I wish to share with you a writing dating back to October 2008. Occasionally, I go back through old writings to see how far Yahweh has brought me. Sometimes I check to see if things were just as relevant back then as they are today. I started my blog back in 2010, so there are quite a few that never made it up here.
It is funny how we tend to forget the lessons that we've learned over the years. Life teaches us many things and we have ups and downs - peaks and valleys. The thing is that in the valleys we are seeking a word of wisdom but in the peaks, we forget the wisdom that was imparted within us in the valley. With that, I wish to share this writing as I hope to help someone as well as remind myself that Yahweh is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. As a FYI, WFTD stands for Word For The Day. It was a Yahoo Group where some family and friends used to share some words of encouragement for about 4+ years, beginning in 2005.
----------- snip -----------
Today, I want to pick up where Ryan left off on yesterday's WFTD. He talked about how we have to wait on the Lord when you go to Him in prayer on direction and your purpose in life. Now, lets fast-forward a little to where God starts to give you a response.
The thing that confuses us most is that God does not always give us the answer to our questions the way that we like. Sometimes it is not what we want to hear. Sometimes he takes his time and spread it out over time. Sometimes it could be both! Why is that you wonder? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! *LOL*. No, but really, sometimes what He has to say, you may not be prepared to accept. However, you can digest little chunks at a time. It's like you tell a child, "stop taking big bites....take small ones and you can chew it easier" (at least that's what we tell ours). The same applies here.
In Proverbs 3:11-12 (KJV) it says:
(11) My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: (12) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.Sometimes before God can move you to a different level or take you through a new door, He may have to pull you back for a bit and shake things up a little. What do you mean Antoine? Well it's like this, if you are traveling down the highway and you miss your exit, you don't keep traveling down the highway for miles and miles in an unknown direction do you? No, you pull over to regroup. You then figure out how you need to get back on track and implement the plan to do so. The steps here were:
- Stop
- Step Back
- Learn from mistake and regroup
- Implement new plan
Now apply this to your walk with Christ and it is no different. In order for us to hear God, He sometimes need to pull us back to a "quiet" place so we can be still. It wasn't that God did not speak before, however, we were not in a mode of listening or comprehending what He was trying to tell us. Once we are still, God then can allow you to step back for a minute. In this moment of stepping back, it can be revealed to you what God has for you. However, before you move on to step #4, you must endure the correction of the Lord. Like yesterday's WFTD says, when you pray be prepared for an answer because the one you receive may not be the one you were anticipating. That is all apart of growth and as anyone knows, sometimes growth can have some pains. Once you've endured your chastening, correction, and love by the Lord, then you go on to step #4 - go on to your new direction in the Kingdom of God. Wash, rinse, & repeat because God is in the business of opening and closing doors.
In the grand scheme of things, just be prepared to have God to rustle your feathers a little bit. In order to get you to where you are going, He has to make you recognize where you currently are and your current state just may not be as you imagined it to be.
Be blessed gang and have a good one.
----------- snip -----------
Antoine E. Hall
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33
