What's Goin' On?
I don't know about you, but it feels as if the heat has been turned up about 10 more degrees. The pressure of life seems to have increased all around me, and in the midst of this, I'm at such peace. One side of me is like..."what in the hell is going on?" and the other side of me is like, "enjoying the ride of a lifetime." Why the contrasts? Why the abrasive and abrupt differences?
It’s the best of times and yet the worst of times…I feel like I’ve made so much progress but then I see that I have a lot of work yet to do. I see myself walking tall like a giant…but I feel like I’m as small as an ant and why would the Lord even care. The way I was raised, people would think that I'm just the wonderful son of a preacher man, working with youth, nice job, graduate of a prestigious institution, etc. etc., but there is another side of my mind...wow. I won't even go there because if I was to be totally honest with you...well, let me put it to you like this, I would be asked to turn my ordination papers in! See, this journey is tough! I don’t know about you, but some days I just want to throw my hands up and say f#** everything! Can I be that blatantly honest with you or is that too much? I mean, I don't know what your image of a priest is, but mine is quite different because I’m living this thing!
Oh yeah, it’s the best of times…I’ve faced many issues that I never thought that I’d be able to encounter, and then I can’t get comfortable with where I am on the journey because the enemy is still setting traps for me, in hopes that I will fall short…and then to compound the matter, the youth that look at me as a leader, I hear their voice in the distance telling me to finish my part of the race, and not only finish but finish strong! I hear them saying, "Finish with a determination so great that we have an edge up on the evil one." It’s amazing that as I prepare to enter a new season in my life, I’m more tired now than I was at the beginning of the year. I’ve got more people around me to talk to than ever and yet I feel the most vulnerable.
I see a vision of me walking down a dark corridor…knowing that God is ever present, but I can’t help but wonder if He forgot that I was waiting on His next command! I don’t know if anyone understands what I’m feeling right at this moment, but there is something that I’m in pursuit of and it has to be better than what I’m experiencing now! I’m at a place that I want to cry out, “my God, my God, have you forsaken me?" but I know that He hasn’t! The Apostle Paul says in Phil. 1:12, "the things that have happened to me have happened for the furtherance of the Gospel." But with that being said, I mean, hell! He can’t leave me this way! I’ve come thru too much to turn back…and I know that there’s something great on the way. My prayer is Lord, keep me focused…I know the plan of the enemy is to use those closest to me to discourage me. I know the plan of the enemy is to make me look at my situation and the situation of those I love through small eyes…but I know that something greater has been prophesied…something greater has been predestined. Yes, I’m discouraged about the state of the family throughout the world…yes, I’m dismayed at their present condition, but I know God! I didn’t go through all the stuff I just went through to get to this point and say I quit! I’m not a quitter! I’m more than a conqueror!
I’m not going to give up now…but it’s hard! That’s why my inner circle has got to be tight! My inner circle has to consist of those who can challenge me in the midst of what I’m going through to push through the veil and see God! I received some blows in the past few weeks that could have taken the average person out…but that’s why God conditioned me in the hallway of adversity…that’s why God commissioned the enemy to take me through boot camp because He knew that I already had it in me to be a survivor…but I had to find out for myself that I’m a survivor and I don’t have to just take anything!
No matter what…I understand that I’m here for more than just me. I’m not here because my dad met my mom and conceived me. I’m here because God orchestrated my existence for such a time as this…and He did the same for you because He is no respect of person!
It gets rough…but check your surrounding…you’re either with someone who is helping you to make it to a new dimension…or you’re with someone who is going nowhere fast, quick, and in a hurry!!!!
Like the songwriter said, "whatever my lot, thou has caused me to say, it is well with my soul!"
It’s the best of times and yet the worst of times…I feel like I’ve made so much progress but then I see that I have a lot of work yet to do. I see myself walking tall like a giant…but I feel like I’m as small as an ant and why would the Lord even care. The way I was raised, people would think that I'm just the wonderful son of a preacher man, working with youth, nice job, graduate of a prestigious institution, etc. etc., but there is another side of my mind...wow. I won't even go there because if I was to be totally honest with you...well, let me put it to you like this, I would be asked to turn my ordination papers in! See, this journey is tough! I don’t know about you, but some days I just want to throw my hands up and say f#** everything! Can I be that blatantly honest with you or is that too much? I mean, I don't know what your image of a priest is, but mine is quite different because I’m living this thing!
