Have You?
Will You?
The Next One IS On You . . .
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. Every time I read this scripture, it warms my heart. It let's us know that no matter where we are, or what we are going through, God is right by our side; and, because God is by our sides, we will win. We know that because we are in the world, trouble is all around us. Every day we live, we are never free from trouble or the people who bring trouble into our lives. But, don't misunderstand, trouble is not only contributed by external factors. For some of us, the trouble is because of internal factors in our life.
I believe it is okay to be troubled but, don't allow the trouble to be you. This scripture is letting us know we all have some level of problems, distress, anxiety or conflict in our lives. But, that does not mean we have to let these issues have us. In other words, we do not have to act as though we have no hope for Psalm 31:24 lets us know, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." We don't have to act as though we don't see a way of escape. Why? Because the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." There are times when we simply don't know what to do. We are completely baffled. We don't know what way to turn, what course to steer, or how our needs will be supplied. But God's word lets us know in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Finally, we sometimes find ourselves frustrated with our efforts and plans. We are sometimes thrown to the ground by those who are our adversaries. We are however, safe in the hands of Jesus the Christ. We are kept by His power, as is noted in 1 Peter 1:5, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." So, the next time you feel troubled, perplexed, persecuted or cast down. Just look up towards heaven and say, "Fix It Jesus!" What is truth? Truth is that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. Facts are used when pointing out or discussing the significance of a situation. For example, the truth of my story is I haven't always blessed God but, God has always blessed me. This post is intended to help you identify your truth; and, to find strength and courage to place it in God's hands, knowing without question that He will work it out.
For many of us, especially women, we often find ourselves in situations where we feel we must be the one to make all things right. It's a great idea to want to live and do right but it's a horrible idea to think that we, in our natural strength, can make all things right. As humans we only have so much power and the power we have is null without the hand of God on our lives. The Bible lets us know in John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." What does this mean for us? It simply means that "I am" is Jesus and in this scripture, He is referring to Himself. As He references the way in this scripture, Jesus is letting us know that he is the path we must follow in order to get to heaven. Further, in this scripture, He is referenced as the truth; and, the truth is the authoritative standard of righteousness we must learn to follow. Finally, Jesus is letting us know that He is the source of all life. He promised us that because He lives, we can live. And, this life is a life of true deliverance from any and everything that holds us bondage. God knows we are not perfect. He also knows the real truth about where we are in our walk, our faith, and our relationship with Him. Therefore, He declares that "I Am" the only way to heaven, a measure of righteousness that leads to the source of both physical and spiritual strength. It is hard for us to be reminded of the truth in our lives especially when we know that it is not good. However, whether good or bad, the truth is the truth. It can be altered but it can't be changed. I want to encourage you to own your truth, whatever it is. Don't rebel against the truth. Sometimes the very thing we fight against is the very thing we need to push us into our next phase. God lets us know this in John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Be encourage. Yes, the truth may hurt but just know that pain is an inevitable part of growth and growth pushes us closer to our destiny! For those of you who may not know, there is a distinct difference in a position and being positioned. A position is a place where someone or something is located or has been put. On the other hand, to be positioned means to put or arrange (someone or something) in a particular place or way. The difference position and positioned is simple. To be in a position means to placed. It does not necessarily mean it is where you should be or that you are qualified to be there.
However, to be positioned for something means that you have been adequately prepared to do the work ahead of you. Many of us know of situations where position has over ruled positioned; and, in some cases it has not proven good. For me, I have had this experience when I know without doubt God positioned or prepared me for a certain assignment. Unfortunately, because I did not conform to the environment, someone now has the position. Did it hurt? Absolutely. I was angry for a while but then I was reminded of what God's word says in Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." I understand how difficult it seems to live by the word when there is nothing but pain and confusion all around us. But, I will say this, with my personal experiences, I know for sure that God was and still is with me. He promised us in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I want to encourage you not to be concerned about whether or not you have a certain position. Instead, place all of your trust in God and know that Psalm 37:4 tells us, "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight." Lie by Definition: to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive. to express what is false; convey a false impression. Liar by Definition: a person who has lied or lies repeatedly I wanted to begin this post with a clear definition of the word lie. I wanted each of us to have the same understanding as we begin to read today. I am going to share some things with you that some may find interesting while others may find disturbing. Either way, it was my experience, and my experience is my truth. If any of you know anything about me, I am an introvert by nature. I don't apologize for it because over the years, it has been my safe place. Unfortunately, even though I found my safe place and tried to stay there, somehow I was dragged into a situation that to this day, I don't understand. A situation that could have ruined my career and destroyed my name. The truth of the matter is; due to the nature of my work, it could have actually sent me to jail. I was in a position that required me to work very closely with people; and because of this position, I was ultimately responsible for everything that was reported. Yep, it had my name on it, and everyone around me knows how I feel about my name. Well, there was one person who I had to work with that was clearly unreceptive of anything I did. Because of her own incompetence and insecurities, no matter what I did it wasn't good enough. If I tried to help, she accused me of harassing her. If I worked with her one-on-one she accused me of singling her out. Most disturbing was if I did it for her, she accused me of sabbotage. What's even more disturbing is the amount of time I lost on this one situation listening to the false accusations with no-one coming to my defense. Fortunately for everyone in the room, I knew that God was there with me. I knew that God was a God who had seen and heard all therefore, I saw no need for me to defend my character. I do want to let you know that a character attack like this shook me up. You see, if a person tells a lie long enough, someone other than themselves will begin to believe it. Anyone who really knows me know that if I can't help you, I certainly don't intend to harm you. I am grateful that God had equipped and prepared me for situations like this, in 1 Peter 5:8, when He told me to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" When look back, I can see how God used me to expose the spirit but removed me before take off. You see, since I have been out of that environment, not only has God manifested Himself in my life, He has dropped the scales off of some other eyes and now they see what I saw. Isaiah 35:5, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped." Now, will they ever tell me I was right? Will they ever apologize for the hurt and harm I experienced at their hands? Most likely not. At any rate, I will continue to trust in the God who has delivered me from such destruction. He raised me up and He blessed me just as He promised in Psalm 34:17, "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." Even now as I write this post and reflect on the circumstances surrounding his situation, I can honestly say, I will be like the servant Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him (Job 13:15). Be encouraged, God will deliver you, right on time. |
In Memory of: Charles T. Wilcox
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