It’s something about #Real Love. Lust and/or infatuation doesn’t even come close to this type of feeling I’m talking about & once you recognize it & get a taste of it, you’re no longer interested in the knockoffs and watered down imitations. #RealLove will have you trying to find some way to stay connected to people who have hurt you; not because you’re being a fool but because of grace and #compassion
You see beyond the person and the situation & the love of Christ covers a multitude of their fault (1Peter4:8). However, it’s not until the pruning process begins that the disconnection
takes place. There are a lot of things we dislike about our loved ones but, yet that love we have for them remains intact. I recently seen a Facebook post from one of my spiritual sisters that said, “Seek God’s truth & don’t be afraid of what you may find” & that really stuck out to me because – sometimes we refrain from praying 
certain prayers or searching for certain things due to “fear” of learning #thetruth. #PerfectLove removes ALL FEAR (1John4:18) & some would rather live a lie (in darkness) than to learn the truth about themselves and the people around/connected to them. There’s a time and season for everything under the Sun (Ecc.3) where the wheat and tare grows together until GOD does the separating (Matt.13:24-30). He knows, for a lot of us, we can’t pull away from some people on our own when its time to outgrow them and our environments & that’s when He steps in to eliminate the weeds. Don’t be afraid to #LOVE, frfr! Don’t be afraid of THE TRUTH, even if that includes being uncomfortable for a while. Don’t continue walking and stumbling in darkness (blind, confused, restless, without peace). Don’t be afraid to grow up and grow away from certain ppl/places/things. The saying is, “If you love someone, let ’em go…” because REAL LOVE does not bound in anyway, shape or form and it gives freedom to error, learn, and evolve. #SeekLove#SeekTruth#SeekGrowth#SeekWisdom#SeekCompassion#SeekPatience#SeekForgiveness#AndYouShallFind
OAN: Don’t forget to also #LOVEYOURSELF
Category: Blog Post
The Reveal
Reveal is defined, to make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others but, what about when we’re personally being revealed to ourselves? There are things hidden in us at times that we’re not always aware of. Let’s think about this in the physical for a moment. We sometimes get regular check-ups (sometimes we don’t) but, there maybe something present within our body that we didn’t even have knowledge of. Once we find out in time and catch the issue early on, we could have a much better chance a survival. Not only that, by early detecting the issue, we’re now able to get a head start on battling and conquering the problem. Rather it may be something major or minor.
Hebrew 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.“
Spiritually, there are hidden sins in us at times that aren’t always known to us until a certain situation occurs. We may have the wrong perception about a person and prejudge them based on an assumption. We could still be holding on to a painful situation, planting a “bitterness seed” & giving birth to unforgiveness; and the emotions doesn’t rise until that person enters your presence. There are times where we could be holding on to weights, unknowingly but, when we’re fervently praying and asking God to create in us a clean heart and renew the RIGHT spirit within us; when we seek Him diligently & sincerely asking to help us to become more like Him, He HAS to expose and reveal those things hidden in darkness (that isn’t pleasing to Him) to the light.
Scenario: You’re in a relationship with someone (could be friendship, partnership, or only business related) and whom you thought they were, you’re beginning to see characteristics within them and patterns that tells you they can no longer be trusted. Their behavior has caused you to clearly see the wolf in sheep’s clothing. They betrayed your trust by saying and/or doing something dishonest and hurtful and you’re angry! How do you handle yourself and the situation? How do you respond (either physically or verbally)?
See, sometimes we think just because the truth about someone is revealed, now they’re character is exposed. However, we don’t just find out about their secret place, our response to hurt, anger, and betrayal will also expose OUR secret place as well. Luke 8:17 “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known or come to light.” Our strength and weaknesses are often times revealed when we experience a test; some we pass and some test we fail. I heard someone say, “When life presses you, what comes out?” We go throughout the day prayerfully but, not always watchful; not always paying attention to what we’re allowing into our gateways (refer to previous blog topic “Keeping Our Gateways Holy”) & eventually contaminating our heart and body with impurities and soon comes out of our mouth and actions.
