(This is a picture of my son Keeno standing on a mountain in Portugal. I see the glory of God all above him here)
I got home from church about 2 hours ago (we went out for dinner after service) and as I was about to go downstairs I heard my foster son singing in his room and I thought to myself I know that song. Well sure enough he was singing a song we have been singing in the Kingdom for a few weeks and even sang it today ".....give me wisdom ... To do things like you do.... Lord I look to you... From where my help comes from..give me wisdom to see things like you do..." and let me tell you, my eyes began to fill with tears. Here is a young boy who has never attended church outside of special occasions and had no idea who "God" was, yet he was singing the song with so much passion (he is a singer by the way) and conviction. I began to think deeply about what the words actually meant to me. I mean when I sing that song I am asking God to make me see things like He does. Wow. Really. Am i? Are we really willing to do that? To see things like He does?
There are times, sometimes several times a day, when we are in a situation where we need wisdom to proceed with whatever we are doing. As followers of Christ we should be looking to the Lord for wisdom. He is the One who gives us the wisdom we need not only for a particular situation, but for everyday life.
Today I pray that I have a clear understanding that wether I may like something or not, wether It feels good or not, wether I get "my" way or not, it's not about ME at all. And all that God is doing in my life is to strengthen me, mold me and make me see things the way He sees them. Boy I got a ways to go BUT I'm going. In order for me to be affective in the Kingdom, I have got to see things the way he sees them. Not the way my emotions or flesh feels.
As Kingdom embassadors, our highest aim should be to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and this includes praying according to His will. First, we must ask for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). In asking for wisdom, we must also trust that God is gracious and willing to answer our prayers: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt” (James 1:6; see also Mark 11:24). So, praying according to the will of God includes asking for wisdom (to know the will of God) and asking in faith (to trust the will of God).
I don't stress or worry. Why? Because God is in me. He has been since the day I was born. All of what I have overcome, we're lessons that God had me learn. I came into this world to complete an assignment that was laid out for me. I have come to a realization that had it not been for His wisdom and the understanding He blessed me with in order to apply that wisdom to my life, I would not be here today. I would have given up, killed someone or myself, became a drug addict, probably abused my children and would have been hanging out in some dark place or alley LOST! I remember being 7 years old and praying to this "God" my grandmother often told me about, "Jesus I hate him please make him stop hurting me and Suzie and mommy. Jesus I feel like I want to hurt him so bad but please help me not to hurt him because I really do love him I just hate how much he is hurting us. I know he needs help Jesus can you help him please because avo (my grandmother) says that you make all things possible and you fix people." You see, even at that age I knew that He could give me wisdom to see things like He does. I knew that no matter who hurt me I had to love them.
Ok I get it now. I've got to see things like He does. Thank you to my pastor (Somers) for being the vessel God sent to speak TRUTH into my life. Because truth has set me free.
Love Lizzy
I read your book a few months back and wow I was so inspired by your strength and determination to keep going no matter what you were faced with and my you were faced with a lot. I have went through only about 2 things you have gone through and I can't seem to get to a level of forgiveness. Don't quite know what it is. But i will tell you this, your book started a journey of forgiveness for me i never thought possible. You are one strong women. I saw your live interview the other day on 100 Huntley Street after my mom called to tell me you were on and i noticed you said you were writing your second book? Will it be another memoir? What will it be about?
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Good morning Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the message (above). It means more to me then you know :-)
I will say this, you have got to forgive in order to set YOURSELF free. It is not about "them" at all. It will cripple you, as I did me for far too many years. Everything in life are lessons. Without them, we would not know any better. When I started sharing my story and talking about it from a place of "forgiveness" I truly began to let go and live! We beat ourselves up for other peoples mistakes while they are out living it up and most likely not even remembering the pain they caused us. You will know when you have forgiven when you get to a point of being able to talk about "it" without feeling pain. As soon as I let people go, I truly started seeing the Glory of God all over me. Unforgiveness was the ONE crippling thing I had in my life. It's gone, it's in the past. When you don't forgive you are NOT living authentically in the moment. Si I encourage you to forgive.You don't have to call "him/her/them" and tell them you have forgiven them. Bring it prayer and let them go. Look yourself in the mirror and forgive them out loud. You matter in this world and people need you at your best.
Second, funny enough my 2nd book is focused on forgiveness, spiritual growth and the affects of not loving yourself and having boundaries. Yes my 1st book ends after the birth of my now 5 year old and A LOT has happened since then (talk about struggling to forgive)Something happened in my life when my son was a year and a half that literally "almost" tore me in half. I share pieces of that story and the journey it took me on (pain, hatred, anger, sadness and GROWTH) What seemed to be the biggest hurt in my life turned out to be the BEST thing that happened to me.
And that is how it works. We have to take the good out of every single fall and trial. Because it happens for our own good mama.
Thank you and be blessed. You can also email me at elizabeth@devainyou.com