Sweet friends,
Things have been different, but a good different. I’ve
entered into this new chapter of (greater) independence, responsibility, and
growth. I felt called to break free from my bubble, I was provided with an
opportunity, and through prayerful consideration and counsel from those I love,
I took a risk and stepped into the unknown. More than just a desire to break
free from any complacency in my life, I felt that there was a need for me to leave Oklahoma, and
through this need, I would be able to utilize my gifts and strengthen my weaknesses.
Whether it be for myself or someone or something else, I didn’t know – all I
knew was I felt a desire in my heart to do so. My brothers words ran through my
mind… such sweet simplicity –
“ Love God, trust God, make a decision.”
I couldn’t see ahead to what was going to happen, and to
others it looked crazy, but to me I felt this peace and certainty. Nervousness,
yes. But no fear, praise the Lord. To someone who has known fear for far too
long, this was reassuring…
“For God
gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
// 2
Timothy 1:7
So, I’m in North Carolina now… what can I do here that I
would not be able to accomplish in Oklahoma? Who or what is here that I can be
Jesus to? What am I going to be able to experience in this place that I
couldn’t before breaking out of my comfort zone?
These are all questions I do not have the answers to right
now, and maybe will not have answers to for a while… but I need to be okay with
the possibility of that. I need to be (more than) okay with the season I have
been placed in, and I need to be patient.
My new pastor, J.D. Greear, was going through a summer series
called "Something Better, Something Greater: The Life & Times of Elijah and Elisha" whenever I first visited The Summit. That first Sunday he spoke on 1 Kings 17:1-9, and the particular way the Lord prepared Elijah for
the battle he would be facing at Mount Carmel. In this excerpt, the Lord took
away Elijah’s ability to even provide for himself at the brook, drawing him to
a point of weakness and surrender, then provided for him through a special act
of providence, and then took away even that. Multiple times Elijah was in need,
but the greater Elijah’s need, the greater God’s glory and provision through
the miracles He performed.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says “But He said to me, “My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I
will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may
rest on me.”
{adorable print from emilyley.com}
Throughout this message, Pastor J.D. kept coming back to
this point –
“if our dependence on God is the objective, then weakness is
our advantage.”
… Stop and
think on that for a moment – that is
good news!
We all
have weaknesses. We all make mistakes and continuously fall short. We are all
in need. Whether it be peace, direction, guidance, resolution, or even a
miracle… we are all in need of a the God who is more powerful than
anything we come across.
“I have
said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will
have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
// John 16:33
Elijah didn’t realize at the time that his situations pre-Mount Carmel were the Lord preparing his heart, creating in him the
proper character for what was ahead: an unwavering dependence, faith, &
trust in Christ to provide in times of need.
I believe the Lord is preparing me for something greater. Something I am unable to depict right now, but
through each season of my life, I know He is calling me to have faith, trust
wholeheartedly, and be fully dependent on Him in all areas of my life, so that
through this growth I will be able to take on anything that is ahead of me with
confidence as Elijah did against King Ahab at Mount Carmel.
Just
because we may not be an amazing profit, like Elijah, does not mean that we are incapable of accomplishing things with an eternal purpose. We cannot allow our
fears of the unknown, or any lies the enemy may whisper to us aide in his destruction of our cause to do something greater.
I loved this statement our pastor said in comparison of us
to Elijah, “God doesn’t want super human people with great power to be able to
change the world, He is looking for ordinary people with unconditional
surrender and confidence in Him alone.”
And here is what is so exciting, through this unconditional
surrender and confidence in Christ alone, He is then able to perform miracles
(big and small) through us, just normal people, so that others may then see and
know that there truly is something
someone greater.
Pastor J.D. described this comparison in 1 Kings 17 as one
of the most important to grasp…
– In verse 1, Elijah is described as where he is from,
“Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe.
–
At the end of the passage, in verse 24, Elijah is defined by
who he belongs to, Elijah the man of God…
My prayer is that through this deep surrender and faith in a
God who is greater, that we will build this confidence on the truth of who we
are and what our future holds… we are children of God, and wherever we are sent
(in obedience to Him or in His name) – He. Will. Provide.
Here is the link to this series... I loved it a lot : ) maybe you will too. He just began to dip into the life of Elisha this past Sunday - such good stuff. Check it out if you have a minute or two (or 50)!
Hope you all have a happy rest of your week : ) Let's Skype!
Love & Miss,
Mere
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