“Best of the Best”

A while back God was showing me something and it moved me to write a letter to a group of Ladies that I was in a small group with. I hope that it encouraged them at the time and I hope it encourages you, now. I have been thinking a lot about that letter and wanted to pass it on. I believe that a lot of people, including me and my husband, are being positioned for something amazing! The following is a portion of the previous letter I wrote and I find it speaking to me still.

 

I have an interesting story to share about when my twins were ten months old. From the time my twins were six months old I had been feeding them food with a spoon. Whenever I put the babies into their high chairs to eat they would cry, more so my daughter Jael. When they were ten months old there was one day that I began thinking: wow, I have been doing this five times a day for four months now and still every time Jael cries. I am very perplexed by this because I figured that by now she must know that I am about to give her something she likes. Not only am I going to give her something she likes, it is something she needs. I was also thinking that I make all of my own baby food and I trust that I am giving her the best of the best and still I cannot figure out why she cries? I am simply putting her in the perfect position to receive the best of the best. She does not like to sit there, she does not like the straps, and she does not like the tray. Now when I begin feeding her, she is fine and loves it. But – every time I put her in the chair it is the same thing. Why doesn't she know the process yet?

 

Now the amazing thing is as I was thinking these things to myself I felt the Holy Spirit give me the answer: "This is exactly how the children of God are! I am simply positioning them for the best of the best and they cry."

 

To me we are sometimes in uncomfortable positions for a moment but we need to simply trust God that He is merely lining us up for the best of the best! Maybe the uncomfortable situation you are in right now is simply God positioning you. Trust your Father that He knows He has the best to give you and He will not withhold it from you! You can trust God even though we cannot see that He made the best of the best, knows it is good, that you will like it and that you even need it. So even though we cannot see past the chair we are in or the straps or the tray we can believe God that the best of the best is on the way!

 

I want to have the perspective that any battle or uncomfortable situation in my life that I face is God's opportunity to do something great in and through my life!

“The Who”

For a while now I have been spending time praying the Word over situations that I petition God for, either for myself or for a situation I am interceding for. I enjoy praying this way and I have found many moments where I sense the Word developing in my life as I meditate on the truth in this way. However, I have found myself spending a lot of time imagining how the answers to my petitions would play out. Not that having a "vision" in this regard is bad, but I was spending a great deal of time in my imagination – aka: day dreaming. Recently I came across a verse, Proverbs 10:11, that says one who chases fantasies lacks judgment. I began to pray about this, as I know that God wants us to dream big and see Him fulfill those big desires in His children. I really wanted balance in my life where these truths were concerned. How do you dream big for the things that only God can do in your life but at the same time not be chasing fantasies? As I was praying I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, "Stop meditating on the "How" and focus on the "Who!"" This has become a powerful revelation in my life. The "How" is irrelevant! The only thing that matters is the "Who!" God alone is the "Who" that I need to focus on. Only God can bring my dreams into the reality of this world. I do not want to shrink back in my dreams and desires but I do want to take them to the only source that can make a way. I want God to be big in my life. However He brings my dreams into existence I can trust that it will be amazing and without lack.

 

Another aspect of where my focus tends to go is due to fear. I think I focus on the "How" because I am afraid it won't happen and I convince myself that my hope stays alive when I play out a scenario in my thoughts. I call these fears the "What if's" or the "How Long's." What if this thing I long for never happens? How long will I have to wait for the answer? These are valid questions! As I began to focus more on the "Who" again the Holy Spirit encouraged me with the Word in Psalm 34:4 "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." Not only does the "Who" encourage me in my dreams and desires, He delivers me from my fears and He answers! The bottom line for me: dream big and focus on the "Who!"

What Time Is It?

So many times it seems I have cried out to God for something amazing in my life to be met with what feels like disappointment. Recently, I have begun to notice a certain way of talk among believers, myself included. The talk I hear professes: "it must not be the time for that" and we walk away satisfied that this must be the reason. However, I find myself bringing a new question to the Word about timing. Are we asking the Holy Spirit what time it is or are we simply justifying what we see with our eyes to make our soul feel better? We have the Holy Spirit and the gift of discernment. We should be discerning the time, not simply using it as justification when things go wrong. Now, I know there is an element of God's perfect timing in things and yes, there are those circumstances where we need to wait on God. In discernment and living a Spirit-led life we should be able to discern the differences. Remember, the enemy that comes to steal, kill and destroy? What if it is time for God to move BIG in our lives but we stopped pressing in because we bought into the twist of the Word that the enemy brings to get us to back off. The tricks of the enemy have not changed; he is still deceiving with a little truth that has a twist. There is a movie quote that I saw in an advertisement for "Australia," "Just because it is, doesn't mean that is should be." What do you see that is, that maybe should not be? How many times have we settled for what is and chocked it up to the "timing of God" when really we need to be pressing in because the enemy is trying to rob us? The timing of God is not an unknown when we have the counselor and helper with us! What is it that God has placed on our hearts to do for His glory? I believe that now is the time to press in stronger than ever to see the things of God revealed through our lives. Now is the time for us to see God as the Mighty King that He is. "I have learned that it is better to obey the Holy Spirit at the risk of failure than never to try to see the glory of God manifested," written by Dr. Paul Yonggi Cho. I agree! We need to be asking what time it is and obey the Holy Spirit so that we can see the Glory of God manifested once again in the lives of His people.

 

“Fight or Flight”

 

Sometimes, when I am in a battle for something I waver between pressing in and running in the opposite direction. Then, the battle becomes about fighting or running and not about the actual issue at stake. I was thinking about this in my prayer time one day and really asking God what that is in me that wants to run for the hills when it gets difficult. I began to remember my battle with infertility. I wanted children, not just any children, I wanted God to open my womb and give me children from my womb. Every Doctor's report said that it was unlikely and even with all of our current technology the report was that I had a 20% chance of conceiving and an unknown ability if I could ever carry to term. Sounds grim, I know. But there was something in me that was not going to back down in believing God for my desire. No matter how many bad reports, miscarriages, bad doctors, bad comments made by good friends, etc, I was still going to trust God. Why? Because the desire to see God answer me in this specific way was so great that running no longer became an option! Don't get me wrong, it was a journey to get to this point. Now, in my current battle and the question I am asking myself and God: what is it in me that wants to run? Simply, I need to let the vision that God has placed in my heart sink down to the point that running is no longer an option!

 

In my current battle I am pressing in for God to use my life to a greater degree, that the gifts He has given me would flourish and that more people could be touched by Him in my life. Sounds like a nice desire. However, I find myself wavering between "Yes, God!" and "forget it, get me out of here," thus, the issue that began this questioning. As I was listening to the Holy Spirit and remembering certain aspects of previous battles it became clear; the desire to see God move through my life needs to become greater. I would have never given up on the idea of having children, not for one second! Why would I give up on any other desire that God has placed in me? There were many frustrations and painful moments throughout the infertility battle but the desire and push never changed. The frustrations of this or any battle should not be enough to cause my push to change. I will continue to press in and allow the desire that God has placed in my heart to grow and I will continue to press in and see God show up in my life! Running is no longer an option!