Things God is Teaching Me

Hi friends, and welcome back to another blog post! I am going to post a blog every Monday and Friday so be ready for that! I am so excited for what the Lord has in store for my life. It is very overwhelming but I can rest knowing God has a plan and His plan is always perfect! In today's blog, we are going to go through what I feel the Lord teaching me so far in this season. Grab your popcorn or your comfort food and let's dive into today's blog!

The first thing the Lord is teaching me is, there is a season for everything and this too shall pass. Every season serves a purpose. Some seasons are full of life, some seasons are full of growth, and some seasons are full of rain, but it will pass. Embrace the time you have in each season the Lord brings you into because it's time you won't ever get back. You can spend the season bitter, hurt, and with a hardened heart, or you can spend it full of laughs, restoration, and love! There is a verse that God placed on my heart for this and it's Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and it says," There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." The Lord is teaching me that every season has its significance whether it's on the highest of mountains or in the lowest of valley's, Jesus meets us in our deepest pain and hurt and is gentle with us in seasons that aren't so shiny and bright. Think of a tree. There are many storms, many rainfalls, many winds, and many sunny days the tree endures through. Sometimes storms are so strong that it uproots the tree. When I look at the root of a tree that has been uprooted, I think to myself, "Wow, that tree has the deepest roots I have ever seen." I want each season to keep my roots growing deeper and deeper in my relationship with Jesus and with the relationships I have in my life. When we are rooted so deeply in Jesus, no storm can uproot us. Anyways, that was probably off topic but I think it's so important that we view each season as an opportunity to grow further and deeper into our relationship with Jesus. Each season shows us a little bit more of who Jesus is and who we are in Jesus!

The second thing Jesus is teaching me is, His love and grace for you is sufficient. I was sitting in a coffee shop and I just thought about how we wrong Jesus every stinking day. We choose our own way, we choose our distractions, we choose our words, we choose evil and yet Jesus still welcomes us with open arms. Jesus says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." We are weak, we are broken, we are corrupt, I really want you to understand this because it is so important, until WE can understand the love and grace Jesus gives to us, we can not give ourselves grace, we can not give others grace, we will continue to live in bitterness. Jesus does not expect you to have yourself put together in fact that's what He hates the most. He wants all of you! He wants your hurt, your brokenness, your worries, your anxieties, your praises, your prayers, etc. Jesus knows we wrong Him everyday. Jesus is the interceder. Jesus intercedes on our behalf when we wrong him and says," God I know they did wrong but I forgive them, have mercy on them." We have an advocate! Don't think Jesus turns around and thinks you're too messy or too far gone because that's far from the truth. Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." This is my last point, Jesus suffered for us on this earth so we can have access to the Father. Jesus knows the ways of this world are troubling and full of pain and that's why He is so humble and so compassionate towards us when we do wrong. He gives us His love and grace regardless of what we have done. When we decide to walk in His love and grace, the burdens of this world will fade because we are deciding to take on the yoke of Jesus and not the worlds.

The third thing the Lord is teaching me is, "I the Lord will make it happen in my timing." I don't know who needs to hear that today but wow! Isaiah 60:22 was a verse that immediately popped into my head when I was trying to hear what God was trying to teach me. God makes things happen in His timing because it will bear the most fruit! When we try and make it happen on our own it fails. It falls apart. It crashes to the ground. When we finally give God the reigns and decide that it's not our life but it's God's and we walk in His will and not our own, God will give us the desires of our hearts. Psalm 37:4 says, " Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Does this happen in one day or one week, no never. This is because God is one step ahead of you working and preparing what is to come. He doesn't want the perfect things to fail. Sometimes things have to fail but it doesn't mean it can't be restored. God's intentions are never for us to be miserable ever. He knows our deepest desires and wants to give us those desires in His timing! Don't rush the work of the Lord, rather wait patiently with a thankful heart! There will be times when you want to quit and give up. For me that time was when I gave up tennis when I had a scholarship because I didn't put the work in to be ready for it. I remember sitting and reflecting on what I gave up and God put tennis back on my heart. I called my coach and I worked so hard to be back on the team. God blessed it more than he did the first time because not only was He preparing and working, but so was I! Have hope that God takes things but can also give back and it be so much better than it was the first time around!

The last thing God is teaching me is to stay adamant in prayer and to keep bringing my requests to Him. God loves us so much and wants us to talk to him. He knows what troubles our heart and it's important we make known to God what our desires, hurts, and joys are to Him. God already knows duh but confessing these things is what He wants because of the power words hold. Matthew 7:7-8 says, "Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." Sometimes we stand and knock and there is no answer. I believe it's becasue God is preparing that place for you. I think of it this way, when I am expecting someone, I want my house to be prepared and clean for them so they can feel at home and safe. I think that's what God does for us. In Mark 11:24 it says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." We can't be hesitant and be like,"well this would be nice to have or it's too far fetched to believe I could have this." Approach the throne with confidence and make your requests known to God. Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." It goes onto say that the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. When we confront God with the things we want there will be peace and understanding but make sure when you do, it is for the right reasons and not just because it looks appealing or because someone else has it. James 4:2-3 says, "The desires you do not have, so you kill. You covet but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." God's not going to open the door when we ask only to delight in our pleasures. Then what's the point of asking? When we ask God for something it can not be out of a place of sin. When we ask God for something it has to be out of the reasons to glorify His kingdom. It has to include Him and not just ourselves. For example: a child wanting candy, the Father asks, "Why do you want candy?" the child says," Because I just want it, because it looks good." The Father says, "Maybe next time." Now the child is upset and throws a fit because they didn't get what they want. How many times are we the child wanting something because it looks good or because someone else has it? Now here is the same example but different dialogue: the child says, "Father, I want that candy." The Father asks, "Why do you want that candy?" The child says, "That candy is something I want us both to enjoy together and I want us to both take pleasure in it and bond over that candy. I want to know your favorite part about the candy, I want us both to stick our tongues out and laugh because it's a different color. I want to enjoy this candy with you." The Father says, "Alright let's do it!" See God wants to be a part of whatever it is you're asking for. If you're simply asking for your own enjoyment, that door is never going to open. Once we can invite Jesus into what we want, we can all enjoy it together! That will be the best gift to enjoy because not only are you enjoying and taking pleasure in what you asked for, but God is also there enjoying and taking pleasure in it with you! God wants unity in everything in your life. Let Him be a part of the things you enjoy and desire becasue He will bless it!

That was a lot to digest I know, but I am thankful that the Lord is placing things on my heart to really think about and take to heart. I hope that this helped you as well with where you are at in your journey with God! Our walks with the Lord are a work in progress; it takes showing up on days we don't feel like showing up. It takes admitting you are wrong when you are wrong. It takes time devoting yourself to getting to know Him and who He is! I am so thankful that Jesus is my constant and my rock. Put your hope in Jesus and carry on with Him no matter the highs or the lows. Praise Him in the mountains and in the valleys! Worship Him when you don't feel like worhsipping Him! He is with you and is for you! He is fighting for you and will prosper you! Don't give up! Keep the faith! I love you and am praying for you! Until next time friends! <3