Tribulations are test to show us, more than God because He already knows what’s imbedded on the inside of us (Psalm 139), where we are in our faith walk and where God wants to elevate us to. There are some things within us God wants to uproot, demolish, tear down & reconstruct just so we look more like a reflection of Him; So that we develop more Christ-like characteristics. James 1:2-3 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” God gives revelation [1)an act of revealing or communicating divine truth; 2)something that is revealed by God to humans; making known; an enlightening or astonishing disclosure] to us in many ways and each obstacle we encounter is God’s way of revealing more and more to us the things that’s been hidden in secret around us and within us. (Daniel 2:22)
Sanctification is most definitely a journey and over a course of time, we gradually, or we’re suppose to, grow into who and what Our Heavenly Father wants us to become. Which means, we’ll have to do a self inventory (a spiritual check-up) to see what needs healing, repairing & uprooting. With that being said, exposure isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We may not always like how it happens but, the outcome of exposure could lead to deliverance of bondage, weights and sin. 1 Cor. 4:5 “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” When we genuiely want to be more Christ-like, we embrace exposure & revelation because we’re willing to put in the work to transform and grow.
Keeping Our Gateways HOLY
During this 2020 pandemic, there has been a lot of talk about keeping our gateways cover from COVID-19 so that we’re not exposed to the virus but, what about keeping our gateways covered under the blood of Jesus from all negative influences?
Many of us (as a society and generation) are so quick to expose ourselves to: the wrong conversation(s) and words; things that enters the gateway of our ears. We watch the wrong things (including but not limited to: the lust of the eyes; the media) that enters the gateways of our eyes. We freely expose ourselves to these toxicities through our gateways-infecting our mind, body and soul. (Acts 28:26-27; Jeremiah 5:21)
Through perilous times such as these, we must keep our eyes and ears sanctified and holy (Romans 12:-1-2) so that we can hear what the spirit has to say to our “personal” church, clearly (Matt. 11:15; John 8:47; John 10:27; Isaiah 30:21/55:3 ; Psalm 85:8;) and so that we’re abled to see clearly; the things that Satan wants hidden and disguised by putting scales over our eyes. Things that God wants to be revealed and known unto us. (Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:18/5:11; John 3:19-21). Negative exposure through our eyes and ears infects our heart and our mind and soon spreads through out; poisoning our body (soul). That’s why the bible says in Proverbs 4:23 to “Keep (guard) your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Philippians 4:6-7; Luke 6:45).
We all deal with issues in our life, and this pandemic is one them for all of us. So much of what we’re seeing and hearing in the media could damage and contaminate our entire soul (fear and doubt) if we’re not covered under the blood of Jesus, if we’re not trusting His Word(s), and if we’re not guarding our gateways from toxicities in the spirit realm (negative energy).
Our enemy, Satan, has manage to infiltrate the body of Christ and he’s seeking to destroy The Body through our gateways…our eyes and ears (refer to the book of Jude). The church is apart of The Body of Christ and aren’t we also “the church”? So the enemy has seeped through areas that we have left open by exposing ourselves to negativity, UNCOVERED! God wants us to separate ourselves from darkness in order to follow Him into the light and into the ark of safety (1 John 1:1-10; John 8:12; Isaiah 60:1-22). God wants us to fill our gateways with things that are pure so that we don’t have any room for anything opposite. (Philippians 4:6-9). The less room we make for God, the more space the enemy has to roam and fill; speaking into our subconscious thoughts and telling us the things that are contrary to The Word of God. The less we expose our gateways (eyes/ears) to the things that are holy and God-pleasing, the more we leave ourselves opened and exposed to the enemy…putting ourselves at risk for a spiritual & eternal death where many are in eternal and constant agony (Matt. 25:41-46; Revelation 20:10; 21:8; Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; James 1:15; Daniel 12:2).
Before it’s too late, we have time NOW, to give The Father all of us! He’s merciful to warn us and give us an opportunity to make room for Him in our hearts. He’s a great big god so he needs more than a small part of us; more than a small portion of our heart. He needs every inch of us. TOTALLY! He came that we may have life abundantly but, if we fail to surrender all to Him and submit our ways to HIS AUTHORITY, we can not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt.7:21; 25:31-34)
STAND STILL: Let the Dirt Do the Work
It’s too uncomfortable where you are & you gotta get away. Out of sight. Out of Mind. That makes it easier to get over hurt from specific things and people, right? You don’t have to see them or be in their presence because it’s a consistent reminder of what happened & now you’re healed and over it, right? But, what if you’re forced to stay there in the midst of that hurt? What if God allowed things to happen around you and in your life that forced you to remain right there in the very place that’s painful & uncomfortable…to face the individual(s) that caused your pain…to face what always causes you to run/move away from?
