fruition

I’m reminded today that often-times our dreams are the wrong ones. 

In 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 Paul wrote, “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I’m going to assume that Paul knew what he was doing, and that his prayer was in line with God’s will. If so, then it begs a couple of questions.

First, since God isn’t bringing about my every desire, does that mean the unfulfilled ones aren’t truly for goodness? Second, are my deeds that seem fruitless then prompted by something other than faith?

I’m sure it’s more complicated than that, but as I and millions of others are wondering what the next four years looks like, these seem like legitimate questions. I thought what I wanted out of this election was the good of our country. I thought the things I did to engage the process and other voters were prompted by my faith. And yet it feels like rather than fruition, we are, as Jesus once said, being sifted like wheat.

One thing I know: God’s will is that his name be glorified. That’s also Paul’s purpose in this prayer. So maybe God is still in the process of bringing to fruition my good desires and faithful deeds. Probably there are things to come in this presidential term that will be blessings. 

If my worse fears are realized, and government chooses not to include all of God’s image-bearers, the church still can, and I can. That may be God’s purpose in this.