12/07/2024
It's been a while since I've really posted my own heart to this platform. A lot has happened since my family moved from Arizona across the country and back to Georgia. Those who know me, know that in the last three or four years, I faced death, recovery and took a chance that caused us to make the move I just mentioned. We stepped out in faith and guess what? Things didn't work out the way we thought or hoped. Our vision of things did not come to pass and we found ourselves in a new place, disconnected from what we knew and a new journey began.
We've now been here almost two years and it's been two years of struggle with God. Of almost losing the fire in my heart. But it's been two years of learning and growing. We might not have always known it, there was a desire to quit and give up, but God, in His mercy always has a plan. We just sometimes put our own spin on it and then get upset or hurt when it doesn't come out the way we built it up in our minds. I'm just being transparent here. There was pain in the process. BUT I was also presented with a choice. How would I face this new storm? A storm I didn't expect (who ever does?) because I thought the "Promised Land" was finally my destination. That the dream was finally happening.
I wish I could say I faced the storm with excellence, the way God would have wanted me to, but I found myself in a pattern of grumbling and complaining and I came to realize that this had been my norm for a very long time (perhaps most of my Christian life) in pursuit of a dream that seemed forever out of reach. Philippians 2:14-15 says: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world".
Grumbling and arguing dim the light you are to be to the world. God cares far more about my character than he does about my dream. Especially if he knows that because I cultivated a life of grumbling, even if I achieved my dream I would likely fall back into the pattern of grumbling at some point. That matters to God. He doesn't want to take us somewhere where our attitude will eventually tarnish the blessing He intended us to enjoy and He can't bless disobedience (Do everything without....).
This doesn't necessarily sound encouraging, but stick with me for just a bit more. I can't go into the whole testimony because there is a lot, but what is the opposite of grumbling?
Colossians 2:6-7: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Thankfulness is the antidote to grumbling and complaining. But just like grumbling, thankfulness is a choice. Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERY situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests to God.
When I saw Colossians and realized I wasn't living a life overflowing with thankfulness that woke me up. The way I spoke if someone asked me how my day was. I was always ready to tell you what was going wrong, what the problems were that I had faced, where I was hurt, but never shared what I was thankful for. So I repented right as I read that and I decided to cultivate and choose thanksgiving in my life and you know what? All my issues disappeared.....not.
No, I woke up the next morning and chose to thank God for anything I could think of. Issues I was facing were still there, the dream didn't immediately materialize but my attitude in facing them changed. I chose to search for God in the storm. I chose to thank him for everything the storm might be producing in me. He said we'd have trouble, there would be trials, but all of these were to help me. Now, don't take this to mean that I think we should just take everything the enemy throws at us and declare, oh this is just God testing me. God doesn't need to test us, He already knows what is in our hearts, but he does temper us, he does transform us, but we have to choose our posture before Him.
I chose to stop choosing a posture of grumbling and complaining and instead embraced thankfulness. It immediately began to change my heart, my outlook, my trust and faith in Him and while issues may still be there, the storm may be there, the fear, worry, and doubt are not. Fire is rekindled and hope is restored because I chose to thank Him...and in that I found trust again. I stopped looking at what wasn't working out and simply turned my focus to Him and thankfulness seemed easier. I started saying yes to the dream again and it started to be born again. I started to see a path forward and you know what? It affected my whole family. I had confidence to say yes to things I was saying no to.
Philippians 4:8 has a list of things God tells us to think on and fear, worry, frustration, anger, complaining about what isn't happening or hasn't happened is not on that list. Read it. Dare to do it. Be thankful that God is growing you in the trial, be thankful that He's made a way out (His Word says so), be thankful that He is delivering you, but taking something uncomfortable or intended to harm you and making you stronger, wiser, and better as He teaches you how to handle it (turning it for your good). Be thankful He is speaking to you and leading you, even if it makes no sense to your natural mind. You've made every mistake in your head, but He has overcome on your behalf....so be thankful.
I can tell you that it makes all the difference to change your mindset into one God can work with. Please do not hear me saying to not discuss your pain with a trusted brother or sister. That you should not reach out in your storm for prayer and help to weather it. Maybe you need to find someone to be thankful with you and walk with you through it. We aren't choosing to hide our struggles, we are choosing to not grumble about them, we are choosing to make a decision to be thankful in every season.
It starts with a decision. There is power in your words (even if you are just thinking them to yourself) so choose the ones that give you faith, hope, and love. Choose the ones that build you up in Him and drive you to deeper levels of purity, and intimacy in him. Thankfulness brings you to holiness, grumbling leads you to defeat and carnal mindsets. Thankfulness puts the focus on God, grumbling puts it on you. Take up your cross and follow him. Deny yourself....choose thankfulness. I've chosen it and now I can dream again...don't give up on Him. He has many things waiting for you that you can't even dream of, but He wants you to enjoy His gifts. Thankfulness is obedience, because He's told us to offer it. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Stop sacrificing what He never told you to, embrace obedience and be thankful!
Blessings to everyone who reads this. If you want someone to come along side you in thankfulness, send me a message. I'd love to talk to and pray with you.
