Let Go & Grow
by Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of April 13, 2014
"Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always." -Romans 12:12
Do you ever feel like people or circumstances hold you back? Maybe it’s a non-budging boss or an obstinate family member. They just cannot see “it” your way. You’ve tried presentation and reasoning. You’ve argued your best case. Maybe you’ve even tried tough love…but still your efforts didn’t work.
Sometimes our efforts don’t work. Sometimes, even tough love doesn't work. Sometimes, God is waiting on us to bring the issue to Him to do the work on our behalf. Sometimes, we just have to be patient for God to deliver people out of hindrances and into His vision. Sometimes, we have to wait on God to minister to people in such a way that they finally decide to remove their grave clothes and don a garment of praise. And sometimes, while He's delivering them, guess what? God is delivering us…from impatience!
We want everything now! We reason with God: “Lord, if You will just (fill in the blank), I could do so much more for You! But patience is a Fruit of The Spirit! Patience is valuable to God!
And guess what else? God is more interested in our holiness than in our service! He is interested foremost in the purity factor of our mind, will and emotions.
When we get stuck in a holding pattern of trying to yank people and things into place, in an effort to move them forward, we wear ourselves out, become frustrated and embittered and stunt our own growth. We may even make ourselves ill. Of course, this is exactly what the enemy desires—for us to take our eyes off God, to stop depending upon Him and to “work it” alone. When we do this, we exalt ourselves. We are out of God’s order!
Remember, God only exalts the humble. Humility unto The Lord is our escape. His presence (peace) alone keeps us from feeling crazy. We can choose to stop handing over our power to the person who gets on our last nerve. We can turn to God and escape frustration when we hit dead ends.
Your Way Out…
· Humble yourself before God. Bow in submission to His throne alone.
· It’s easy to see other people’s errors. It’s not so easy to see our own. So confess the sins you see in them as though they are your own, because Romans 2:3 tells us they are! So often what we desire others be delivered from is the very thing from which God has desired to deliver you.
· Confess and repent of exalting yourself (your way) above God’s as the sin of self-idolatry (the very essence of the enemy).
· Ask God to forgive you for your sins. And ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you your secret sins so you may be confessed before Him.
· Forgive yourself by receiving the forgiveness that Jesus died to give you. Yeah, we already know we don’t deserve it. But do it anyway because this is part of God’s order for redemption.
· Stop trying to “help” God. Ask your Helper, Holy Spirit, to help you not to “help” Him. Ask Him to enable you to receive His conviction when you pick up burdens (false responsibilities) He never intended for you to own.
· Thank God for what you do have.
· Praise Him! (Here, you will discover His presence…again.)
· Pray deliverance and blessings over those who have frayed your nerves.
· Submit your petitions.
· Ask God for His rich mercy and restoration of grace to fight and win battles on your behalf. Ask God to get you where He desires you to be.
· Intentionally choose to trust God’s will and ways and take the courage Jesus died to give you.
· Go forward in divine peace (God’s presence).
Tips For The Journey…
· Remember, Job was not restored in a day. It took years for him to have 10 more kids!
· Don't lose your faith when God doesn't act in your timing. Let God be God. He hasn’t forgotten you!
· Submit to God’s ways along the way, and you will see His destiny for you come to pass; and you will know that it is better than you can see right now.
· Be kind to yourself and others.
· Continue to pray in all things.
Key Scriptures…
"We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Thess 1:3
"May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance." -2 Thess 3:5
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ. This devotional was adapted from Margaret's latest book, "Enduring Grace," to be released soon.
Originally published Sunday, 13 April 2014.
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