Sometimes I am so tired of repeating the same cycle. Circumstances repeat themselves and I don't see them as opportunities just more ways of getting me down. My friend last night was speaking about being truthful. Our Young Adults team, 18-30(31,32....😁) has a group chat on social media network and we have named it for our Church's mission statement, #TRUTH2017. We need to search for the truth in the world we live. My friend spoke about being true to ourselves. Pastor Steven Furtick, who I watch a lot over YouTube and read his books, is someone I love listening to, his delivery of the message always brings me clarity. I especially love his Crash the Chatterbox series, a truly timeless message, that is about recognising how to find truth in the lies that we feed ourselves. I recommend you watch, read or listen to God's message through this format.
Some common lies we feed ourselves come out of fear of failure.
" I don't know how to do this. I have never been able to do this. I won't ever be able to succeed"
God says "I know how to do this, lean on me. I am always able, lean on me. I never fail, and if you fall, lean on me."
7. Revelation 3:8 I know your works. Because you haveLIMITED STRENGTH, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I HAVE PLACED BEFORE YOU an open door that NO ONE IS ABLE TO CLOSE."
"I'm exhausted. I've tried so many times. I don't have it in me."
God says "I am pure energy, lean on me. I do every time, lean on me. I have it in me, lean on me."
13. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; DO NOT BE DISMAYED, for I AM your God . I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU and help you; I WILL UPHOLD YOU with my righteous right hand.
18. Isaiah 43:18 So DON'T REMEMBER what happened in earlier times. DON'T THINK about what happened a long time ago.
" Its not the right path for me. I should never have started this. I knew it was going to go wrong"
God says "I am leading you down the road you were made for, lean on me. I directed your path, let me walk it with you, lean on me. I know where you are going even when you don't see it, lean on me."
Jeremiah 29.11 For I KNOW THE PLANS I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and NOT FOR EVIL to give you a FUTURE and A HOPE.
I'm suddenly reminded about a critical scene in my favourite movie, Disney's Beauty and the Beast (its coming out live action soon so I am sooooo excited). Spoilers!
Maurice (Belle's dad) has a choice to make.
Take path one, get to the fair, make money. (nice easy road)
Take path two, shortcut, maybe?? (spooky dangerous road)
Some people would say that he should have chosen the safe road, instead of chancing. Then he wouldn't have met the Beast or been imprisoned. Belle wouldn't have had to save him and become a prisoner herself. She would have never developed an understanding of why people act out when they are angry and afraid. She would have never helped someone else grow and change if she had not been forced into change herself. But she never was really forced, she chose to swap places, but she didn't really grasp how difficult it would be to change herself, it got tough and many times she regretted her decision but she saw it through.
What I am trying to say is that maybe, just maybe, God sees that you need to go in a direction that doesn't look like its going where you were headed. Maybe instead of selling an invention, he has planned it that you end up living in a castle, one that you didn't know existed, that maybe needs some attention and change itself but it was there waiting for you.
Sometimes you miss opportunities by doubting yourself, but even when that happens, God has added a new turning, even if you feel like your backtracking, you have to trust that God knows what he is doing, most especially when you don't. Sometimes you need to feel lost before you ask Him for help. But once you have taken the step to ask, then you have opened the gate, once you have allowed yourself to accept His Mightyness, then you know who to ask straight away, instead of clinging to desperation, and going to God as a last resort.
25. Philippians 4:13 I CAN do all things through Christ who STRENGTHENS ME.
Thanks for reading, I pray this touches someone 💗