THE ALMIGHTY GOD WANTS GROWTH OUT OF US. He wants us to be strong in the faith & strong in the mind. He wants us to gain spiritual muscle through our experiences and pain (James 2). It’s easy to walk away but, it takes strength to fight. It’s not a fight of the fist but, a fight in the spirit (Ephesians 6:12), in prayer, to submit our ways & our thoughts (2Cor.10:5; Philp.2:5) to God in order to get through what we’re going through & to OVERCOME those familiar patterns. With that being said, sometimes God will instruct us to STAND STILL (Exodus 14:13-14, Psalm 37:7, 46:10-14). We allow our emotions, our frustrations and anger to move us prematurely and react without talking to God and WAITING on His response. We make decisions based on how we feel in the moment. LOGICALLY: We’re human & we do things any human would do, right? The thing about that is, it doesn’t work for God; THE HOLY SPIRIT. He knows more than anybody that we’re human and he knows exactly what all of us can and cannot handle. In addition, if we’re going through it [whatever “it” is], HE KNOWS that we can handle it (1 Cor. 10:13) and already have a way out of it for us. We just have to apply HIS word to our flesh/pain. SPEAK LIFE OVER A DEAD SITUATION and sometimes we have to do it while remaining in the eye of the storm.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR PERSONALITY, CHARACTER AND OUR ENTIRE BEING, SUBMITS TO THE WILL OF GOD (Romans 8) because, if not, we end up making moves and decisions that we suffer the consequences for later. It takes faith to wait, be patient, and STAND STILL just as it does to move. Especially when we’re uncomfortable. We say, “God, this doesn’t feel good & I don’t like it here. I’m leaving!” but, did he give you that command/instruction? The best way to get through life and any foggy ordeal, is to be led by God. HIS LIGHT. (Psalm 23, 119:105). We can not see our way without His light guiding us. And we know, when we’re going through pain, that’s usually our darkest hour/season. I encourage you to allow your faith in God to guide you, totally! I have no idea where my current test is going to lead me but, I TRUST that if I allow God to continue to guide me, I won’t error. I won’t stumble or fall. He sees beyond what we can see. He sees our finish line and already provided the door for us to walk through. We just have to TRUST that in the midst of Him instructing us to STAND STILL, He’s moving things/ppl out of the way, He’s working on that husband, on that child, on that co-worker/supervisor, HE’S WORKING ON US & HE’S MOVING ON OUR BEHALF. THINGS ARE WORKING IN OUR FAVOR for HIS PURPOSE. All he wants us to do is get out of His Way, remain in His Will & OBEY HIS INSTRUCTIONS.
GROWING PAINS
Once we become adults, at some point we have to learn to take responsibilities for our own actions. That’s apart of maturity & growth. Just because you were raised in a household where alcohol and/or drug abuse were the norm or maybe you never had people around you to show you how to be faithful or a real man/woman. Some behaviors are learned but, that’s no excuse.
Once you grow up & mature, you gain wisdom (Prov. 3:7, 14:16, 19:20; Eph. 5:15-17; James 3:17). The bad behavior you were so used to seeing in your childhood doesn’t have to control your adulthood. That painful past doesn’t have to determine & dictate your future. A so called “generational curse” only continues through generations until someone makes up in their mind that they’re gonna be different & break that chain.
Don’t get comfortable in your past. Don’t stay there. MOVE FORWARD! Sometimes we can get so comfortable & content because we’ve become accustom to the familiar. (Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”) We have to change our thought process (mind-set) in order to change self & once we change us, we can change our surroundings and our situation. When we’re going through hard times, we don’t have to make excuses for them or complain about them but, use them as guidelines for future tests. In other words, learn from the things you’ve encountered in life so you gain enough information from that particular situation so you won’t have to repeat it. And if it be so that a similar test presents itself to you, you’ll had already gain the knowledge/wisdom necessary to be able to pass that test (James 1:2-4; Prov. 19:20) .
