Being Ready for the Stage

She changed her diet drastically to get rid of all the sugars and fats. She gave up hours in her day to be at the gym and work out, eventually giving up nearly whole days to be up at the gym doing cardio and weights. She drank enough water she probably should have a river named after her! She was very intentional about everything she ate and did. Everything working in one accord is what is was going to take to get her where she needed to be.
Then there is me, sure, I have given up most sugars, sodas except on very rare occasions, I enjoy plenty of cream in my coffee and I love my breads!!! And while I was exercising 3 times a week for a while, I now only make it to the gym once a week. So, of course I am frustrated that I have gained weight because of my choices. I stand next to my friend and feel fat!! I see her at the gym and I want to just quit. "I'll never make it to that!" Honestly, I don't want to have a competition body, but a tone and healthy body full of energy would be awesome!!! I know what my end goal is and what it would take to get there, so why don't I just do it?!?
What about you? What in your life are you wanting to achieve so bad and you know what it will take to get there and yet you find yourself standing still staring off into space?!  Going back to school? Spring cleaning the house? Reading certain books? Loosing weight? Changing the family diet? Getting back into church? Deepening your relationship with the Lord? Finding a bible study to join? Seeking counseling for personal struggles, parenting or marriage? Learning a new hobby? Starting a business? Taking the time to catch up on letters? Planning and Saving for a vacation or mission trip? What do you want? You might slowly move towards it, which, hey, forward is better than backwards, but...why are we dragging our feet when it's something we want?! Maybe we don't want it bad enough. Maybe it requires too much hard work? Maybe it means we will have to make sacrifices.
How can we justify our complaining about not having "it" when we are not being intentional to do our part to attain it? I whine and fuss about not looking and being as healthy even half as good as my friend, and yet, I can't complain cuz I am not doing what needs to be done! I have no right to complain. I have no one to blame but myself. My friend can confidently slip on that bikini and look fabulous on stage at the end of her training because she did everything she needed to do to be ready for that moment on stage while I would be horrified due to my own lack of preparation. If only I would have trained. If only I would have done what I was instructed to do to be ready.  
This is sooo true when it comes to our walk with the Lord. We have to be intentional and continually prepare our self so when it's Showtime, we can be confident. When times get hard, do we find ourselves ready and trained up? Have we prepared for the "stage" of betrayal, anger, temptation, illness, unemployment, crisis? My friend was lucky in that she knew the date of her Competition and could plan out her exact daily schedule. We, on the other hand, do not know when we will be placed on the "stage". We must live prepared and ready!
This is why it is crucial to be in God's Word daily! It's why we must gather together and not forsake fellowship with Believers. It's why we must confess our sins and ask God to cleanse our hearts from the unhealthy toxins and make it healthy and pure. This is why we must have accountabilities as we live in community that help us stay serving, growing, focused, motivated and equipped. Our goal as a Believer is to glorify The Lord our God with our life, to be His Light here and show His Love through our lives. It's takes being intentional in planning and consistent disciplines to accomplish that. There will always be reasons and excuses but are we ready to stay disciplined and intentional towards our end goal?! Can we stay motived instead of feeling defeated?!?
So, back to my original questions: You might slowly move towards it, which, hey, forward is better than backwards, but...why are we dragging our feet when it's something we want?! Maybe we don't want it bad enough. Maybe it requires too much hard work? Maybe it means we will have to make sacrifices.
I don't about you but I want to know God deeply and intimately. I want to hear God. I want to feel God. I want His strength and peace and comfort. Ultimately, I want to bring Him honor. The question is How badly? If I wanted it bad enough, it would not matter what the cost to me would be. Look at the example of Christ? He wanted you bad enough that He sacrificed greatly for you. He brought glory the Lord which was His ultimate goal. Whatever it took.
Now, what about you? Are you ready to be "on stage" in life? Will you be confident when trials come? One day, it will be the Heavenly Stage and we will stand with full confidence and beauty, fully complete in every way, lacking nothing!! Oh, Amen!!!!!

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." James 1:12-14

I need a RESET button!

Do you ever wish you had a RESET button like one of your gadgets? I sure do. Thankfully, we do have a RESET!! Where is it you ask? It is found at the beginning of the search for change and the moment we make the choice to make that change happen...just to the right side of of "love, coffee and prayer!" Then, you find your Righteous Reset!! 

