Doing the assignment God has given us is not always easy. The road is not smoothly paved, and life is not always like a love song. But I have been learning this season that it is all about trusting in God, trusting his timing, trusting that he has the best for us, and trusting that he can do exceedingly abundantly above what he could ever ask or even imagine.
My friend, as I reflect on the past couple of weeks and how challenging they have been in terms of not knowing where God is taking me, not knowing if I have heard properly, requiring clarity, and just having to sit and wait, I might add that waiting is no easy task.
I am telling you, if you are someone like me who can be impatient, trust me, it's hard to sit and wait on God, but that's what he has called us to do, to wait patiently on him to seek his face with directions of clarity for wisdom, for his timing just when to move, and when to be still.
Can I whisper something to you? I feel like I've been sitting still for a long time. However, God wants to speak and talk to me in the stillness. Still, I cannot be in such a hurry or not think that stillness is a part of God's plans for my life, and for your life as well, because we are people who always want to be on the move, always want to be in the know, we hardly want to take time to stop and to listen.
Listen to what God is saying to you, and wait for His instructions and direction for where He wants us to go. In this assignment, we have to pause, reflect, and stop at some point because, in going further, we need to know the directions to walk in alignment with His will.
We can only move if we know where to go. What I have found in this season is that sometimes we can be looking over the fence, or can I speak for myself? Sometimes, I'll look over the fence, and sometimes, I wonder, what am I not doing? Why am I feeling as if I'm not accomplishing anything?
Can I tell you, these were the thoughts I had in my head? Then, I had a conversation with my friend Judy this week. Judy told me, "Colette, I know it feels or may appear as if nothing is happening, but when I listen to you and look at your life, God is doing something. God is using you, and while you might not see the financial benefits, he gives back to you when you give to God."
Have you ever heard something you didn't think you needed to hear, but when you heard it, it resonated so deep within you that you felt a settled peace? That's how I felt, and I want to remind us, too, that God will send us what we need when we need it if we are open to hearing and receiving.
The whole truth is, I don't know what you are called to do or how God is calling you to serve. You might be in a place today where you don't see what God is saying, or you might be struggling. God has called you to be an entrepreneur, and things aren't going how you thought they would have.
He's called you to open a business in the marketplace, and you're struggling to find the clients, and you're wondering, God, Did you really say, did I hear you correctly? Did you call me? Or you may be in a financial bind and not see the end. It seems dark, and you're wondering, God, but you said, and I am giving; I'm doing, I'm serving, but where are you in the midst of this? May I encourage you as I've been encouraged, and I've been encouraging myself as well, that God is right there with you; though you might not be seeing or reaping the financial benefits right now, can I tell you that it will come?
Yes, it will come as we steadfastly hold on to what God has called us to do, as we steadfastly look to him, and I know it's not always easy to keep our eyes on him. Can I tell you? I know that to be true for me.
Think of Peter when he was in the boat, and Jesus was on the water. The Lord said, "Come," and Peter stepped out. As long as he had his eyes on Jesus, he was fine, but the minute he looked down, what happened? He started sinking, and I believe that's the same for you and me.
And I know for sure that it's the same for me. When my gaze is steadfastly set on my Father, the challenges that I am facing, the hardships, the difficulties, and the unopened doors, it seems like nothing as I have this peace.
I have this joy. I have this feeling that it's all going to be well. But can I tell you when the enemy comes in and whispers and says, yes, I know you feel good now. But do you see that deadline that you have looming? When I take my eyes off my Father, the minute I start to look down, what happens: restlessness, the lack of peace and joy, the murmuring and the complaining, and the Lord, where are you? I don't know where you are. I am not telling you it is easy to remain focused; I know it's not.
I have found that when I have been in a place where my gaze has shifted off my Father, and I am looking at my situation and the circumstances around me, I go to my Father, confessing that my faith is waning right now. It's hard for me to look at you. I don't have mustard-seed faith, but I'm asking you to help me keep my focus on you."
It would help if you had a community, a tribe around you, to reach out to. When you feel as if you are going under and all these other things are happening, you need someone who you can lean on and ask to pray with you. Do you have those persons that you can reach out to? I do, and can I tell that they are a lifeline when I need it?
There's always someone with an encouraging word, someone praying, someone saying you can do it, you know, pointing you to resources. We're not an island; we're not by ourselves. God has placed destiny helpers to help us; we have to see them, know that they are there, and trust that God placed them there for such a time as this, yes, and He wants us to utilize them.
Sometimes, pride steps in. We don't want to ask for help or tell anyone else we're struggling. Instead, we prefer to keep it to ourselves and keep praying.
However, while we are in prayer, God is pointing to the resource there, the person there to help meet our needs. God says, "Yes, I am your everlasting help, but I have also placed someone in your tribe." Speak to them and share with them. They have wisdom to impart to you as well.
Still, if we continue to allow pride to hold us back from speaking or telling someone else we need their help, we'll always be in a place where our eyes are downcast. And can I tell you that's precisely where the enemy wants us to be?
Psalm 4 "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer." I don't know, but once I heard and read that verse, something about it connected with my spirit, and I felt hope just soaring and encouraging me that in my situation or my distress, God is going to enlarge me.
While I may be in distress, that is where I learn the goodness of God, the favor of God, the grace of God, the presence of God, and the open doors of God. From this, I can tell someone else this is where I have been and how God has shown up for me.
I don't know where you are today or what you are struggling with, but I am here to encourage you to be truthful to your daddy and tell him what is happening with you—the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Today, let us lift our eyes to the hills from whence cometh our help and be reminded that it is in our distress that God will enlarge us. It's not when you come out of it, my sister, but when we are in it.
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