God’s plan for us is that we prosper in life (Jeremiah 29:11). He allows us to go through difficult situations to mature us; emotionally, mentally, and spiritually (John 16:33) . Don’t stay stuck in your pass, in your pain but grow through it! Through all of my trials/tribulations I had to learn that what God wanted me to do most was pray/talk to him…that much more. It was in doing so that I gained strength to get through. I gained knowledge on how to handle the next trial. Sometimes we wanna tell this person & that person so much of what we’re going through with & yet remain weak; spiritually & emotionally. Why? Because we’re talking too much to the wrong person. Whom you’re confiding in may be telling all the things you wanna hear instead of what you NEED to hear. It’s good to vent to a person we trust to give us the truth but, the main one we need to be talking to about our issues is God. He’s the only one who has the power to bring us out. He says to cast ALL of our cares on HIM (1 Peter 5:7).
I encourage you to not just go through the pain but, GROW THROUGH THE PAIN. Allow yourself to, not only focus on the pass/pain to bask in it & have a pity-party but, allow yourself to focus on it enough to learn and see the patterns. You may not have had the best childhood but, you can CHOOSE to have a better future/adulthood. That’s the GROWTH part of the pain. You didn’t stay there (stagnate) but, you allowed yourself to move forward & ahead out of that situation. Don’t be ashamed of what WAS in your life because there’s also purpose behind that pain. A PROSPEROUS FUTURE!
It’s How You Choose to View It
I’m sure many of us who are married or have ever been married have said, “If I knew marriage would be like this, I never would have gotten married. I would’ve stayed single.” In a prior post titled, “Marriage: Real Life, No Fairy Tale”, I talk about how marriage is what you make it. It’s work…far from a fairy tale but, you could have fairy tale moments. It’s all how you choose view it. Never think you’re gonna always have happy moments and that everything will ALWAYS go as you want them to because you’ll be in for a rude awakening.
Lemme explain: In those beginning stages of marriage, of course things are normally great! You’re all in love & happy and you feel that you’ve finally found the one you always prayed for. God heard your prayers and answered everything on your list. What could be better, right? But what about on those days when you and your spouse can’t seem to come to an agreement & no one is understanding the other’s point of view? When some of those key components of the relationship starts to suffer (love, respect, trust, communication, emotional/physical/spiritual connection), would you still believe in your heart that they’re God-sent? They still very well could be. Sometimes when things start going sour in our relationships, particularly marriage, we start second guessing the person, our choice, and sometimes even God. Only you and Him (God) know what you prayed for when no one else was around. Trust Him enough to know he wouldn’t have steered you in the wrong direction. If he gave you the green light to pursue this individual or to proceed on with marriage then, know that the hardship you’re facing is only for growth/experience and to make not only you stronger as an individual but, make your marriage/spouse stronger as well. The two of you are no longer twins but, now you one flesh (Ephesians 5:31) so, when you go through the storms together, you’re supposed to come out together; wiser and stronger…with more experience.
Personal testimony: I had to go through almost 6 years of marriage in order for my eyes to become open to the information I’m sharing with you. I too expected my own marriage to be a fairy tale. I also prayed & know for a fact God answered my prayers…ESPECIALLY when things were going well but, when things started going sour, I questioned God. When my mind was so set on how things were supposed to be, I couldn’t see the bigger picture of how God WANTED it to be. Until he changed my perspective (i.e.: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view. Synonyms: outlook, POV, viewpoint, standpoint)
Sometimes we may marry a mate who may not be on our same spiritually level but, yet they may know God (Mark 10:8-9; 1Cor.7:14). If that be the case, know that you have to be a little more patient, a little more calm & understanding, a little more still and quiet, so that you can hear instructions from God on how to deal with your spouse and different situations. When we start acting and reacting too soon, we miss what God wants to say to us (his direction/instructions). I had to learn to be more patient with my spouse and more understanding because from the beginning I knew we started out on different levels. That’s apart of the “work” in marriage. We are one (spiritually once the marriage has be consummated & dedicated) but, we’re also individuals. Which means, in order to function properly as a couple, you have to work on some things, personally. Because my mind was so focused on the beginning stage (the perfectly, happy), once we started having trials, I kept questioning God…not understanding the test that was constantly put before me (a pattern).