Oh yeah, it’s the best of times…I’ve faced many issues that I never thought that I’d be able to encounter, and then I can’t get comfortable with where I am on the journey because the enemy is still setting traps for me, in hopes that I will fall short…and then to compound the matter, the youth that look at me as a leader, I hear their voice in the distance telling me to finish my part of the race, and not only finish but finish strong! I hear them saying, "Finish with a determination so great that we have an edge up on the evil one." It’s amazing that as I prepare to enter a new season in my life, I’m more tired now than I was at the beginning of the year. I’ve got more people around me to talk to than ever and yet I feel the most vulnerable.
I see a vision of me walking down a dark corridor…knowing that God is ever present, but I can’t help but wonder if He forgot that I was waiting on His next command! I don’t know if anyone understands what I’m feeling right at this moment, but there is something that I’m in pursuit of and it has to be better than what I’m experiencing now! I’m at a place that I want to cry out, “my God, my God, have you forsaken me?" but I know that He hasn’t! The Apostle Paul says in Phil. 1:12, "the things that have happened to me have happened for the furtherance of the Gospel." But with that being said, I mean, hell! He can’t leave me this way! I’ve come thru too much to turn back…and I know that there’s something great on the way. My prayer is Lord, keep me focused…I know the plan of the enemy is to use those closest to me to discourage me. I know the plan of the enemy is to make me look at my situation and the situation of those I love through small eyes…but I know that something greater has been prophesied…something greater has been predestined. Yes, I’m discouraged about the state of the family throughout the world…yes, I’m dismayed at their present condition, but I know God! I didn’t go through all the stuff I just went through to get to this point and say I quit! I’m not a quitter! I’m more than a conqueror!
I’m not going to give up now…but it’s hard! That’s why my inner circle has got to be tight! My inner circle has to consist of those who can challenge me in the midst of what I’m going through to push through the veil and see God! I received some blows in the past few weeks that could have taken the average person out…but that’s why God conditioned me in the hallway of adversity…that’s why God commissioned the enemy to take me through boot camp because He knew that I already had it in me to be a survivor…but I had to find out for myself that I’m a survivor and I don’t have to just take anything!
No matter what…I understand that I’m here for more than just me. I’m not here because my dad met my mom and conceived me. I’m here because God orchestrated my existence for such a time as this…and He did the same for you because He is no respect of person!
It gets rough…but check your surrounding…you’re either with someone who is helping you to make it to a new dimension…or you’re with someone who is going nowhere fast, quick, and in a hurry!!!!
Like the songwriter said, "whatever my lot, thou has caused me to say, it is well with my soul!"
posted by Pastor Rich at 11:40 AM
2 Comments:
And NOW IS THE ACCEPTABLE TIME!!! Just when it seems that all helll has consumed your very being by remaining steadfast, immovable and alsways abounding GOD SHOW UP!! you have showed us far too many times to do just that!! And even with what all is going on right before our eyes with our youth and other issues God is saying to us - clothes our natural eyes and open our spiritual eyes and remember the promises I have given you. May- hummmm "5" remeber that $5 bill!!! Remember the words that were spoken through others time and time again!! Yes you do stand tall in adversity and that is the reason you are a leader - to lead us to do the same thing!!! Manifestation is always taking place we just must connect it to what He foretold us before it happened!!! God is moving and shaking and HE HAS ANOINTED THOSE THAT REMAIN STANDING ON HIS WORD!! WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON? GOD'S THANG!!!! To God Be The Glory!!! What's goin' on is HIS KINGDOM BUSINESS!!! Thank you for this blessing today!!!
BOOTCAMP!
There is a war in the physical realm, as well as the spiritual. We should know (and it should also bring comfort)that through the midst of the trials and tests (training), God is revealing to us all the things that He has placed in us to be "more than conquerors"! He is well aware of who HE has made us to be and HE knows the outcome! It's us that gets it "twisted" most times! He has told us we are "winners", but we need to understand what the means. That's reason for the obstacle course...
I agree that the tests make you want to say "aw hell". It's powerful to be able to make mountains move! But by going through "whatever moments", moving them makes you that much stronger, wiser and mature in Him, and that's what will help you kick the devil's tail when he tries to snare you up! Think of it like physical conditioning. An athlete doesn't get fit by sitting on the couch and eating a box of twinkies! He/She has to PUSH and PRESS to obtain their goals! That goes for us a strong christians and soliders in training. It takes physical and spiritual strengthening excercises. The strenghtening within both realms are worth the end results! God is worth it! You're worth it!
We ARE more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us, but to get "stregthened" takes spiritual, physical, and mental excercise! I know you're up to the challenge...
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