After many weeks of busy activities such as travel, commitments, and conferences, I have been attempting to fine-tune my energy output and obtain balance in my life. You see I began to wonder again if this pace and this fatigue level was really leading me in the right direction to what the Lord is calling for me to do? Is what I've been experiencing just the hard work that goes along with the 'program' and I just need to lean into it and keep going? Or am I just spinning my wheels and need to rethink my approach?
You see, I have been passing through a wilderness season (in the exodus from my Egypt-captivity of addiction and abuse) of my life, to cross over my 'Jordan' or place of decision and learning to trust the Lord, in order to resolve to never look back, and to slay my 'giants' of shame and rejection up ahead in my personal Jericho. Then on to enter my promised land – my place of peace and rest and provision from God.
Then, after lots of prayer, seeking advice, and searching the Word, with the Holy Spirit's help, I was able to pause, be still, and listen to what the Lord was saying to me for this next chapter of my life. And so it was. I happened across this book called *Soul Print by Mark Batterson that began:
"There has never been and never will be anyone else like you. But that isn’t a testament to you. It’s a testament to the God who created you. You are unlike anyone who has ever lived. But that uniqueness isn’t a virtue. It’s a responsibility. Uniqueness is God’s gift to you, and uniqueness is your gift to God. You owe it to yourself to be yourself. But more important, you owe it to the One who designed you and destined you."
I am in awestruck wonder at the goodness and the mightiness of our God! Thank you for answered prayer! How wrong I was to think it would be easier to conform and to become what others expected me to be. Fear of being unique, as he would say later in the chapter, is hypocrisy at it's worse.
So I give thanks to God for clarity, direction and for inspiration, and I pray and if you are so inclined, join along with me, "Praise the Lord. Jesus I thank you. God Who made the heavens and You made the earth. Lord of heaven's order, King of Kings and Lord of lords. God of all creation, Master of the universe and Darling of heaven. You are the Lover of my soul and champion of souls - our Consummator and my Liberator. You are the God that created the sun and the moon and the stars, and you also created me. You are the God that completes that which you start and You will perfect that which concerns me. Amen"
“Alas, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You–”
Jeremiah 32:17 AMP
The LORD will complete what his purpose is for me. LORD, your gracious love is eternal; do not abandon your personal work in me.
Psalm 138:8
*Soul Print by Mark Batterson
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