Here’s when everything began to get clear. We made vows, “for BETTER or WORST, for RICHER or POOR, in SICKNESS and IN HEALTH…”, so with that being said, things will at some point go from good to not so good. However, it’s how you view what you’re going through WHILE you’re going through that helps you effectively get through. Your attitude towards that situation determines the outcome. You and your spouse may have disagreements but, you don’t to become disagreeable and confrontational. You may get on each other’s nerves and that’s ok too. Take time to give each other space and then come back to try to reconcile (1Cor.7:5). Know that you won’t always agree on everything anyway. You’re 2 different people with 2 different opinions trying to find a common, peaceful middle. That’s call COMPROMISE.
Just because you and your mate may be going through hard times, doesn’t mean that God didn’t send them to you…especially when you’re able to recognize his (God’s) voice. Trust him and his plan enough to know that what you may be facing in your relationship/marriage wasn’t sent to destroy or separate you two but, to strength you individually and as a couple (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) Our trails come to, not only give us strength but, also experience to share with the next couple or individual (Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4). You learn something new from your spouse everyday, so learn & study your test (situation). God teaches us something daily as well, even in the midst of our storms/trials. Don’t repeat patterns & bad habits but, instead, learn from them. Take time to be still and sit quietly and just let God be that calm & that peace you need in the midst of your marriage. Through good times and bad. It’s him who helps lighten the load & causes us to see things through a spiritual perspective.
Don’t judge situations by your own mindset. Get away from the fairy tale perspective of marriage. Don’t judge your relationship by others and how they’re getting along. We’re on the outside looking in. Focus on allowing God to be the visionary in your marriage. Since he ordained marriage and possibly your union, follow his lead. You can cause your situation to change by changing the way you view your situation. Instead of looking at your marriage or your spouse and saying, “God why am I going through this with this person…this isn’t what I prayed for. I didn’t expect to go through all of this” and at the same time while saying all this, feeling like throwing in the towel; just STAND STILL. SEEK HIM for answers but also LISTEN for directions. You’ll find that when going through the fog (trials), you can’t always see things clearly but, once you keep going forward your view & vision becomes more clear. Your marriage will be what you make it but, it’s all about how you choose to look at it.
Your Pain Has Purpose
How many times have we heard, “everything happens for a reason”? Often, right? Well, it’s true because the Word (The Holy Bible) says so (“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”Ecclesiastes 3:1). Things may happen to us and around us and we may not understand why (Ecc. 3:12) but, it’s already been foretold in scriptures. We’re gonna go through happiness and we’re gonna go through pain (Ecc. 3:1-15, 1 Peter 4:12-13, 1 Peter 4:19, Philip 4:4) that’s all apart of life; but it’s HOW we go through that makes the difference.
You’ll find that the pain you go through has a way of giving you strength. That person who use to make you cry with their words and/or their actions, you’ll notice that at some point you gain tough skin when dealing with them. You may begin to handle them and the situation a little differently…with a little more confidence and strength. When you figure out how to get through the fire (hurt, pain, disappointment) you’ll be able to share your testimony with the next individual who may be going through the exact same thing or similar on how they can get through and come out(Rev. 12:11). And THAT’S THE PURPOSE! The pain that we go through in life has to be because the Word of God has already said it would & God and his word are one and He CANNOT LIE (John 1:1, Numbers 23:19, Ecc. 3:2-4). It must be fulfilled. Not only that, the hard times we go through in life helps us to gain strength and experience, so we can go to God and trust in Him/his word more (James 1:2-4 “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”)
Those hard times we face in life are just stepping stones and with every step, you begin to move up to the next level. Think of it as moving up from one grade level to the next. We were taught certain things from 1st grade (and at that time what you were being taught may have seem so hard at the moment) but, once we allowed ourselves to learn & grasp each lesson taught, we were able to move up to the next grade; and the same thing repeated each time. So now, what seemed hard back then, has become easier to understand & handle. So likewise in life, there’s something new to learn each day. God wants to teach us how to lean & depend on him more. To have faith in Him. Pain is apart of that lesson. If you’re never faced with a weakness, you’ll never know how strong you are or how strong your faith is. Jesus had to go through a lot of pain & suffering…not only because it was already foretold before his birth but, because His Heavenly father already knew that we needed an example to pattern after. There’s no hurt or pain that we face today that Christ isn’t already familiar with. So all of the agony he went through was for a purpose. FOR US! He had enough power to come down & free himself but, he obeyed his instructions and endured it all just for us.
