It's Friday! This has been an interesting week. It was filled with laughter, smiles, frustration and tears. But guess what? I'm still here. Sometimes when hard times come my way, I in an instant forget why I'm here. Earlier this week I allowed my circumstances to get the best of me and without realizing it, I challenged God's timing and God's plan. It really does become confusing when I work hard to get the things I want out of life and it just doesn't pan out the way I hoped and expected it to. I know many of you can relate. You work hard, you are obedient to God's Word, and sometimes life throws you curveballs, totally knocking you off "your" timeline.
It is a daily struggle really giving up control over my life. If anyone tells you that it is easy, they are lying to you lol. I mean, giving up control means letting go of your own plans and replacing it with the Lord's plans. Now this doesn't mean that we can't create goals or have ambition, but we always have to make sure we acknowledge God first and give Him free reign to change our plans/goals/ambitions AND willingly obey and follow Him when He does (
Proverbs 3:6). It really is difficult but the rewards are worth it. This my friends, is what you call a faith walk; being led by God, not knowing exactly where He is taking you, but knowing that His way is better than yours. Faith is obedience. Obeying even when we don't understand.
Dr. Crawford Loritts, Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Rosewell, GA says,
"Faith is the acknowledgement of God's authority. It assumes that God has the right to run my life."
"True Faith is the ability to wait for the fulfillment of God's purposes in HIS time."
This seems so difficult right? We can't possibly be this selfless on our own. That is why God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us. He has given us access to incredible strength to trust Him when everything and everyone is telling us not to. He helps us to trust Him! How awesome is that? He gives us tools like His Word to guide us when we feel weak, He gives us the privilege of prayer to release the burdens we carry, and He gives us each other to help, love and encourage one another when we may need it. That is why it is so important to make ourselves available for our friends and family when they may be going through a tough time. That is why love is SO important.
Every time I experience weak moments as I did this week, I remind myself of this faith walk that I am on. I am reminded that I am not only doing this for me, but I am doing this so that my life can be a testament to someone else, that others can be drawn to Christ. So that someone else can look at me and say, "If Saunya got through it, why can't I?" I am reminded that I am doing this so that God's full and complete purpose can be fulfilled in my life and that when I am dead and gone, God will look at my life and be pleased.
Hebrews 12:2 is a constant reminder that keeps me focused on God and not my struggles. I look to Jesus as my example. He endured the most shame and pain possible and He didn't give up. He knew God had a purpose in His pain and that the end result (joy) would be everlasting. It says,
"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew he would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven."
Our current struggles are small compared to the joy we will receive later. Endure them patiently now, because in the end, we win!
xo
Reference Scriptures:
Proverbs 3:6
Hebrews 12:2
