So for those of you who know me, you know that I put myself under the teaching of two fearless women in the body of Christ. Christine Caine and Lisa Bevere. I don't know them personally, I haven't sat and had lunch with them, but I choose to be mentored by them through their books, podcasts, I serve as a Propel Chapter leader, I watch their facebook live feeds, and pretty much any sermon they post on youtube. One thing Chris said yesterday that struck a chord with me was "Don't look back." like Lots wife who looked back after she was told not too, she was turned into a pillar of salt. In my version "She looked back and got salty." I have been praying this season of my life, as I know God is getting ready to do something great, our team has seen it, I have felt it and this season we are setting apart time to fill ourselves first. It has been a very difficult season for me because I have allowed God to search me, and point out my weaknesses, my flaws, because I want to be running strong towards Jesus clear into my eighties and nineties.
Last night I watched our Lioness Arising DVD and we talked and God reaffirmed "Strength is for Service not Status. I have heard all these words four years ago and it made me reflect even more on this looking back. "God I heard these words four years ago, why didn't I listen to them?" Well this morning I opened up my bible and the book of Jeremiah caught my eye and I began to read and God began to speak this morning.
When others hurt you
Every Great in the bible had the temptation to look back at their sins, their failures, those who hurt them, who actually tried to kill them. Joseph told his brothers, those who sold him into slavery "What you meant for harm, God meant for good and it has saved thousands. How does he do this? How was he able to look at his brothers and in love bless those that cursed him? He didn't keep looking back, he kept moving forward. You see so many of us, including myself, get stuck in those moments of hurt. I would get so far and the enemy would use people who would bring it up. "Remember when you did this?" or "What ever happened between you and so and so." It would be a moment where I could open the door and look back and be salty at God, at that person, or I could keep moving forward. The enemy knows what he is doing, I have seen him use one person's insecurity to play off of another, until a whole body is infected with mess. Not looking back means dealing with your hurts and then placing them into God's hands. No one can deliver you except Jesus Christ. Sometimes you just have to TRUST that God is for you, and keep moving towards him. Like Joseph those who hurt you, who tried to kill whatever God placed in you, one day will come to you and need what God has planted in you. Joseph fed the whole world, he kept his eyes focused forward.
When you are Comparing
David said in Psalms 73 "My feel almost slipped, my feet nearly went astray for I envied the arrogant, I saw the prosperity of the wicked, they have an easy time." Ever been there? For me I have spent weeks there even months. I see people who in my eyes were handed everything and they treat others badly, they mock God and his commands, and yet they get everything. David says here in vs 14 " Did I wash my hands in innocence and wash my hands for nothing? For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning." Again ever been there? You do the right things and others get promoted before you, you aren't the life of the party because you don't party, you don't go to the bar and get ragingly drunk. You don't cheat, you try to be nice and it gets you in last place. Teddy Roosevelt says it this way "Comparison is the thief of Joy." If you keep looking back at the wicked, which were the inhabitants of Sodom, it will embitter your soul. Comparison will invite bitter roots in your life. Judgmental words, actions, anger, rage, manipulation. It all starts when you start comparing. David says at the end of the psalm "Who do I have in heaven but You? You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me up in glory. I desire nothing on earth but You. Your comparison has to do with your desires. Quit looking behind you at everyone else and keep moving forward to what God has for you. David kept his eyes focused on God and kept moving forward.
When you are Complaining
Jeremiah was a prophet to God's people during a very hard season when they were reaping the consequences of their actions. In Jeremiah 15: 10 Jeremiah complains "Woe is me, my mother, that you gave birth to me." Again ever been there? You do what God tells you to do and that person you thought would be for you isn't. The one you reached out to burned you, the other continue to gossip about you. You feel like your whole world is crashing and here you were being obedient to what the Holy Spirit was speaking. So what do you do? You complain, just as Jeremiah did we do. I have a few times just whispered to God "Why did you ask me to do this, do you hate me?" His response "Do you trust me?" God always responds in our complaining if we are available to hear Him. Jeremiah was available and in verse 19 he responds "If you return, I will restore you, you will stand in my presence. And if you speak noble words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesperson." Um Ouch! When we turn to complaining and our pity parties we literally turn away from God. We can't see Him because we are too busy feeling sorry for ourselves. We see everything else but we can't stand in His presence. He says "If you speak noble words rather than worthless ones you will be my spokesperson." Our choice of words is a big deal. David says in Psalm 73 "When I became embittered and in my innermost being was wounded, I was stupid and didn't understand. I was an unthinking animal towards you." We need to bring our cares to God but we need to TRUST Him with them. When we complain we become like unthinking animals towards God and we spit out worthless words rather than trust Him.