The goal and the blessing ahead is so much greater than the pain you may be feeling or facing. The greater the test, the greater the blessing. Remember, it’s just like in grade school. Each level prepared you for that college degree, that career job, that paycheck you always wanted. We may not see that way at that very moment and it may not even feel that way (we weren’t given the ability to predict our future) but, have all been gifted with a measure of faith; to trust God’s plan & not lean on our own understanding. What’s comforting is knowing that God would never allow us to go through a task or a situation that he didn’t already know we would be able to handle and pass (1 Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”. NIV).
Don’t allow your low moments to keep you down. Try to learn what it is that God wants to teach you in the midst of your pain and get up. Sometimes it takes getting alone in a quiet place to hear 
him and rejuvenate…just for more strength and clarity (2 Cor. 12:8-10 “8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” NKJV). A lot of times we’ll begin to see our ownselves in a different light. You’ll learn things about yourself that you may not have realized before. The confidence you may have lacked, you may gain through your pain. The self love you may have lacked you may gain through the hurt & pain. We’re gonna weep, because Jesus wept. We’re gonna have pain, be lied on, talked about, lose loved ones, because Jesus went through these things and the word of God already foretold that these things would be. Nevertheless, it’s how we go through what we’re going through that determines the level of height we get, both mentally & spiritually. It’s all about EXPERIENCE & GROWTH. You may lose for a season but, what you gain & reap after the storm will be worth every bit of that rain.
STAND OUT!
Too often in this generation, there are young adults trying to keep up with the latest fashion trend & hair style, the latest in technology and so forth. Some feel as, if they don’t have these things, then they’re not as cool as the next person who does. This sometimes brings on a lot of the bullying that’s going on today because some feel, “well if I don’t look like you, then I look different & that’s not cool”. It’s okay to be different & stand out! Different doesn’t mean weird, it means original & unique. It’s easy to find duplicates and copies but, rare to find the real deal. Embrace what makes you stand out among a crowd.
There are too many trying to be like someone else & not enough are trying to be like themselves. Wanting what someone else has could fall into the category of coveting and that’s what we don’t want because The Word of God speaks against that (Exodus 20:17, Mark 7:20-23, Romans 7:7, Eph. 5:3).
Everyone has their own journey in life…their own paths to take & their own story to tell. And though you may not have all that you desire right now or look the way you desire to look, right now but, give things time. Work hard at what YOU desire…for yourself. Not so much of what others say you should have! Because truth is, we’ll never be able to keep up with society (technology/fashion). It changes regularly but, GOD NEVER CHANGE! What we can be is consistent in keeping up with Him & the things he instructs us to do & who he’s called us to be. He will take your ordinary & make it Extraordinary. What looks like little or nothing to people could look like much to God. And that’s what matters most, how He views us. Sometimes it be the ones who starts out with so little in life but, with hard work, faith, & determination, now look at them & the great that they’ve accomplished!
Know that when you’re called, you won’t fit in anyway. You can’t…even when you try. Speaking from experience. Trying to do the things others did or go to the places they were going but, always felt uncomfortable. When you have been specifically chosen by God, you will look different. That’s because he has marked you. For example, there could be a bunch of red cups sitting on the table but, you may say “let me put a marker on this cup, so I know it’s mine”. There could be a crowd of people but, it’s gonna be 1 or a few that may stand out the most. So many of us are called but, he specifically marked a few of us (Matt. 22:14) and that’s an honor! You are apart of God’s chosen few & being picked out by him for who you are has more worth & more weight than being picked on by people for not being who THEY SAY you should be or what they say you should have.
You (we) don’t have to be bullied into trying to look like, dress like or fit the mold of anybody else other than ourselves. Instead of trying to pattern after others, why not pattern after the perfect man? (Psalm 37:37). We weren’t created to please others or make them feel good about how we choose to live but, our purpose on Earth is to fear the Lord and keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). There are people that we may admire & seek to have success like but, never lose your own identiy in the process. You can set the tone and be that example for others to follow. You have the ability to be so different & unique that others would want to be like you and desire to have what you have, so EMBRACE THAT!
Delusion or Deliverance
In today’s society, we are often trying to keep up with the latest fashion trend or technology & sometimes we feel as if, “well if I don’t have this or that then, I’m not successful or I’ve failed…”. We sometimes allow people/things to define us as individuals.
