Realizing Holy Spirit is showing me a kingdom truth in my reality. I took away a favorite privilege today because of an attitude and verbal disrespect during our math lesson. Daddy God is showing me my son’s consequence (a privilege removed) is not related to the thing – the math lesson that wasn’t getting done well. It is not related to the thing, the activity, the circumstance, but the opportunity for my son to learn “Yes, Mom”. And WOW, God, it is the same with you. The opportunity to stretch my faith, trust, dependence, my Yes God, is not specifically related to the circumstances. The way the world, people, even Christians, make it about the circumstances, and yet what God is up to IN the circumstances is the Kingdom issue, the Yes, trust, faith.
Show me your heart in this Lord. Help me to steward this well and navigate this time with my boy in your way Lord. Oh Lord, give me your wisdom and strength Lord. This is hard, tricky. I want his heart turned toward you and his love and respect, Lord, honoring and loving. That is it Lord, for your glory. It is not the math, it just gives us the incubator, the situations to practice. And so it is with you Lord. The worldly money lack does not mean to you what it means to the world. You want us free and our testimony to free others for your glory.
Acts 14:16-17 “In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
Oh Lord – I do not want to “go their own way.” Help me to stay eyes on you – pursuing you and your way only.
So here’s a mind twister, Paul had a vision from God,
Acts 16:9 TPT While staying there Paul experienced a supernatural, ecstatic vision during the night. A man from Macedonia appeared before him, pleading with him, “You must come across the sea to Macedonia and help us!
And Paul was obedient (Acts 16:10). And then after being accused, beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:19-22), this happened,
Acts 16:25 (TPT) Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship.
This is the call to praise in the circumstances. When God says go, do not be dismayed or discouraged by circumstances, and be aware, others are watching what we do, and God uses this heart position to touch others. Unusual behavior gains attention for God’s glory. Radical Faith. It sounds so fancy. It is hard. But it is easy with you. All for you Lord.
Excerpt from Truth In Hard Places