Joanna

Are you looking at the patterns or groundswell in your life?  

Once you perceive the pattern, you can ask God for help with the next step!  Thank God, that we do not journey this walk alone.. He has sent us a helper, the Holy Spirit! (John 14:16) 

But here's a caution:  Don't keep putting it off and "circling round the base of the mountain".  Don't keep ignoring that helper's gentle voice and nudge.  I believe one of the most harmful things we can do, as a Christian, is to ignore the Holy Spirit.  Choosing our choices and decisions, our will, our way over His.  In doing this we build up an immunity to Him, and His voice becomes more difficult to hear.   I've been there, thought that it was my luxury to listen or not, pick and choose where or how much I wanted God to be in my life.  Giving only partial throne of my heart. And not too long, I didn't hear His voice and the enemy was right there attacking my thinking.. and that voice became louder.  The lies always there.. in my thoughts.. "Does God even exist, is this even real? after all, God is in all of us.." Years of that eventually became a life without Him, a life for myself.  And one very dark night where I looked into the mirror and I didn't believe that God was who the scriptures say He is and Jesus was just an amazing teacher on earth.  The scary thing here and what I want to warn about is that I don't believe that it's "one day you wake up and make the choice to walk away from God".. it begins with the small, gradual choices that we make and open doors for the enemy to creep in.  And then one day you look back at how far away you really have gone.   What are we without Him?  It's not just that sin makes us bad.. sin makes us dead.  And while religion can help make you better.. it can't bring you to life.  Only Jesus can bring you from death to life!   

I challenge you in this moment to submit to His will, allow the hard work which will catapult you forward and enable you to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy.  It's not a question of IF the storms will come, but WHEN!  (Perceive the pattern!)  Will you be tossed about and battered, surprised at the storm? Or are you firmly planted in Him, listening to His voice and obeying where He leads and keeping a watchful eye, ready for the next storm, knowing that He's right there with you? Choosing to submit to the hard work that the storms bring and when He's ready, He calms the waves or brings you to shore.  Which will it be? It's your choice... tossed and battered about with every storm that comes or tucked into His unfailing love for us, willing to go where He masterfully leads. 

Be encouraged, that no matter what you may think, plan or envision for your life.. what God has for you is BETTER!! It's hard to see in the midst of the storm, so keep His word, which tells us the truth of who He is and His heart for us, in your day.  Put on that helmet of Salvation! Guard your thinking!!  His plan for us is to prosper, for a future and a HOPE!  (Jer 29:11)  He brings us through these storms that we just hate to weather, and we see on the other side the beautiful fruit it brings to our lives.  And how fabulous does weathered wood look anyway?! Trust in your Savior!   

God bless your day!