Life is NOT easy.
I have prayed with many women. Some have become closer. Some are transient. Some have rejected what God has said through me. Others are in my life for a season and then God moves them. Some become so dear to me because I am able to see GOD move within their lives and I am watching changes occur.
Many have had some sort of pain or struggle and are searching and seeking GOD for answers.
Often I will say this...."even when my husband and I were separated - it was very hard and I wanted our family whole, but the TRUE 'harder' part came after he moved back home. THEN the restoration began and the counsel started and THAT was really the harder part".
It just is.
But God is faithful. God heals. God gives us the 'sustaining' power when we are in the middle of a season or crisis of faith.
Many times the reason for the crisis is just me. So you may be in a PIT. I mean -- I have put myself into a PIT, other times we are dumped into a PIT and still ...sometimes the PIT we slide into is just life. Getting out of that PIT is the HARDER work.
Getting OUT of that PIT is HIS best work...HE brings beauty out of the ashes.
As you come OUT of that PIT - what does it look like?
1. It looks like - being a part of a church family that will love on you and pray with you and stand in the gap and help you believe in miracles.
2. It looks like -- seeking godly counsel. Come UNDER the authority of a Pastor(s) that will be your shepherd. Seek a bible study or a Cell group when other women can come along side of you and help.
3. It looks like - time alone in your bible, reading Psalms and the gospels over and over until the words are taken into your heart and bring life.
4. It looks like - taping scripture verses of life all over your mirror or your door frame before you walk out to work and then memorize those verses and claim them.
5. It looks like - time on your knees in prayer - giving honor and thanks to our Heavenly Father for ALL the good that HAS come, and stating WHAT is asked for- In Jesus name.
4. It looks like - red eyes at times......maybe sitting in front of the TV watching a classic Disney movie to take your mind off of your troubles.....maybe it means that YOU get up off the couch and look for someone else to pour into -- or maybe it means that you seriously consider some professional counsel.
5. It looks like - a song - celebration - putting on some LOUD praise and worship music and giving yourself time to let the words wash over your spirit and speak to you ...and then singing and singing that song or chorus over and over and over again - whenever the enemy attacks.
6. Sometimes for me it meant punching a punching bag at the person or situation that I was mad at and many times -- it ended up that I was mad at God or myself....but each time, HE forgave me.
7. It looks different for EACH person.
But...YOU can figure it out -- YOU can come out of that PIT!
If you love Jesus - Satan hates you.
Marriages are constantly being attacked.
Why does it seem that 'others' have it easier? Maybe we need to look a bit deeper into those lives....satan does not have to attack those that already serve him.
Consequences of actions - sometimes don't go away, but they can be dealt with and acknowledged.
Feelings will be expressed but we should not walk out our faith in our 'feelings'...but in our FAITH.
Addictions can sometimes ONLY be addressed -- when the person afflicted finally WANTS to seek help.
And finally -- the PAIN won't kill you .....walking in faith and walking out restoration of a marriage...or restoration of a life....or transitioning to a new position that GOD has called you to....may feel weird and awkward for a bit....but YOU can overcome!
1 Corinthians 13 says...
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
THIS is the LOVE that God has for us...and we are to Share and SHOW that love to others....
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
IF you have accepted Christ then you are saved. Many get saved and remain a 'baby' in Christ. Now as you grow ...God is asking you and I to RISE up and be more of a toddler...a young adult...and learn -- SEEK HIM and believe that HIS plans are to help us - not to harm.
I do believe that many times we want a QUICK fix - we come to church, seek a prayer and expect a quick answer and ALL will be AOK and back to normal. But that is not how it works 90% of the time.....I believe that many times, we give up or give in RIGHT before the blessing was to come.
