Have you ever seen that couple together? You know, the two odd and completely polar opposite individuals who walk past you in the mall or the park, lovingly talking back and forth with one another probably holding hands. You began to wonder to yourself what brought “these two” together? It’s not a secret. In fact, we as believers should be the ultimate display of such acceptance. Why should the secular population have a better grasp of a concept when it is supposed to be a requirement for the “godly” lifestyle we often claim to have mastered? As believers, we are always informed (more like volun-told) that the Bible is the guide book to our behavior in every situation. But… let’s be honest. How often do we take that moment to go search the Word as soon as a situation arises in our day? I won’t even bother to look around the room because I don’t even want to see how many people will notice my own hand is down. What I would like to focus on today is one of the reasons why I did not, and still will not at times. See? I did not include my innocent audience.
It’s just not on my mind! This was a red flag for me that I was not “meditating” on the Word as instructed in the Bible and by our spiritual leaders. I did not have a set time for devotions and prayer like many of my mentors in the past and you guessed it, the present! I was a bad Christian because I did not do the things that my predecessors were teaching me to do. I certainly didn’t spend long hours searching the more than paper thin pages of my newly bounded Bible looking for scriptures even until the wee hours of the night. I didn’t fall asleep to wake up and find my Bible pressed firmly against my heart the next morning. I didn’t forsake my lunch buddies to go steal away and spend my time in my secret prayer closet to abstain from the appearance of and possible presence of the evil lurking the hallways of my workplace. It simply wasn’t on my mind because of all the other things that had to be there instead. My kids, my dependent family members, my students, my own classmates and homework, my bills, my kids friends, my social life, my home responsibilities, and my kids. As a single parent, I found time very limited and unforgiving when it came to my life. However, I knew I had to just keep it together. Well, I got tired of just keeping it together with scotch tape and dollar store super glue. I needed to find the thing that would help me get to that place of “meditation” that would then help me get to the mountain top! But it eluded me every time. Long story short, I started hanging out with married folks and found out that they were struggling with the same issues too. How disappointing! But was it? Deep down it was a relief to find out that my married peers were floundering with the same mandate and had not quite figured out how to make it work. So I finally had a conversation with God about it. Yes, a conversation and not a prayer. We just talked. Well, I talked and He listened. Then once I felt I had made my complaints known and closed my mouth, He finally spoke. Funny part was it wasn’t on that same day. KISS – Keep it simple saints! God is never in a hurry, and neither should we be. What does that mean? Just the same way God did not answer me on the very day we had that talk, our solutions do not appear over night as well. So why do we expect them to? I wasn’t anxious, I was floundering! Well… I was floundering because I was anxious. Insert big bright light bulb right about- here. That “be anxious for nothing” scripture was a sure way to start a fight in my spirit when it was thrown at me from the pulpit or conversations. However, I finally got a revelation about it. Many times, we are struggling with our guidelines because we believe that God only works within those perimeters. Not so! During the journey of this particular revelation I have discovered that God is not looking for us to hurriedly get it together, but to be quick concerning getting it together. People used to treat me according to what they thought they saw in my life, but many were not discerning properly. I was given instructions as if I were some rogue saint seeking whose witness I could destroy with my contagious attitude toward the Word. Quick! read this book, memorize these scriptures, pray four times a day, and be at the altar early on Sunday mornings. All should be well. But it never was. God explained to me that He gives us things at the exact time we are supposed to get them. And although we may feel regret about previous behavior once revelation comes, God is not looking to rehash it. He’s ready to move forward with the new information you just received. When we receive answers He is saying, “Now you are ready to go forth in this direction which is why I am giving it to you now.” One Word! This is how God fixed me in many areas. He gave me one scripture to apply to my daily life until He said different. One scripture was my focus. One. It didn’t matter what every one else was doing, fasting, praying, believing, or living. I had one scripture to reference throughout my day. It was nothing fancy, not even profound at the time. In fact, it was a scripture I had learned many years ago during childhood as part of our congregation’s weekly benediction. It was part of recited prayer, so I thought. But on that day that I looked for an answer He sent me to that scripture. That one scripture governed my thoughts and behavior for quite some time. Still does when I need to really demonstrate Christ in rough situations. When asked how they deal with irate and difficult customers who are in the wrong, a business owner shared this answer with me. “Simple. I think about my bottom line. My money is why I am doing what I am doing. It is also my money that allows me to go do specific things to shake those difficult people off at the end of the day. I smile because I know that they don’t have the ability to go shake me off in the same manner because they do not have as much to lose as I do. So I deal with it to keep my bottom line secure which keeps me secure.” Point taken! He focused on one part of the business. So I focused on one part of my “walk”. Change began to happen. When it was time to change the scripture, He would send another one in my path. Just that simple. In doing this I acknowledged God’s voice even quicker because I had to learn to recognize when He was showing me the change or shift for my journey. Wait a minute! That means I learned something else in the process of doing this “one thing”! Wow! This really isn’t hard, huh? Before I knew it my one thing influenced my prayers. I began to be more specific and authoritative in my spiritual warfare. Before I knew it, my one thing had me operating in forgiveness. My one thing had me treating people like they were really my brothers and sisters in Christ. My one thing had me planning my wedding. My one thing opened the door for a new career. My one thing helped me find a new church home for my new walk. Most importantly, my one thing lead me unaware to be with one accord with the Holy Spirit in my walk. Be anxious for nothing, not even change. One thing, one Word, one step at a time. Walk this journey one step at a time. This doesn’t mean not to step out on faith and try God. It’s how you step out on your faith. In my opinion, David waited on the Lord one situation at a time. In the meantime, he continued to worship and keep His commandments the best way he knew how until God revealed the next step. David is considered one of our biblical heroes to date. I leave you with this. When served an elephant, always eat it one bite at a time. Trust me, you’ll look foolish (anxious) attempting it any other way. Warmest regards, Bird B & F Ministry
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AuthorJust a little birdy and fish about the Father's business. Helping to better the world one blog at a time. Categories
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May 2020
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