So don't look back, don't hold grudges, don't compare yourself and don't complain about what God is doing in you because you don't know what He is doing. His ways are not our ways and at the end of the day faith is trusting when you can't see. So I hope you all are blessed!!
Last night I watched our Lioness Arising DVD and we talked and God reaffirmed "Strength is for Service not Status. I have heard all these words four years ago and it made me reflect even more on this looking back. "God I heard these words four years ago, why didn't I listen to them?" Well this morning I opened up my bible and the book of Jeremiah caught my eye and I began to read and God began to speak this morning.
When others hurt you
Every Great in the bible had the temptation to look back at their sins, their failures, those who hurt them, who actually tried to kill them. Joseph told his brothers, those who sold him into slavery "What you meant for harm, God meant for good and it has saved thousands. How does he do this? How was he able to look at his brothers and in love bless those that cursed him? He didn't keep looking back, he kept moving forward. You see so many of us, including myself, get stuck in those moments of hurt. I would get so far and the enemy would use people who would bring it up. "Remember when you did this?" or "What ever happened between you and so and so." It would be a moment where I could open the door and look back and be salty at God, at that person, or I could keep moving forward. The enemy knows what he is doing, I have seen him use one person's insecurity to play off of another, until a whole body is infected with mess. Not looking back means dealing with your hurts and then placing them into God's hands. No one can deliver you except Jesus Christ. Sometimes you just have to TRUST that God is for you, and keep moving towards him. Like Joseph those who hurt you, who tried to kill whatever God placed in you, one day will come to you and need what God has planted in you. Joseph fed the whole world, he kept his eyes focused forward.
When you are Comparing
David said in Psalms 73 "My feel almost slipped, my feet nearly went astray for I envied the arrogant, I saw the prosperity of the wicked, they have an easy time." Ever been there? For me I have spent weeks there even months. I see people who in my eyes were handed everything and they treat others badly, they mock God and his commands, and yet they get everything. David says here in vs 14 " Did I wash my hands in innocence and wash my hands for nothing? For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning." Again ever been there? You do the right things and others get promoted before you, you aren't the life of the party because you don't party, you don't go to the bar and get ragingly drunk. You don't cheat, you try to be nice and it gets you in last place. Teddy Roosevelt says it this way "Comparison is the thief of Joy." If you keep looking back at the wicked, which were the inhabitants of Sodom, it will embitter your soul. Comparison will invite bitter roots in your life. Judgmental words, actions, anger, rage, manipulation. It all starts when you start comparing. David says at the end of the psalm "Who do I have in heaven but You? You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me up in glory. I desire nothing on earth but You. Your comparison has to do with your desires. Quit looking behind you at everyone else and keep moving forward to what God has for you. David kept his eyes focused on God and kept moving forward.
When you are Complaining
Jeremiah was a prophet to God's people during a very hard season when they were reaping the consequences of their actions. In Jeremiah 15: 10 Jeremiah complains "Woe is me, my mother, that you gave birth to me." Again ever been there? You do what God tells you to do and that person you thought would be for you isn't. The one you reached out to burned you, the other continue to gossip about you. You feel like your whole world is crashing and here you were being obedient to what the Holy Spirit was speaking. So what do you do? You complain, just as Jeremiah did we do. I have a few times just whispered to God "Why did you ask me to do this, do you hate me?" His response "Do you trust me?" God always responds in our complaining if we are available to hear Him. Jeremiah was available and in verse 19 he responds "If you return, I will restore you, you will stand in my presence. And if you speak noble words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesperson." Um Ouch! When we turn to complaining and our pity parties we literally turn away from God. We can't see Him because we are too busy feeling sorry for ourselves. We see everything else but we can't stand in His presence. He says "If you speak noble words rather than worthless ones you will be my spokesperson." Our choice of words is a big deal. David says in Psalm 73 "When I became embittered and in my innermost being was wounded, I was stupid and didn't understand. I was an unthinking animal towards you." We need to bring our cares to God but we need to TRUST Him with them. When we complain we become like unthinking animals towards God and we spit out worthless words rather than trust Him.
So don't look back, don't hold grudges, don't compare yourself and don't complain about what God is doing in you because you don't know what He is doing. His ways are not our ways and at the end of the day faith is trusting when you can't see. So I hope you all are blessed!!
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