Whose vision are you running with?
“Then the Lord said to me,
‘Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed.” (Habakkuk 2:2-3 NLT)
In the month of January, there are vision board parties, New Year’s resolutions challenges, and discounted gym memberships galore. There are think pieces, sermons, and podcasts demanding that you find a vision for the upcoming year. God-forbid you are not able to pinpoint exactly what car, house, or man you are determined to have by the following New Year’s Eve countdown! Talk about pressure…
The first time I received a vision from God, it was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. It was as if I was watching the future of my dreams unravel before my eyes! Details about who would be impacted, what materials I would need, it all spilled from my brain onto paper faster than I could keep up. That was the first time I read Habakkuk’s God-given vision in chapter 2. There was something poetic about the guarantee that even if the vision felt delayed to me that it would, indeed, come to pass. One of my favorite things about the Bible is the way that it comes alive as you read. You can read the same passage of scripture 100 times, and get various revelations each time. Not because you were wrong the first time, but because God has no limit to His complexity.
Today I read Habakkuk 2 again, but this time I saw a detail that I think we often miss in this scripture. As God is instructing Habakkuk to write the vision, and giving him assurance that it will come to pass, it is so important to know that the vision was SOLELY from God’s mind to Habakkuk. Read it again. The vision was God’s, not Habakkuk’s. This challenges the way society dictates the way we ought to manifest more money, new businesses, perfect relationships, and bigger cars in our visions. I wonder, did your vision for what you were to accomplish in 2020 come from God or the culture? Did your expectation for a successful year involve the number of souls saved or was it the number of followers you added to your social media account? (I promise the Holy Spirit is reading my life while I type this) Let it sink in. Be honest! This is between you and God.
My sister, (and brother, if you’re reading this!) God is not here to condemn you today. Instead, here we are in a brand new year with an opportunity to invite Him to give you His vision for your year. Will you be open to what He shows you? What if it involves increased testing of your faith? What if it involves sacrifices you will have to make this year? What if God’s vision includes you coming out of your comfort zone to share the Gospel more, or speak out against sin? There is hope: HE IS WITH YOU. As you choose His vision over your own, be strengthened in the knowledge that there will never be a day you walk alone.
Prayer:
Wow, Lord. My heart feels convicted. I admit that some of my goals for previous years were based on what the culture told me I should be chasing. I honestly have not asked you what Your vision was, or I have asked and I failed to follow through. Thank you for new mercies every single day! Thank you for giving me the power and desire to do what pleases You! Thank you that as I seek you, I will find you this year. I pray that You would give me a clear vision for what is to come, and the patience when I don’t yet see it. I love You more than controlling my future. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Church hurt.
“Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.” (1 Samuel 1: 6-7)
Satan is nothing if not cunning and smart. I believe this is why “church hurt” is so prevalent. If he can create such an adverse experience in the one place that can bring freedom, he can separate you from the true source of everything you long for. Can you imagine every time you go to church, someone provoking you and poking at a soft spot until the point of not being able to eat? It’s absolutely the enemy’s doing. Now, in some versions of the Bible, Hannah’s sister-wife is referred to as her adversary or her rival. This is important to note because although I can put a face and a name to the person causing me pain, I need to always remember that it is the enemy at work in them. Always remember your adversary is not the one you can see, but the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.
What’s ironic is that Hannah was favored in the area of food-provision, and the enemy provoked her to the point that she would not eat. Have you ever been favored in an area but the devil tries you so much that you can’t even enjoy the favor? More food, but provoked so she can’t eat. God gives you a clearer voice, but silenced by shame and guilt from your past to the point that you are afraid to use that voice. You get the relationship of your dreams, but you become plagued with comparing it to other couples on social media and can’t find contentment. The devil is a liar! I wonder if Hannah began to associate the temple with torment, tainted by the experience of being provoked every year at the same time.
Oh, but there is so much value and beauty in Hannah’s story! Her breakthrough actually happened in the very place that had been the setting of her pain, and God did eventually answer her prayer and give her a son (1 Samuel 1:20). What was the key? Loving God more than her pain. Hannah kept coming back to the temple year after year, enduring the taunts of her adversary. My sister, do not let the devil run you away from God no matter how bad it gets! You may not be able to shout with joy and pretend it’s all good, just like Hannah could not bring herself to eat. It might be all you can do to bring yourself to church and pray silently. But whatever you do, keep coming back. For your God is faithful; He will not test you beyond what you can bear.
Prayer:
God, I love You enough to keep coming to meet with you. Even if they hurt me. Even while I’m growing weary in waiting. I know You’re the only one who has what I need, so I will be back. Every year, every month, every week. I might look crazy to others, and I might be judged. But You gave me a desire. So I’m going to be here until You come through. I’ll do what You want me to do. I’ll go where You want me to go. Even if You don’t do it now, I’ll be back. Please strengthen me in my waiting. I believe that what the enemy meant for evil, You alone can use it for good. I thank you for the provoking. It only makes me want this more. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Who’s ya Daddy?
How does my Heavenly Father handle me with care? Personalizing Psalm 23
He provides all of my needs (“I lack nothing” vs. 1).
