Maybe longer. I pray that I can encourage you today not to give up. Keep the faith. Don’t ask God “how can I be certain it will happen?” … You can humbly ask Him “how will this happen?”

I don’t personally know anyone who has become mute because they doubted God. But here’s what I do believe. If we doubt the promise God gave us, we lose our voice. We diminish our influence. When we respond in faith, I think it’s attractive to people. We can speak into their lives. We can encourage them in their dreams, because even though we might not have seen ours come to pass, we’re walking in faith.

I’ll leave you with this… I touched on it earlier, but no gift, dream, or calling is insignificant! It might not get all the attention some of the other ones get from people. But I guarantee that you have God’s attention when you use what He’s given you! He’s put it there for a reason. Other people might be able to do what you can do, but no one can do it the same as you. And no one can reach the people you’re supposed to reach, in the same way that you can.

I started a YouTube channel a few years ago, and I recently got back into the habit of uploading videos. Most are covers, and occasionally I’ll post an original. I’ll link one of each here for you. I hope and pray that as you listen, you are encouraged, uplifted, strengthened, and spurred on.

• Never Out of Sight (original)
• Take Courage (Bethel cover)