The LORD is our protector and glorious king, blessing us with kindness and honor. He does not refuse any good thing to those
who do what is right. LORD Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you! (Psalm 84:11, 12 GNT)
...But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.
At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:8, 9 NLT)
Have you ever felt God calling you to do something you felt was impossible? Asking you to sacrifice the one thing you
always said you couldn't do without? Giving you a vision or dream that you felt incapable of fulfilling?
**raises hand**
It was this time last year that I went through this very experience. (I blogged about it here Part 1 and here Part 2)
During that season of life God was hitting me left and right urging me to "get it together" and revealing to me the
purpose he had designed me for. I surely felt in my own strength I couldn't do what he was asking nor did I feel
worthy of any of it. Yet because of my love for God and desire to please him and no one else.
I decided to do two simple things: 1) Trust 2) Obey.
Now as I reflect over the past year, it only takes about 5 seconds max for my eyes to start welling with tears of
joy. God has taken my life on such an AMAZING journey that I'm left speechless at times. You see where I
am in my life now is nowhere remotely close to where I would have imagined. None of it was in MY plans.
This time last year I'd never wrote anything and frankly didn't "get" blogging yet because of HIM I now have not
one but two active blogs! (I started a travel blog in June) and have been asked by others to write articles on various
topics. At the beginning of this year I lead a women's bible study and just recently tapped into my entrepreneurial
side and started my own consulting company in May. But more important than any blog, recognition or additional
stream of income has been the way God has healed my heart, restored my confidence and placed me on a path of
purpose. I firmly believe that if I had chose to ignore rather than obey God, I would still be stuck in the same old stupid
pits, entangled in sin and living a mediocre life.
Now I realize that all that time I was living miserably and beneath my potential, God had a PERFECT plan for my life and
I only needed to trust, obey and cooperate with it! It hasn't been easy but I'm overjoyed to be living a more fulfilling and
purpose driven life that continues to place me in the perfect position to receive more of his favor, goodness and
kindness.
There's a popular quote used a lot as it relates to the struggle to lose weight:
"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.” ― Art Williams ©
The same can be said for our faith journey. Doing the right thing when wrong seems so popular, striving to walk
blameless in a sin sick world, and choosing to remain pure when temptation arises will certainly not be easy. There will
be times where one can feel isolated, misunderstood and overlooked. However while the world may disregard your
obedience and faithfulness, know that God is looking and is well pleased. As Psalms 84 reminds us, God wants to reward
us with favor and honor for remaining faithful in him and walking in obedience. Don't be discouraged. Keep walking the path
which God has set before you. Keep believing in the impossible. Keep praying in faith. Keep studying his word. Most of all keep
trusting in him and let God amaze you. I promise it will all be worth it!
Blessings:)
~Toya Nicole
Keeping our fixed on Jesus, the eternal and not on the things of this world is something I need to be reminded of often. Sometimes I wonder if I try too hard (if that makes sense) that I forget at times God may be calling me to step out in faith in the here and now. I don't want to miss out on any of His blessings because I am not listening to what He is telling me while I am walking this journey.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Toya! God bless!
Thanks Dawn! I agree and have learned being in close relationship with HIM makes all the difference. In the past I was doing "great work" for Jesus but it wasn't exactly what he was calling me to do. Sometimes we have to slow down and ask him what he really wants from us. Thx for commenting! Bless you!
DeleteToya, may God bless you and keep you for obeying His commandments, even when you know that it won't be easy, but it will be worth. I also love Galations 6:9, the part about not growing weary in doing what is good, for in due time you will reap what you sow if you do not give up. God was telling me this verse often when my husband was trying to get SSD (Social security disability). It took 4 years from the time of his accident to finally be approved and we were discouraged a lot. But the best part is, I cannot think of a time when we didn't have all our needs met with only my income during that four years. God provided other avenues of income quite often and He showed me that He is watching, even though I cannot see Him. I love this post and I plan to read Part 1 and 2.
ReplyDeleteThanks Starla! What an awesome testimony. God is such a provider!!!! I have to often reflect on Galatians 6 when I get discouraged, great passage! Bless you:)
DeleteThanks Toya, It made me think of the lyrics "Trust and obey, trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey." Sometimes it's not as easy as it should be, but when we do I think we are able to look back at some point and see that the decision we made was well worth it. Thanks for sharing. ♥
ReplyDeleteThanks Salina! Yes, once we learn to surrender and completely trust it brings peace and true joy. Thanks for commenting sister:)
DeleteIt's always beautiful to see the works he does in other lifes because of there obediance and trust in Him. It also becomes a great example on how we should follow too. Thank you for uplifting my spirit with your post.
ReplyDelete