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So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!
Romans 8:4 TPT Last week I was trying to get into the mode of preparing for a presentation and for writing this blog and couldn’t think of what to say or where to start. I was frustrated and totally unmotivated to do ANYTHING. So I just began journaling to God about how I was feeling. As I was writing about my frustration with the situation, he showed me that I was trying to make everything up on my own. I had excluded God from the opportunity that he had given me! I had taken God’s blessing and made it scary and frustrating by leaving him out and trying to figure things out on my own. And by doing this, it revealed where my heart was in trusting God to give me everything I needed. I realized that trying to do it in my own strength is a sign of mistrust. I was not trusting God to give me the words I needed. In this moment of not trusting, I had removed God and I was trying to do work FOR him instead of WITH him. Which is a pretty quick way to get into striving and frustration. Striving begins with the mentality that we are doing anything FOR God. As if he’s just sitting on his throne, watching us work against all odds to get to the destiny that he’s planned for us. But it’s not like that at all. He wants to do it with us! He wants to be beside us, to give us strength, to give us the strategy and the ideas we need to grow and step into the destiny he has had planned for us since before the beginning of time (see Ephesians 2:10). We can work from rest when we are co-laboring WITH God and not FOR God. So, what does that look like? It’s simply inviting Holy Spirit in through prayer, asking for help, and then trusting that he is giving you everything you need. I used to think that asking Holy Spirit into something meant that I had to “feel all the feels and the chills” and be in a sort of manic creating state where the Spirit takes over my being and creates for me. So I would get frustrated and overwhelmed, thinking I was missing God or I could not hear him. I’m not saying that Holy Spirit never works that way, but I have been learning that, usually, creating through the inspiration of Holy Spirit really feels pretty normal. It’s in a state of mind when I am relaxed and at rest mentally, and trusting God to speak–and then just beginning to do whatever it is that I am working on. This goes for anything, including, but not limited to, writing, creating or working on any kind of project, and succeeding in your job–whatever it may be. I have heard testimonies from people who invite God into their sales job, people who don’t consider themselves naturally talented in salesmanship, but they are in the top sales position in their company because God is providing the people, the strength, and the favor they need to make a sale. If I’m not intentional to invite Holy Spirit into my process, I get frustrated in the pressure to “come up” with something great and I get into striving. So for me, if I’m writing, it simply looks like taking a moment to invite Holy Spirit in prayer to help me, relaxing in trust, and letting my thoughts flow as I just start writing anything. Just start with anything. As soon as pen hits paper, even if I didn't really know where to start, I find that the ideas begin flowing. If I sit and try to think too hard before I put pen to paper I have been discovering that for me, it means I am not trusting God in that moment to speak to me. At that moment I’m trying to think everything up on my own. But as soon as I let go and just begin, the words and ideas come and I find that I am having fun and that I am inspired and have many things to write. God wants to co-create with us. He has ideas and strategy that he is so excited to share with us. Things that we were created to flow in and manifest in our lives. But we have to open ourselves up and ask for them. God is a God of free will, we have a choice to co-create. He doesn't want to force us and will not force us to do anything. There may be ideas that he hasn’t shared with you yet, simply because you haven’t invited him into the process. Simply ask him to provide the ideas and begin whatever you are doing, he will provide what you need. When you have random ideas pop into your head, write them down! God is always speaking, and every idea is worth at least examining and praying about. He may give you ideas for the future that maybe you need to grow into to be able to bring into reality. God is known for showing the end from the beginning, but it’s up to us to steward well the ideas he gives and to grow into what he is calling us to do. And God knows how to get us from point A to point Z, he won't overwhelm us with every step all at once. He wants to lead us bit by bit, so that it’s a learning process that teaches us and prepares us for the next step as we go. You may need to cultivate some skills and discipline in some areas before you are able to follow through with the steps and ideas he has for you in the future. Don’t let fear stop you. Fear and ideas have something in common. They only have power in your life if you take hold of them, listen to and believe in them! God’s plan is always going to be for your good. He wants to grow you and shape you into the person you are created to be! Which, by the way, he already sees you according to your destiny, according to who he has created you to be (see Song of Songs 4:2 TPT). Choose to listen to and follow the ideas that God has given you. Give those power and push past the fear that tells you otherwise. For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 TPT We have not been given a spirit of fear! We have been given power through Jesus, love that casts out all fear, and a sound mind to hear God! The ideas and steps he has given you now, no matter how small they feel, are going to lead you and grow you into your future destiny. So trust God for the ideas and then steward them! Write them down, use them, manifest them! See and step them into existence. God gave them to you to make them a reality.