I struggled with insecurities; from teen to adulthood. No matter how many times I would hear, “you’re so beautiful”, I never really believed it. I struggled to love myself because I would look in the mirror & see so many flaws…especially when I compared myself to what & who I seen on t.v.
Society says, “your skin isn’t light enough, you’re not skinny enough, you don’t make enough money, look at your background.” We’re often labeled & judged and that sometimes causes us to feel some type of way about ourselves. We start feeding into other’s opinions of us, their definition of us; til we start believing their words about us and who THEY say we are but, what about God’s Word about us & who HE SAYS WE ARE? We become insecure & doubt self because now, we believe the hype.
Know that opinions aren’t necessarily truth (especially when it contradicts the Word of God). They’re just the thoughts & words of people. Instead of believing “their words”, remember THE WORD that says, “God is NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE…(Numbers 23:19)“. People will lie to us & deceive us but, God NEVER DOES! The enemy is gonna say everything opposite of what God says. So if He says, “trust and believe” the enemy says “doubt”. To be insecure is to lack confidence/trust , which brings on doubt. And once doubt has crept in, faith has seeped out. (Heb. 11:6). We begin to doubt God’s truth & believe the lies (2Thess. 2:1-12, Romans 1:25, 2Tim 4:3-4). All the enemy wants us to do is to doubt because God takes pleasure in us having confidence & faith in Him and his plan for our lives.
We could lack confidence within ourselves and fail to even try to be better; not reaching our full potential. Have you ever been afraid to pursue a dream or a goal because you either, listened to a negative opinion from someone or maybe that negative voice you were listening to in your own head? Or maybe you’ve held on to something painful from your past & you’ve asked God for forgiveness but, still haven’t quite forgiven yourself? I’ve been through all of this, until I learned to trust in God more. I had to learn (still learning) to first believe in myself & have confidence in myself before I could believe Him the way he wants me to. I learned that lack of self-forgiveness brings on insecurities: failing to believe God’s Word that once I’ve repented from all of my sins, He has forgiven me. So then, I began believing the lie that the enemy (Satan) spoke unto me saying, I’m still guilty…causing me to act upon that feeling.
And when you feel bound by the guilt of your past, bound by negativity (words/environment), you become bound in the mind & your spiritual growth becomes stagnated. You can’t even grow as an individual in a career because, you’ve held your self captive…in the mind. Every negative word spoken to us to make us think/feel we’re not good enough for people, for that job, or for God, IS A LIE! When we allow those negative words to take root within us, we start allowing them to define our character & then our personality starts to change. Some people start acting differently: shutting themselves off from family/friends, becoming depressed, developing suicidal thoughts. We no longer begin to act like we use to & those thoughts and feelings ARE NOT of God! (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”).
As believers of Christ, we also doubt (him/ourselves) but, to doubt God is a sin (Romans 14:23); that’s where we should come in to ask God to “help my unbelief” (Mark 9:23-25) and get our deliverance. Deliverance of bondage & captivity of the mind; because that’s where we continue to replay those negative thoughts. Then we hold those feelings within our heart. And how can God come into our heart if we occupy that space with negativity/impurities? [search scripture (The Holy Bible) on Clean/Unclean] (1Cor. 6:19).
Don’t let opinions from Man cause you to doubt yourself or God & whom He has called you to be, don’t allow insecurities/fear keep you from growing/reaching your full potential (2Tim 1:7), YOU CAN BE FREE! Remember that every other voice is a lie when it contradicts The Word of Truth.
Marriage:
Real Life Not a Fairy Tale
Sometimes we get this perception of marriage that it’s supposed to be this “happily ever after”. The kind you see in movies or read about as a kid. That’s for fairy tales. In real life, happily ever after (for me) is having, not only the love but, the patience to endure the better AND the worst. Not being so quick to throw in the towel…even when you feel like it. From my experience, u have days when you love but, not always like the person you’re married to. Many times I’ve seen other relationships and compared them to my own; but everyone has a different journey and marriage is no different.
Don’t expect marriage to always be unicorns & rainbows; a happily ever after type of journey but, a journey that’ll last forever…even after the happy. There’s a difference between being happy and being joyful. And when you can tap into that joy in the midst of your marriage on days when things aren’t looking so happy, that’s when God intervenes & gives you the patience and strength you need to love your spouse that much more…enough to push through those difficult times…and THAT’S REAL!
Empowered and Inspired 