to those who are listening to God, and He has led you to a place you never thought you would be.
to those who have been invited down a road that seems so opposite of your plan.
to those He has invited to take a season of rest.
i encourage you with this.
there is such a mysterious narrow road that doesn't make sense to any but those who go down it.
there is an unnecessary pressure that people feel to be doing something worth while, though all the while they feel like God is asking them to do the opposite.
they are asked by others "so what are you doing these days?" "give me the measurables for your life" -- and in response with embarrassment felt in their heart, have nothing but a simple mundane reply.
this is the reason you are here.
the initial embarrassment, or feeling disappointed in yourself for not doing something worth while, is one of the exact reasons God has you here, to rebuke that very lie straight on.
the people who ask what you are doing these days,
and have judgement in response to your mundane response,
i would dare say that they have yet to realize that they too are seaped in a value system that is based on their own efforts of proving themselves to God and building their own kingdom, rather than truly doing something for the sake of His fame. (strong statement I know)
this may sound cryptic and broad, but those who have been invited down the path of death.
death to ambition, death to self, death to your own fame, the glorious invite to find true life.
you understand exactly what i'm talking about. He is allured you to the wilderness, where there is nothing to cling to, it is there He will speak kindly to you, it is there that He will betroth you to Himself (Hosea 2).
you want to run away.
you want to do big things.
but also you want to do something that seems worth while to yourself,
and also for the sake of those watching.
and out of sincerity of heart, you want to do something worth while in His eyes (which is the very thing He is in the process of redefining for you).
but know this, the ONE who is watching, loves that you are sticking around.
He loves that you chose to tuck away.
He wants to meet you here.
where you're alone, and doing nothing.
this season will change your life.
a message will be formed in you that will not be influenced by another man's vision.
as you are sitting, you're actually going forward.
as you are waiting, you're actually taking ground..
if you decided to go do something you thought was worth while in this season, something familiar, something that seemed like it was having impact - i would dare to say that is where you're actually going backwards, and you're actually losing ground..
it takes courage to obey God.
and the few that are reading this, and get what i'm saying, this message is speaking loud and clear to your heart...
to you, i want to say, obey.
and if you have obeyed, and took the leap.
i would take it even further and say
"fully obey"
do not just tolerate the season, but embrace it.
if he wants you to be in solitude for a while.
if He wants you to rest. fully rest.
do not run to things in the midst of resting that will make you feel like you're atleast doing "something"... fully rest. ask God to guide you in the day to day.
Lord am I to do that or this right now?
do not give yourself to this season feeling like it's an equation.
with the mindset of - if i do this, THEN, i can do this..
just fully embrace the now... not wishing it away... or tolerating it so you can get somewhere else soon. the moment you begin to not care about what's next, feeling content in His leading, is a good sign..
I think of
Psalms 131:
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
2 Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
You will get to a point where living before His eyes alone, and listening to His voice, influences you (because you see His goodness in it), more than your own opinion, or other's opinion.
pit stops are necessary...
if you're driving around with a broken axel and low fuel, some watching may say keep going keep going... why are you stopping?? atleast be a part of small races right now, you have so much potential, you shouldn't just be parked somewhere... are you falling away? you're just not as intense as you used to be... don't you see what God is doing on the earth, you should probably be a part of it!
but if you keep going, soon you'll crash, or just burn out,
but if you listen to Him, and He says stop for a while,
lets get some gas in your tank,
get you even better tires that will take you over mountains rather than just a concrete track,
and a stronger axel that will never snap...
I would say do not listen to the people watching, listen to the one who made the car...
listen to Him because He is wise, and knows what it takes to form in you what's necessary...
though everyone else has thought you quit the race, He is actually equipping you to win.
know that the period of waiting and not finding, is actually part of His process..
His process of forming in you something that cannot be explained too well with words.
but as you journey on, you'll begin to know exactly what i'm talking about.
find Him. rather than finding what you think makes you're life awesome to Him.
Listen, obey. don't find your identity in what you think is important to Him,
I dare you to slow down, get in His Word, and ask Him to tell you what's important to Him.
Rather than your own pressures, and the pressures of others defining it for you.
sitting under the shade of His tree (the cross). (song of songs 2)
feasting at His banqueting table.