He gives me a place to rest and be nourished (“He makes me lie down in green pastures” vs. 2)
He made me whole. He didn’t let me stay in my broken state as if it was okay (“He restores my soul” vs. 3a)
He orders my steps along a good path (“path of righteousness” vs.3b)
He is ever-present (“I will fear no evil for You are with me” vs. 4)
He comforts me with His parenting: His rod chastens and convicts me when I stray; His staff acts as my baby gate, letting me know the parameters for safety. (“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” vs. 4b)
Vengeance is sweeter in Him. He doesn’t have to kill them, and I don’t have to be hateful. I only need to trust that He will make sure the right people have a vantage point to watch Him bless what they walked away from. (“He prepares a table in the presence of my enemies” vs. 5)
He anoints me for my purpose. I will not fall into the trap of thinking I have to work hard enough to be big enough to accomplish the purpose of God in my life. (“You anoint my head with oil…” vs. 5b)
He gives me more blessing and provision than I know what to do with. (“my cup runneth over.” vs. 5c)
He gifts me goodness (grace)and mercy EVERY day. It is not contigent upon how well I performed the day before. His consistency is not based on mine (or lack therof)--Thank you Jesus! (“Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life” vs. 6)
I have a spot reserved in heaven if I have believed in my heart and confessed with my mouth that Jesus is the son of God; that He was born of a virgin; that He died on the cross for my sins; that He rose with all power; and one day He will come back to bring me to heaven. (“I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” vs 6b).
Prayer:
A master Shepherd. I don’t have to put my trust in my environment, my job, a man, a friend--because You personally come see about everything concerning me. I am important to You, and nothing gets past You. That means I can rest. Today I love you more than I complain about what I lack. Instead I focus on how You meet my every need.
Iron sharpens iron…not kisses.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
“Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” (Hebrews 12:6)
One day I came home to my super God-ordained, blessing of a roommate wanting to have a “talk”. I was nervous as my mind scanned all the possible things that could require such a conversation. From my point of view, everything was perfect and blessed. Not so. Instead, she proceeded to challenge me to “be a better steward of the blessing” we had believed God for- our apartment. She reminded me of my goal of being a wife in the future, and the diligence I would need to create a home environment that fosters peace for my future husband and children. She even challenged the times she heard me eating late dinners, suggesting that I might not complain of grogginess and a lack of energy if I were more disciplined in my eating.
Ideally, I would have blessed her and thanked God for her immediately. In a perfect world where I was mature and sanctified, sure. But truth be told, I immediately felt defensive! How could she bring my future husband into this?! So what if I didn’t do the dishes as soon as I got home every evening, my husband had better get used to chipping in. I had a list of mental rebuttals a mile long, but do you know what actually happened? The Holy Spirit convicted ME. He asked me, “is iron sharpening supposed to feel warm and fuzzy?” You see, I had considered our relationship a blessing from God Himself since day one. However, the moment she saw things in me that were hindering the manifestation of my best, I was ready to pack my bags.
God wants us to develop more longevity in the right kinds of relationships! Sure, it’s easy to be loyal and to love those who are our personal cheerleaders through life; to always be the smartest, most saved, most beautiful friend in the group. But what if God is calling you to more? More wisdom, more discipline, more maturity: it all requires a level of discomfort.
If you don’t believe me, think about your own life and walk with God. Do you grow more when God coddles you and reassures you that everything will be okay, or when He convicts you when you settle beneath His will? The Bible tells us that the Lord actually disciplines the ones He loves, and corrects the ones He accepts as sons. At first glance, neither of those appear to be loving. However, think of it like this: He loves me too much to allow me to live beneath what He has destined for me. He loves me too much to live my life according to the deception of my own desires. That is real parenting! God is not concerned with being your friend. He cares about you accomplishing your purpose.
Iron sharpens iron; if you are not feeling sharper as a result of your relationships, it’s time for a shift!
Prayer
Father, I thank you for being the best father anyone could ask for. Thank you for modeling yourself how we should parent our children: caring for their wellbeing more than being popular. Thank you for caring enough to correct me, and for sending friends who do the same. I know that if you didn’t love me, you would leave me to my own desires. I am forever grateful for a God who gives me what I need over my feelings. Today I love You more than wanting to have my own way.
“Follow me.”
“He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 59-60)
Have you ever heard your parent calling you and instead of immediately going to them, you called back “in a second!” or “ok, let me just finish this”? I know I have. I also know it sometimes caused me an unfavorable consequence! What about this: have you ever heard God calling you and found yourself responding with the same “in a minute, God!”
The more I study the Bible, the more I realize that God can be very black and white; often straightforward with His desires. For example, “be holy as I am holy” or “have no other gods before Me”. Simple. It is often our sinful nature that tries to add a gray area where God only wants obedience. In this text, Jesus gives a very simple command. He says “follow me.” There is nothing inherently confusing about that but we see two examples of disobedience (vs. 59-62).
Has God called you to live a life fully surrendered to Him and you have been more concerned with old friendships, old career plans, and old ways of thinking? This is your warning that it’s not a good enough excuse for the Father. Of course, we should still love those in our lives, always pointing them to Christ. Be careful that it does not become the thing holding you back from fully pursuing the Kingdom of God.
Prayer:
God, thank you for calling me according to your purpose for my life! You, the God of the universe, want me and I will never understand. I repent for being slow to obedience, no matter how good the excuse sounds. Please call me again. Ask me to follow you again. Help me to leave my old life behind as I build your kingdom. I love You more than the “important” things in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.