I remember 'debating' with God many nights..."if you will do this....then I will.....". It was a reoccurring and common dialogue with HIM. However, after several weeks of that and being in church and relearning HIS word -- I knew that when I began to debate with my Heavenly Father, I could now hear myself say, "ya...I know...YOU have to trust me Lord to love you even in the next sad time...no matter what...I must praise YOU". And I believe God's timing was LONG...but it was really contingent upon my heart...and my head...and my obedience to surrender.
So -
Don't give up -- if you are praying for an unsaved spouse - GOD is at work - your prayers for that spouse are being heard.
Don't give up -- if you are praying for a family member that is - at this moment - allowing the spirit of addiction to overcome, then YOU can intercede and proclaim healing even when it looks hopeless. Nothing is impossible with God.
Don't give up -- if you are not spending time reading God's word and placing the ARMOR of God around you -- then, these attacks are going to feel like they will overcome you - but YOU are the OVERCOMER. YOU are the head and not the tail....GOD wants you to rise up and claim your healing, acknowledge ALL that HE has already done and believe that HE is still at work.
Don't give up -- for the one suffering a major loss....GOD is RIGHT there with you and HE does understand.
Don't give up -- for the one contemplating divorce -- make sure GOD has released you. I will say this, every time I would utter the words out of my mouth, "God, please end this...just end my pain and let me move on".....God would have the right person in front of me to remind me of HIS call to me. God was very clear in giving me instructions. I could not deny it. I knew that I knew .....I was to fight for my marriage. And when I wanted to quit -- it was usually my Pastor stating, "chell, did God tell you it was ok to quit?", and each time I had to look at him and say - "NO."
As I said, many times we all say, 'God's timing' ...but I have come to the conclusion we have MORE to do with that ....as it is our hearts that must change and THEN HE can do the work on the other party, or the circumstance, or whatever!
So with that - I pray now that whom ever was to read this today -- I pray you will get the encouragement you needed to PRESS on...and wait on HIM and believe that as you WALK OUT your HARD part -- there will be joy in the morning....God knows. Amen.
By the way -- Kerrie Roberts has a song - 'No matter what'...Find it - sing it 10x. today.
Mercy Me has the song ' Beautiful ' - find it - sing it, believe it.
God is telling you -- YOU WERE made for so much more -- hang on! - humbled, michelle
How are you able to trust after such a betrayal? Since God gave us free will, I find that I do not trust my spouse to refrain from cheating again.
ReplyDeleteWould you write about trust and what it takes to rebuild it? Can it actually be rebuilt?
I've read all your posts and learned much from them.
Thanks,
I was not able to trust. Trust is something that had to be earned. It took time. But it also took me, saying to myself each day, I trust him through YOU Lord. God forgave me of my sin. My sin was no different than my husband's. We all fall short. And his sin really was not about me. It was a symptom of other stuff. It happened. We are beyond it. And - you may think this is crazy - but he had to learn to trust me as well. Communicate with your spouse but we also had a very good professional counselor where we would WALK through conversations and feelings. We also had godly counsel....it take work. But - GOD trusts me..even when I fail him every day. I had to be willing to trust again....and not live in fear. It was a supernatural thing - I did not 'do' it...God did. I hope that helps. - michelle
DeleteOkeechobee is such a small town, don't you worry about putting so much personal info out there about you, your family and friends? Just from these posts, I know your children's names, their schools(UF, FAU), jobs, sports (soccer and volleyball) where you work, your church, etc.
ReplyDeleteI wish only the best for you and worry about the freaks out in the world who could use what you write to hurt.
Well to be honest, your comment sort of FREAKED me out a bit. I have a few friends that have warned me often about putting too much OUT there -- it is quite alarming that if you were a total stranger ...you could figure out my name...my family...and all the other info you mentioned --- but, I bathe this in prayer and trust that God will protect. But...I am going to really pray over the next few weeks about maybe.... looking into what you stated. I believe we are in the end times. I am not Polly Anna....and maybe I do trust a little too much and think ..'that could not happen to me'...but I will say - my prayers are going to be a little different - Lord, protect my family and me. amen.
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