God faithfully gives us "morning mercies." Does this sound like you...."my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, "My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD." Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me." Lamentations 3:17-20 

Do you feel depleted? Alone? Attacked? Grieved? Frustrated? Always rushed? Too busy, never enough hours in a day? Like many of my gadgets, you need a RESET button desperately but can't find it? Your wheels are stuck spinning and you need to hit that button! In desperation, you throw your hands up and scream "enough!" You feel unable to...take...one...more...step.....or make...one...more...decision....let me encourage you that there is hope and you are not alone!!! It is at this moment, we have a choice....give up hope and accept defeat or give up defeat for hope! The ability to reset our heart, soul and mind begins at the moment of desperation for change. We don't have to wait till "our system shuts down." 

Eventhough on the outside it may appear that everyone else is perfectly happy, we all go through times in our lives where we face these thoughts of depletion and despair. Joy and all things "good" seems to slip away. It can last for moments in our day and sometimes for seasons. God allows seasons of wilderness to test us and refine us, but we have to be honest and admit at times, we sometimes even host our own pity party. Satan is a deceiver and destroyer and he would like nothing more than to steal your joy for when he steals your joy, he then steals your strength, your hope, your faith, your confidence and soon, your heart.

Time after time, one bad habit, fear, prideful or lazy moment after another, we make choices that hurt us. We would like to blame it on someone else however, the proof is in the pudding'. We must own our own "stuff" and confess our sins, repent and "refresh" before we "shut down" our system! Only then, can we receive full blessings and healing and experience a joy "restored." No one else but you has the ability to push your RESET button. It is a choice we must make for ourself, simply choosing whether we place our hope and trust in the One who is greater, our Great I Am...or not. "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

Lamentations goes on to say, "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."

What wonderful news!!! You do not have to wait until the morning to RESET and receive the mercies of God!! Right this moment, you can "call to mind" His promises, push your RESET button and "refresh" your hope in the perfect portions of all the mercies the Lord our God has for you!!! Being careful not to be encouraging a "prosperity Gospel," you cannot will God to do your will. Our prayers and heart's hope ought to be Mathew 6:10 Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven! Your circumstances may not change right away or ever. But God is in control, He has a plan and purpose to prosper you (Jeremiah 29:11) causing all things to work for good (Romans 8:28), even in the really tough times. There is a difference of self-induced stress (us choosing to make things complicated or hard) and God's leading us through something for the purpose of testing, refining and purifying. He is faithful and steadfast. His mercies for the storm, the wilderness, and every bit of our life are new every morning. 
(Side note: DO NOT assume those of us walking around with a smile on our face or writing blogs of encouragement, hope and faith, have it all together and have perfect, happy lives. We don't! What we do have is a perfect God who resets us every day, and often must refresh our every breath!) 

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God,who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith,with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:2-6

Whatever it is that you need a RESET button for, may you humble yourself before the Lord and choose today to hope, trust, believe, have faith in the One Greater than anything or anyone, the One who has already gained the Victory for your soul. I challenge you to make the decision right now, moving forward, away from defeat to walk in the blessed assurance that you are seen by God, heard by God and are never, ever alone, trusting He has a plan! Our RESET is found in Him! 

It is crucial for Believers to remain plugged into our source of power. God Himself is our strength, joy, purpose, help, and ability to live a life RESET! Old is gone, new has come, day after day, after day! Remember, Satan is clever and will keep you running but God is Greater and He stands ready for you to run straight towards Him! Dig into His Word, know the promises of God, and you will see His heart for you! Knowing how much I am deeply loved, sincerely cared for, sets my heart on fire!! How GREAT is our God!!

If this is something you feel you are too weak to handle on your own, then I beg you to set aside your pride, your loneliness, your fear of judgement, your worry of the unknown and find someone who will intercede on your behalf with prayer and hold you accountable for pushing that RESET button you so desperately seek. No one can do it for you. This is something you must choose to do. What do you choose?

Choose today whom you will serve!!!!! Yes you can. Stop the condemnation, excuses and defeat and choose LIFE in Christ!!!! 

Father God, You hold us in the palm of Your merciful hands and have from the beginning of time. You created us and everything on heaven and earth and we so desperately want and need You to rescue us from the condemnation and defeat we face. While we believe that You have won the ultimate victory on the Cross and by the blood of Your Son, we are saved, we admit that moments here on this earth leave us forgetting the power of Your blood. God, we cry out to You today, without hesitation that we desire more of You. Help us push through our feelings and see on only Truth in You and Your Word that has power to save, rescue and redeem us. We cannot do today in our strength Lord, give us Yours. Help us rest in Your perfect portions and trust in mercies and grace which are offered in Your precious Name. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

We want to RESET and return to the path of righteousness where we will find Your strength, peace, comfort and joy once again. Thank You Lord for the chance to RESET and make new my heart, mind and soul! I trust You. I seek You. I need You. Thank You Abba Daddy, Friend and Saviour for loving me and meeting me right where I am, holding me in Your love. I am Yours. Amen.