“This happened every year when they went to the Lord ‘s house in Shiloh. Peninnah would say bad things to Hannah to cause her to cry. Then Hannah would not eat anything. Hannah’s husband, Elkanah said to her, ‘I do not know why you are crying. I do not know why you are not eating. You should not be sad. I am better than 10 sons.’ One day they were at Shiloh. They had finished eating and drinking. Hannah stood up. Eli the priest was sitting by the door of the Lord ‘s temple. Hannah was very, very sad. She cried very much and she prayed to the Lord. And she said a promise to God. She prayed, ‘You are the Lord Almighty. See how sad I am. I am your servant. Remember me and do not forget me. Please give a son to me. If you do that, I will give him back to you for all of his life. Nobody will ever cut his hair.’”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1:7-11‬

 

As you start your day, your week, your mission,  this new season, be sure that what you are laboring for is also laboring for you!

If you’re a bit sick to your stomach from all that is going on around you and a bit heavy laden from what lies before you on that neverending “to do list”, rest assured that all of us are also feeling very much overwhelmed.

While this pandemic is by all means relentless, we must not forget that the love of our heavenly Father is far more relentless and that He is mighty to save.

How can one be saved though if they refuse to call out for help?

How can we go on about our daily lives in fear, while pretending we have it all together?

All the times you think you are waiting on God He is actually waiting on you…to speak up!

God cannot address the sorrow, the pain, the bitterness or the confusion we choose to bury down in our hearts and try to block away from our minds.

The enemy is a theif and a liar, but sometimes  it’s God that allows us to walk though unpleasant circumstances in order to provoke us to reach our breaking point.

The point where, like in the above passage, Hannah finally reaches after years of being provoked and prevented from properly giving her sorrow over to Lord.

The point where we ourselves stand up and open our mouths to confront Him about things that have been weighing us down.

We cannot stay in the place we are or operate the same anymore and shout

THAT’S ENOUGH!

God…

“I cant do this anymore!”

“I want to know why my friend is sick?”

“Why did my family have to go through this?”

“Why is all this happening to me when I had it all together?”

This direct confrontation with Him about our private pain, sorrow or rage not only brings us back from self reliance and back into His arms and protection, but it allows us to be honest with ourselves about the things we often try to distract ourselves from, but then wonder why things never seem to change. 

A direct confrontation with what is holding us back is what will allow us to walk forward into Gods promises over our lives.

We must ask God to use our suffering as a seed. The fruit that grows from sharing our story with others does not go to us it goes back to God where in belongs.

He gets the credit not us and His people seek His face not the strength of us or other people.

Asking God to relieve you of your circumstances so that you can feel better about  your own works or to spare your ego will leave you unanswered and in turn resentful.

I too am very familiar with what it is to be priority challenged. Sometimes, actually, most of the time, I find myself easily getting  lost in the world’s whirl wind of distractions.

Now more than ever it is critical that we focus on today and that we begin to

Break Away From They 

“They” are those that tell you it is hopeless or you never will.

“They” are toxic relationships or friendships that block you from spending time with God so He may reveal to you the mighty purpose He has on your life.

Today, no matter how small it may seem to you in comparison to the big mess our world Is in, make sure that you make it a priority to do something to

Break Away From They

“They” being old patterns of your own behavior that have you stuck on settling.

Most of us work so hard at anything to try and feel alive and that we have a bigger purpose. We often toil in vain and are only left feeling drained and defeated while doing a whole lot of nothing at all.

There is no peace without purpose and there is no purpose without a plan.

 

As we walk through this season let us ask the Lord to restore in us our passion and reveal to us our purpose.

Let us never stop praising Him in our progress and loving one another in our pursuit of breaking away from they.

To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. (Colossians 1:29 NKJV)