I am so sorry for being so absent.... WHEW! Is all I can say. 2011 has come in with major transition for our world, but I can say that it has come in with MAJOR transition for myself as well. I have recently transitioned out of the ministry I was apart of for 5 years because I am moving soon to a new state. I can honestly say, I have thought about blogging... EVERY--- DAY... Just didn't now how to put all of my life into words without being entirely TOO transparent but at the same time not saying what DIDN'T need to be said, if you know what I mean... LOL
WELL--Lets get started
I have had the honor and privilege being able to spend serious quality time with some people who are near and dear to my heart. People that I saw on a regular basis, but because of the hustle and the bustle of life, you don't ever really slow down enough to hug and say... "How are you?"- and "Whats really going on?"--- or... "Talk, I'm listening, not for advice, but just to listen".
What I have discovered is that there are more Christians dealing with disappointment and discouragement than a little bit. They go to church and functions, and paint on a smile acting like everything is okay - when they feel that they are dying on the inside. It was confirmed again as I was watching Mario Murillo on ibethel.tv, he depicted a meeting between the devil and his imps. The imps say, "Lets send a girl, to try to distract him... Get him to fall". The devil says---" no, he will just witness to her and win her soul to Jesus". The imps continue, "Lets send financial hardship". The devil says--- "that won't work, he'll just use his faith". Finally the imps say, "Well lets send disappointment and discourage him". The devil says to discouragement... "Yes, you go".
When hearing this story it just made so much sense. Depending on how much of a worshipper you are, how much you really try to live a life for God and use your faith, discouragement and disappointment could be the strongest weapon the enemy uses against you.
I wrote a blog a couple of months ago called, "Don't Lose Hope"- You can click the title to read it. It is just to encourage all of you all to continue to place your hope in God. The truth is, life does have a habit of surprising us with stuff that can take us aback. It's apart of life, it happens. It can suck- but it does happen.
John 16:33 says this, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
TAKE HEART! BE ENCOURAGED! Jesus, our elder brother has overcome the world and the trouble that you will face. It is important for us to remember this at our moments where we feel our lowest.
Some professions were not effected by the recession directly. But there were so many business that closed because of it. What do you do when you are in your mid 40's, been running your own business for 10-15 years, and now you have nothing. Who will hire me at this age? How will I pay bills? What about insurance? What if we get sick?
See, I know we holler in church, "WHAT RECESSION??"- but there were some that actually faced it head on, and some that barely survived. Some didn't survive. Some lost everything they owned because they chose to follow a dream at one time in their life. They had no idea this day would come.
Be advised, when talking to someone who has lost everything, you have to be very particular with what you say. "Be encouraged" will most likely make them mad! *lets just be honest*. Sometimes people, there is no advice to be offered, especially for someone who already knows that God is going to make a way. Sometimes you just need to listen. Sometimes knowing that God will make a way doesn't take away the pain of the moment.
I know I just lost all of my religious readers)))) LOL
Hit rock bottom, and let someone come preaching to you about how God is gonna make a way and see if you get invited back over... LOL. It is absolutely correct that God will make a way. It is absolutely true that God will provide, but we have to discerning enough and sensitive enough to the needs of the people and to the voice of God to know what is Rhema and what is Logos. Bringing Logos can be powerful in the right timing, but when someone is at rock bottom, it is Rhema (the revelatory word of God) that will bring healing and soothing to the pain.
For those that feel that they have hit rock bottom, I'm not here to send a fire of words that will make you shout. I just want you to know that there is power and purpose in your disappointment. There is always hope, and you know that- without question, but I speak to your pain and the depth of your encouragement and I say LIVE...
Take your moment, cry your tears while you are holding on to God. Because regardless of what those around you think, I know you haven't let go of God... You are just experiencing some difficulty. Thank God for grace.
You will make it out of this. You will see the light. You will LIVE. It may feel like the end, but it's not the end. After you have had your moment, be sure that the enemy does not win. Don't give him ANY glory by sitting in your disappointment. ANY... Reach out. Let go of your pride and reach out and ask for help. I don't mean from people who will just holler the word at you and tell you to pretend that nothing happened. No, get around a some folks with a Rhema word.
Preachers say it, but it is TRUTH. One word from God can change your life. I pray that God opens your ears to hear the Rhema word, or sends someone who you trust to give you a Rhema word of God. I know its possible, because it happened to me this week. 2011 has been a doozy for a sistah, I can't even lie. I have dealt with a broken heart, disappointment, offense, lies from saints, people with no integrity and people with NO discernment at ALL. I mean, AT ALL. All while God was showing me ME and trying to work on my heart. After a while, it had started to weigh me down, was getting tougher and tougher as the days went on. I spoke to a friend and her husband this week, and everything CHANGED. Literally, all the weights, GONE. All the distractions, QUIETED. There is now peace.
I thank God because sometimes, most of the time, you won't know why you are experiencing certain things. You may not know until years later why you experienced something. But I thank God that He showed me this week why I had been experiencing these things. Being seated in heavenly places will give you a perspective on your situation that you won't have when you are chillin' in the natural.
Ephesians 2:6, 7 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.So don't ever forget. God wants you to LIVE. You may feel at the bottom, or just as if there is no light- but trust, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. LIVE. You can do it. Have your moment, take it, but when it's over, get up and LIVE. The enemy desires for you to move your belongings and make your permanent address Disappointment Drive. Don't let him win. Sometimes, you need to be motivated to do things because of your love for God and because of your relationship with Christ. There are also times that will arise when you say, "You know what devil, I REFUSE to let you win".
I heard a pastor say a couple of weeks ago,
There is a difference between being hurt, and being injured. If you are hurt in the game, you take a second, because you got the wind knocked out of you --- may have to sit out for a few minutes so you can regain your focus. Let the pain lessen. But when you get back in the game, you are more violent than ever because you have to prove that you can't be taken down. But there is a complete difference when someone gets injured in a game. Playing a game, and a rib gets cracked, a tendon torn or a bone broken, it is idiotic to try to to continue to play. It doesn't make you a weak player because you get medical attention, and take the necessary measures to have your injury tended too.
Please know the difference saints. Please know the difference when you are just hurt- or injured. There are so many injured people playing in this game- and they are putting other people in danger of being injured because they don't recognize themselves that they are injured. Stop acting like nothings wrong and deal with your issues- because others are suffering from it...
(That last line was for free) LOL
Pray with me...
Lord, I admit that there are some disappointments in my life that have left me discouraged. It has made it difficult to pray, to read, to worship, to go to church or even to fellowship. (Fill in what it has made hard to do for you) I know that there is power and purpose and disappointment, that you are working things out, even if I don't always understand it. I refuse to let the devil win this one. Just because I need a time out- doesn't mean that I am out of the game. Thank you for being seated in heavenly places so that I can get your perspective. I know that you love me, and want the best for me. Help me to see through your eyes, and not through the eyes of hurt, pain, doubt, logic or reason. I want to see through your eyes of love. I will take it one day, and one moment at a time. Each day and moment with YOU.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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