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It’s almost New Year’s! We’re all excited for a fresh start, which means most of us already have some habits that we plan to make or break this year. What are your resolutions? What would you like to achieve, cultivate, or quit doing that will improve your life? Fresh goals and vision are a must for moving toward the life you want, but we all know what happens to most New Year’s resolutions as the months advance. It’s easy to lose sight of a goal, get distracted, or get discouraged when things don’t go exactly as hoped. But there is hope! What if I told you that making a SINGLE habit for this year, and focusing on that one thing, could help you achieve all your other goals? It sounds too good to be true, but I’m about to change your mind because this one thing is absolutely going to change the way you dream about your future, and it will give you the tools you need to see it come to pass. The most important habit for leading a successful life is seeking God and His Word in your daily life. It is the habit that rules all other habits. When you put God first, He gives you everything you need to accomplish every other goal you will ever dream of, let me explain how. I’d like to start by listing the most popular New Year’s resolutions of all time:
All of these amazing goals are achievable with the tools that God gives us as we seek Him and His Kingdom. The Bible is like a Swiss Army Knife, every book, every scripture has something to impart, a promise for your life. Let’s look at just some (among so many!) of the reasons to prioritize cultivating a habit to be in God’s Word that will help you stay strong in this year's resolutions. 1. Self-control and Self-discipline The #1 thing that every New Year’s resolution requires is self-control and self-discipline. You cannot move forward in success without both of these. A person without self-control is like a city with broken down walls (Prov. 25:28, NLT). Self-control is the thing that allows you to say no when temptation is high, it is a defense against making decisions that will be harmful. Likewise, Proverbs 18:9 points out, A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things (NLT) . Self-discipline is the thing that helps you choose to get up early and workout rather than sleeping in, it builds up and constructs the things you want to have success in. A lack of self-discipline can destroy or hinder the things you are called to accomplish. Prioritizing time spent in God’s Word on a regular basis will cultivate both of these pivotal qualities and they will overflow into every other goal you set for yourself. And God will help you grow in self-control and self-discipline, you don’t have to strive for them in your own strength. 2. Strategy and Direction God has a strategy for every one of our goals, all we need to do is seek him for it. He gives us strategy and direction through the Bible, in communication with us during our prayer time, and throughout the day when we are listening. God cares about your New Year’s resolutions, he is the one that gives you the desires of your heart! He wants you to succeed in everything you do, and he has a divine strategy ready, with directional steps toward accomplishing your resolutions. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:6 NLT 3. Strength and Endurance It takes strength and endurance to see something through, even fun things. Projects that start with such excitement and hope, can become tiresome at the end. It takes grit to finish! But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV). Seeking God and drawing strength from His Words gives you what you need to continue in your goals, and know that you are not doing this alone! God is with you, and he is faithful to continue the good work he started in you until it is complete (see Philippians 1:6). Seek Him and he will give you strength to follow through with your New Year's resolutions. 4. Encouragement and Hope We all need to be encouraged to continue at times. Our Father in Heaven is the best cheerleader you will ever have. He knows exactly how to encourage you and give you hope to keep moving forward! Every word in the Bible can be used to encourage and build you up. There is a lesson in each story that can give you fresh perspective and spur you on in hope. And God is infinite, you could be reading a story that you’ve read a hundred times, but God may speak through it differently and give you something new to help you continue in your goals. 5. Renewal and Redemption Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV Cultivating a new habit can be challenging, and as humans, there will be times that we mess up. But that doesn’t mean that it’s all over. In Christ there is grace. Grace for us to fall and get back up again and continue the race. This goes for all things; actions, thoughts, and attitudes, whether sinful or not. That means that you have been given grace to pick up a habit again, even if you missed a day that you were supposed to work out, ate a cookie that you weren’t supposed to eat, or had a day that did not further you in your goal. You have been made new every moment that you choose. If you make a mistake, renew your mind in God’s Word, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God–truly righteous and holy (Eph. 4:23-24 NLT). We serve a God who gives us great dreams, and equips his children with everything they need to accomplish them. So make your New Year’s resolutions and make regularly spending time in God’s Word the #1 top priority! Ask God for strength and strategy in accomplishing your other goals, and then run your race and finish it! As always, I’m cheering for you! Love, Camri
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AuthorCamri is the founder of Flourish Journals and the designer/author of The Prayer Warrior Journal. ArchivesCategories |
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