Today, God has opened my eyes and my heart in a huge way. It all started as we were driving to church this morning. The day began like any other Sunday morning, I got up before everyone else and began getting ready. After waking up the kids and having them start getting ready, I then got Jerry up so he could also get ready. A big morning of getting ready! Lol! Both Jerry and I like to refresh ourselves with worship as we prepare to minister in worship at church. We often turn on the set list for that day and play it over and over, really getting the music into our spirits. This is a great way for anyone to start a Sunday. There are often negative distractions that disrupt the Sunday routine, the spirit, the atmosphere and once we get to church we have a hard time shaking it all off and allowing the fullness of God's presence to penetrate our hearts. We block God from coming when we can't move past our feelings, thoughts, and attitudes. Sometimes things beyond our control just get in the way and all you can do is just stop and pray and move on, making the choice not to allow anything to get in the way of God's presence manifesting in your life.
Like I said, we began our regular routine, but something about today felt different. I can't fully explain it other than I know I was already feeling God's presence without really even pressing in. I knew that He had done a work in me over the weekend and it was continuing on. Something broke in me on Friday night at Youth as I poured out and God poured in. It changed me, it moved me, it shifted me into the next phase of the next season. When the seasons begin to change, everything begins to change. It happens gradually, as the temperature first begins to shift, like right now for example. We have been noticing days of cooler weather, especially in the morning time. The air smells and feels different. The sun still comes out and shines, but the triple digit temperatures are giving way to the lovely double digits once again. The trees and leaves are changing color, although in the deserts of Arizona you don't see as much color changing taking place. All in all you can "feel" the atmosphere gradually shifting into the next season, which I definitely embrace and welcome to hurry on up! Lol! :)
I "feel" something different and gradually changing in me as I continue to surrender all of myself to God and walk according to His purpose for my life. The impact of His power and presence and love and grace and mercy and goodness and Majesty and peace, and rest and strength...all of who He is, moves me into the flow of the changes of the seasons. Each season, as we know is already set in the same ordered pattern, but how it comes and what happens in and around can often be different. For example, we know that around the same months it begins to cool down and hopefully by the end of October we should be completely out of triple digits and seeing more 70's and 80's degree weather. Some years it takes further into November to see the coolness that will show up in other years at the end of September. Sometimes we have storms that bring us even cooler temps when other years its dry and the rain is scarce. Even still the seasons change as planned. The seasons in life we go through change...each passing year brings in new bloom, new seed, new life, as well as old things passing away, dying, and making room for the cycle of new and old, new and old.
If you observe closely, the happenings and patterns of your life you will begin to see the season changes I am talking about. The times of harsh weather conditions are the most uncomfortable times and I feel like I am seeing the end of some of these conditions as I transition into the next season which is bringing its own set of harsh and lovely conditions. It's almost a moment to breathe, refresh, refuel, gain strength, and get ready for whatever comes my way next. I will take in ALL that I can from these moments because the challenges are challenging and I mean let's face it who "wants" to feel uncomfortable? Not me! But yet I do because I know that if I were to remain comfortable I have fallen from the path God has called me to walk. He did not call me to live a life of easy and comfortable. He says that we rest in Him, find peace and comfort in Him, but that doesn't mean we stop facing challenges. It's how we perceive the things we face that determine our reaction to them. I don't want to fall apart every time I face something challenging or seemingly difficult, but if I go into it knowing that through God I will have strength (Phil. 4:13), through God I will have the peace that passeth all my understanding (Phil. 4:7), through God I will have joy unspeakable (1Pet. 1:8), through God I am made whole (Luke 8:3), I am set free (2Cor 3:17), and on and on as the scripture, God, promises His people.
I am full of God's joy, I feel like I have been broken out of a place of bondage and I am breathing fresh air, tasting a freedom I had forgotten. I have never forgotten my freedom, but when you feel bombarded and overwhelmed by circumstances you don't feel free, you feel chained, condemned to a life of uglies, cast into the pit of eternal hardships...haha...intense right? Lol! (Rom. 8:4 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.") We can only rely on these things if we are to stay afloat in this chaotic world and walk out victoriously as God has proclaimed. (1Cor. 15:57 "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.") (1John 5:4 "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.").
(Phil. 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.") I will align my thoughts, my feelings, myself with the things of God, casting down all other things. (2Cor. 10:5 "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;")
Until tomorrow guys...Loves and Hugs,
Christina
Hmmm....another thought...
You can feel things out but do not alone rely on these feelings. First rely on God and be ok if your feelings don't match with what God is doing. He has a plan and a big picture that we do not know, but if we say we trust in Him than we will follow Him wherever He leads us. Another thought even...If God is seeming to lead us off the edge of a cliff, will we still jump believing that if He is leading us He will also provide the net to catch us. Abraham trusted in God's promise to give Him a son that that lineage of the Messiah would come from. When he was told to sacrifice his son Isaac, the promised, He had to trust that God would raise Isaac from the dead or do something miraculous because God does not lie, He is faithful to fulfill His promises, His word (Duet. 7:9; 1Cor. 10:13). We must trust in this way. Looking beyond just doing something but believing and trusting in God and in His word in a deeper way!!! Just a thought!
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