Understanding His delight in you as you "sit".
is fuel that will help you skip over the hills and leap over the mountains with Him later.
bless you friends.
amen.
to those who have been invited down a road that seems so opposite of your plan.
to those He has invited to take a season of rest.
i encourage you with this.
there is such a mysterious narrow road that doesn't make sense to any but those who go down it.
there is an unnecessary pressure that people feel to be doing something worth while, though all the while they feel like God is asking them to do the opposite.
they are asked by others "so what are you doing these days?" "give me the measurables for your life" -- and in response with embarrassment felt in their heart, have nothing but a simple mundane reply.
this is the reason you are here.
the initial embarrassment, or feeling disappointed in yourself for not doing something worth while, is one of the exact reasons God has you here, to rebuke that very lie straight on.
the people who ask what you are doing these days,
and have judgement in response to your mundane response,
i would dare say that they have yet to realize that they too are seaped in a value system that is based on their own efforts of proving themselves to God and building their own kingdom, rather than truly doing something for the sake of His fame. (strong statement I know)
this may sound cryptic and broad, but those who have been invited down the path of death.
death to ambition, death to self, death to your own fame, the glorious invite to find true life.
you understand exactly what i'm talking about. He is allured you to the wilderness, where there is nothing to cling to, it is there He will speak kindly to you, it is there that He will betroth you to Himself (Hosea 2).
you want to run away.
you want to do big things.
but also you want to do something that seems worth while to yourself,
and also for the sake of those watching.
and out of sincerity of heart, you want to do something worth while in His eyes (which is the very thing He is in the process of redefining for you).
but know this, the ONE who is watching, loves that you are sticking around.
He loves that you chose to tuck away.
He wants to meet you here.
where you're alone, and doing nothing.
this season will change your life.
a message will be formed in you that will not be influenced by another man's vision.
as you are sitting, you're actually going forward.
as you are waiting, you're actually taking ground..
if you decided to go do something you thought was worth while in this season, something familiar, something that seemed like it was having impact - i would dare to say that is where you're actually going backwards, and you're actually losing ground..
it takes courage to obey God.
and the few that are reading this, and get what i'm saying, this message is speaking loud and clear to your heart...
to you, i want to say, obey.
and if you have obeyed, and took the leap.
i would take it even further and say
"fully obey"
do not just tolerate the season, but embrace it.
if he wants you to be in solitude for a while.
if He wants you to rest. fully rest.
do not run to things in the midst of resting that will make you feel like you're atleast doing "something"... fully rest. ask God to guide you in the day to day.
Lord am I to do that or this right now?
do not give yourself to this season feeling like it's an equation.
with the mindset of - if i do this, THEN, i can do this..
just fully embrace the now... not wishing it away... or tolerating it so you can get somewhere else soon. the moment you begin to not care about what's next, feeling content in His leading, is a good sign..
I think of
Psalms 131:
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
2 Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
You will get to a point where living before His eyes alone, and listening to His voice, influences you (because you see His goodness in it), more than your own opinion, or other's opinion.
pit stops are necessary...
if you're driving around with a broken axel and low fuel, some watching may say keep going keep going... why are you stopping?? atleast be a part of small races right now, you have so much potential, you shouldn't just be parked somewhere... are you falling away? you're just not as intense as you used to be... don't you see what God is doing on the earth, you should probably be a part of it!
but if you keep going, soon you'll crash, or just burn out,
but if you listen to Him, and He says stop for a while,
lets get some gas in your tank,
get you even better tires that will take you over mountains rather than just a concrete track,
and a stronger axel that will never snap...
I would say do not listen to the people watching, listen to the one who made the car...
listen to Him because He is wise, and knows what it takes to form in you what's necessary...
though everyone else has thought you quit the race, He is actually equipping you to win.
know that the period of waiting and not finding, is actually part of His process..
His process of forming in you something that cannot be explained too well with words.
but as you journey on, you'll begin to know exactly what i'm talking about.
find Him. rather than finding what you think makes you're life awesome to Him.
Listen, obey. don't find your identity in what you think is important to Him,
I dare you to slow down, get in His Word, and ask Him to tell you what's important to Him.
Rather than your own pressures, and the pressures of others defining it for you.
sitting under the shade of His tree (the cross). (song of songs 2)
feasting at His banqueting table.
Understanding His delight in you as you "sit".
is fuel that will help you skip over the hills and leap over the mountains with Him later.
bless you friends.
amen.
