Season of Change

My Selah Moment:

I'm in a season of transparency concerning my life's journey as a Christian, and a leader. Some days and some seasons in life are hard to go through. In my walk with God there are moments when my faith waivers and I have to encourage myself through the Word of God. And every now and then God will have someone call or text me with words of encouragement, but most days I'm on my own. I see the fruit of my life through the prayer ministry that God has assigned me to and the many answered prayers for others. But sometimes I have wondered, "what about me God?" This particular blog post is not designed for those who have it all together. Nope this is designed for those who want more of God! Those who are broken, thirsty, and hungry for His presence. That is my current situation- I'm not satisfied where I am- I want more of God.

Walking in a new season can at times be daunting as you learn to navigate new terrain both spiritually and naturally. It can throw one off balance, make you discombobulated. During seasons of shifts, and transitions I have found it necessary to stay close to God. What that means is I have to increase in prayer. Where I prayed for one hour a day I may now have to pray two or three hours a day. That also means incorporating weekly fasting, and increased time studying the Word. I have found it helpful to shroud myself in worship, and to listen to worship songs to settle my spirit. I have found that it is extremely important to really be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. One thing I know for sure is that when I deviate from the plans of God, things never work. But when I follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, things always work out right.

One morning as I was seeking God in prayer, He led me to read Isaiah 48:10 (KJV)- Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Whoa! Still on my knees I looked at the scripture again and pondered, how could God want to use me. At that moment it didn't matter to God how I felt about my self or my situation, He looked past my feelings and was pulling me out from the place from which I had fallen. No, I haven't backslid, I was tripping because things are not going as I want them to. I was having a moment or two of pouting and complaining. And in my moment...God met me there. Tears running down my face, he came to see about me. The word affliction in Hebrew is the word oni, which means depression, misery, trouble. He had come to lift me out of the furnace of affliction, the state of depression, the low state I had sunk into. And it didn't matter to God how low I had sunk, His word rang loud in my spirit that He had chosen me. He reminded me that day that what I had been through was not designed to destroy me, but to refine me for his usage and glory. He needed me to be completely devoid of my personality, to be totally abandoned of my ideas, thoughts, actions, and emotions. To be completely stripped of my identity so that I can totally reflect His image. My identity for His. No ego tripping here...when something goes through a refinery (a place for purifying a crude substance), it is broken-down, melted, or purged. Whatever it once was, it has now become something else. I have come to realize that I am in a "transformative transitional" period of my life. While it is not an easy process to change, I know at the end of the day, it will be well worth it all.

Walking in my 2 Corinthians 5:17 season- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

Shalom!

Pastor T

Selah means to pause, think about it and give God praise.