Not everyone is invited on your life journey.

Do you fear change? I know I do. Isn’t it crazy though? Because that’s the only thing that is the same… Change. Things in our lives are coming and going while others are just passing through and others get to stay.

God already knows your journey. He already knows the good and the bad that will happen. Some things may be unpleasant and some moments are joyful.  He watches the ups and the downs and the only difference is if we choose Him to lead.

He always answers our prayers. We may not like the answer or it may not be in the time we want, but He always answers. He knows what we need and He knows when we are ready to receive it.

Ok, here’s a test:
Think of a situation that happened in your life. You know which one.  The one that traumatized you the most.  The one that you didn’t think you could get out of.  The one that you prayed so badly for it to end a certain way.  You prayed and begged and pleaded that if this situation worked out you wouldn’t pray for another thing as long as you lived.

Now, some of you may have gotten that prayer answered the way you wanted it to.  That’s amazing and I would love to hear about it.  I love God stories!

For the rest of us… 🙂 …if you looked back at that situation and you got what you so desperately wanted would you have learned what you needed to and be truly satisfied with getting it?

Last week someone had posted Hebrews 12:11 on Facebook and I laughed out loud as I read it.

“NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE PRESENT SEEMETH TO BE JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS: NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD IT YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE EXERCISED THEREBY.” – HEBREWS 12:11

This morning I was thinking about things (the good and not so good) that have happened in my life and how they have always worked out for the better…no matter if I got what I wanted or if I didn’t.  At the time of the trials it felt like I wouldn’t survive and there couldn’t possibly be a positive outcome.  All my human reasoning could see was that it just wasn’t fair.  “Why can’t I just have this one thing?”  Life should always be fair, right?  That’s what the world would have us believe.  But, what if it did work out?  Would I be happy… really?  Sometimes, we like the idea of something more than the reality of it.  Had I gotten what I wanted I wouldn’t have learned patience and understanding.  I would be lacking empathy and compassion and wouldn’t have learned to depend solely on God.  I wouldn’t realize just how much mercy He extends to me.  It’s at our weakest that God reveals His strength.

…and sometimes, God gives us what we want so that we learn that He is what we need.  We learn that nothing else can satisfy.

I watched War Room for the first time a few week ago meaning I cried for two hours.  If you haven’t seen it yet I highly recommend it as it is a great movie of faithfulness and forgiveness and grace.  I think we could all use some forgiveness and grace.  It spoke volumes to me from beginning to end.

Who deserves his mercy? Certainly not me. I’m quick to forget His promises and what He has done for me. I’m quick to run to the flesh instead of living in the Spirit. I’m quick to remember what I don’t have instead of remembering all of His blessings and undeserved mercy.
Have you ever been conflicted and someone randomly shows up and tells you something you needed to hear?

“BE NOT FORGETFUL TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS, FOR THEREBY SOME HAVE ENTERTAINED ANGELS UNAWARES…” – HEBREWS 13:2

You know what is difficult though?  Trials that include losing someone.

Sometimes we hold onto friendships or relationships because we are too afraid of letting go.  Maybe you have been in that friendship or relationship for so long you’re comfortable and don’t know what you would do without them.  But, you also have a deep feeling inside that something isn’t right.  It’s just not working anymore.  Those are the toughest times.

How do you know if you should remain?  God says to test the spirits (1 John 4:1) and to be careful with who you keep around for bad company corrupts good morals. (1 Corinthians 15:32-24).

“…WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE HONEST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE PURE, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD REPORT; IF THERE BE ANY VIRTUE, AND IF THERE BE ANY PRAISE, THINK ON THESE THINGS.”

– PHILIPPIANS 4:8

Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  If you don’t have peace when you are around certain situations maybe you need to change your circle.  If you’re uneasy about friendships pray about them.  God loves to teach us through His word.  As Christians it is the blue print for life.  It doesn’t make it easy, right?  It can be so difficult.  But, where He is there is peace and that’s how He guides us.

That was some of the toughest times for me, but when you let go of a weight you have been holding onto there is so much freedom.  Some people can’t go with you on your journey.  That realization is painful, but it’s true.  They were there for a season and served their purpose in your life, but that season is over and now you’re leveling up into the next phase.  If they stayed they would only be dragging you down because they’re carrying the world with them which you let go of.  The change happened in you and while it’s not fair that you can’t take them with you God already knew.  Life is full of choices and you can’t make someone else see.  God says His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.  They have to have a willing heart.  You can’t open the eyes of the blind as only God can do that.  As someone once told me, “You’re the seed not the farmer.”  He will not lose any of his sheep.  Nobody can pluck them from his hand and in Romans it says,

 “FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” – Romans 8:38-39

I am thankful for the desert season because God gave me new eyes and a new heart to follow after righteousness.  In the secret place He taught me about Himself.  He gave me discernment to choose friendships that glorify Him.  That doesn’t make me love people any less, but it does change my relationships because when you have Jesus your priorities and interests change.  The things of this world don’t bring you happiness because without the Spirit of Life they’re empty and dead.  If Jesus isn’t in it it’s dead.  The world doesn’t understand this change so you no longer have anything in common with most people as wide is the path that leads to destruction.  Your mind has been renewed to only concern yourself with Him because you know He is the one that satisfies (Romans 12:2).

You can’t fit into this world when you were made for another.

“BUT WHAT THINGS WERE GAIN TO ME, THOSE I COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST.  YEA DOUBTLESS, AND I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSS FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD: FOR WHOM I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, AND DO COUNT THEM BUT DUNG, THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST, AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS OF THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD BY FAITH:  THAT I MAY KNOW HIM, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING MADE CONFORMABLE UNTO HIS DEATH;  IF BY ANY MEANS I MIGHT ATTAIN UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.  NOT AS THOUGH I HAD ALREADY ATTAINED, EITHER WERE ALREADY PERFECT: BUT I FOLLOW AFTER, IF THAT I MAY APPREHEND THAT FOR WHICH ALSO I AM APPREHENDED OF CHRIST JESUS.” – PHILIPPIANS 3:7-12

I wrote more about God changing your circle and waiting seasons in previous posts:
Waiting on God
and
God is in the waiting