From Wandering to Victory

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3

• • • Wandering.
      • Restless.
        • Tired.
          • Rootless.
            • Aimless.
              • Grouchy.
                • Doubting.
                  • Edgy.
                    • Unsettled.
                      • • Sad.

I’ve had a week like that!  Blessings flowing around me!  Spring showing up in all her glory and color!  Nothing on the outside or inside looking much different.

But I could not get a grip!  I played my favorite games on my phone way too much. (I know!! True confessions!)  And I found a series of the Great British Baking Show that I had not watched yet and covered several episodes! I was teary, sad and discontent!

I had just been blessed with a fabulous week back in Missouri.  The weekend of Easter and following week. Meagan, my daughter, inspired me to “Rise Up” with an amazing Easter sermon at her church.   My grandson reassured me over and over that he had not forgotten Gigi way out there in Ohio!  My Mom and I spent time reconnecting and just enjoying each other.  We had a family dinner with my siblings.  I saw old friends and church friends and even was able to reunite with my old Single Moms group!  Scott and I had such fun talking and laughing on the drive home from Missouri.

Why Father?  Where does this disconnect come from?  Where is the zeal and excitement for Your will and purpose in my life?  You have indeed given me great vision and big dreams to make an Impact in your world.  I am poised!  I am ready!  You are faithful and You have called me!

Why this cloud of darkness?

One morning, as is my “habit” I went again to my chair.  I had a warm cup of coffee in my hands.  I lit the 3-wicked candle and said, “Good morning, Father. Good morning, Jesus. Good morning, Holy Spirit.”  I covered up with an afghan and I pulled out my devotion and journal.  And I got ready to meet my God.

The devotion for the day was called “God Our Great Protector”.  In the introduction, the author tells the reader that it is “vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father.  Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us.”

Well, as you can imagine the tears began to flow!  This is just where I was - distant and separated. Never was I more grateful for a “habit” of seeking the Lord in the morning, whether I felt like it or not, for I would have missed my blessing and Word from Abba.

The devotion was a teaching on our enemy, Satan, the father of lies.  John 8:44 says, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”  He is always and forever in opposition to God.

That is when I knew that the “feelings” of doubt, and aimlessness, and sadness, and rootlessness were lies. Whispered in my ear by the one, Satan, who does not want me to prosper in God’s love and grace and mercy.  He wants me to doubt that I am “…God’s handiwork {masterpiece}, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for [me] to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)  He wants me to doubt that I can have an Impact in this world for Christ.

He has me wandering in place of confusion.  Not sure where to go next.

Why?  Because when we are following hard after Christ, seeking to be like Him and to do His good work, we are a threat.  Satan does not have to distract those are not seeking to love others like Jesus.  He does not have to whisper lies of discontent to those who do not desire to do Kingdom work!

He does not have to sap the energy of the daughter who does not have a Break-Away for Impact Retreat to lead in 2 weeks!

Spiritual warfare, my friends, is real when we are in the place of obedience and doing His will for us.  The warfare can be strong and cunning.

You see, sadness, being unsettled, tiredness, even edginess are all emotions I have experience in the past.  I am susceptible to them because of my past brokenness.  And the enemy of my soul knows that. He used common feelings and emotions to derail me! I lost close to a week of working on my ministry!

Yet, Jesus defeated this enemy! He is the victorious, King Jesus!  In my study, He brought another believer alongside me to speak that truth into my spirit, to bring the cleansing tears, and to reignite the fire in my soul to live each and every day to the fullest- in Power and Victory!

God is my Protector!  Praise His Holy Name!

Scripture says that, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  (1 Corinthians 10:13) That morning in my worship chair, truth was my way of escape.

I am no longer in that place of rootlessness, but I am,

“… like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. Psalms 1:3

• I am ready for ministry!
  • I am ready to serve my Savior!
    • I am ready to bow down in humble worship!
      • I am ready to rely on the truth found in God Almighty!
        • I am ready to love who He sends me to love!
          • I am ready and open to be obedient!

Will you join me, my friend, for the journey of a life time?

I am so grateful for a loving Father who let me know that He has me - and He is my protector!