Trouble Don't Last Always
Just like gravity is a law that is in effect - being tested is also something that comes to everyone. Truth is - if you have not felt the strain of life - keep on living. "Trials and tribulations" we used to call it at church during testimony service will show up without notice and sometimes seems like "it" does not wanna leave. A theologian I am NOT - but I can tell you a little bit about pain.
Thing is, no one is exempt from being processed through the fire of life. One may choose to argue that ONLY certain classes of people feel "certain" levels of distress. I would emphatically say - NOT SO! From the projects to the penthouse the pain and angst of life WILL show up. From flip flops to red bottom shoes - be sure - if you live long enough you will face something that will take your breath away. Take a pen in your hand (go ahead...) - extend your arm away from your body (yes... go ahead and do it...) - now drop that pen. The likelihood is great that it hit the floor. Similar is true with the law of processing difficulties - it's coming.
There are numerous mechanisms for processing pain and many are incredibly successful BUT when you are wrestling with the plate of pain you have been served - it is HARD to remember the "12 steps to a better you". It is not a formula that will adequately prepare you for the burden that comes when you are being tried in the fire. Oh wait a minute - we DO have the WORD, right? Well, have you hurt so bad that you could sit in the church - listen to a sermon that ignited the congregation in a thunder of praise - you may have even took notes yourself - and by the time you put your hand on the handle of your car you are reminded of the horror you are silently processing. You may have danced up and down the aisles yourself because "church people" (like myself) LEARN the protocol of church to prevent anyone from knowing that our reality is a living HELL. Problem is - not every assembly of worship offers the ability to be transparent. Many congregations are full of spectators, "praise inspectors", people looking for a prophetic Word and some just looking for a miracle. All categories and those not listed are valid reasons for going to church BUT it also makes people LAZY!! While the Office of the Prophet is a sacred one - some run after a WORD from God - through that person - INSTEAD of visiting their own prayer closet! The time we spend in church is limited next to the time we are away which leads to realizing we need a relationship with the master - a habitation and not a visitation. Going to church just gives instruction -the real work is taking what was delivered to you and WORK IT OUT. So many want to attach themselves to others who they KNOW have a fervent prayer life, then "they" dump their problems on that person for them to intercede for them. There is nothing wrong with having someone "touch and agree with you" - but God will continue to process you until only HE gets the Glory. Have you ever met the "praise inspector" in church? You know the ones who are critical of YOUR praise and knows just a little bit about the people in the congregation and wanna know "Why are "they" jumping up like that" or "I "know" what I know about them"... and the list of critical conversation continues. Be careful about questioning the praise and worship of folks who had a "close encounter with the eternal" and did not get permission from the "praise inspector"!! Church as we know it has changed so much - I would wonder if God is in the building anymore. Try talking to someone who was in church - let's say 20 years ago and listen to how "different" things are now. When a sinner gave their life to God - we used to dance around the church because there was one more person added to the Kingdom! Now, people are in a hurry to be the first to break the glaze on the macaroni and cheese at the restaurant and become restless during the altar call~ Crinkling the paper of a peppermint during prayer was not heard of. In some cases, we have seemingly lost our honor and respect for holy things.
I digress.
As a disclaimer - there are MANY churches and places of worship that still hold up the blood stained banner for the Lord.
For this writing, there is a bountiful list of scriptures to soothe the hurting soul during times of testing. I have personally been so perplexed I could not focus. I could not from God (or so I thought) because the belief that the pain was so heavy - I wanted to just die. Yes, saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost - and that with a mighty burning fire!! How do I explain that? I wanted to give up!! I felt like NOTHING would quench the fire I was in and the problem was just that - in my mind. Oh, I have "survived" things in my life I look back at and say "had it not been for the Lord - where would I be".
Many of you know about my bout with being a victim of domestic abuse. Yep. A beautiful, intelligent woman settled for "some" of what I was worth but I compromised and paid a horrific price~ Red flags and all - I looked at life through "rose colored glasses" and ignored signs. Looking back, while I did NOT deserve anything I went through - I had to blame myself, too. Yeah, I understand the soul ties I enlisted in my life which made it difficult to part the toxic relationship. I also know that I had free will BUT at one point I felt powerless to overcome the situation - until one day.... God stepped in and reminded me of who "HE" (the Eternal One) was to me. Was it easy to relocate 12 hours away to a place I knew no one - with a very young child to support - ALONE - heck no... it was AWFUL. The stories of survival would fill volumes .... "BUT GOD". I applied for food stamps (for instance) - working a temporary job put me at $58 over the poverty level so I (at that time) was only qualified for TWELVE DOLLARS in food stamp assistance. I had to lean HARDER on God - and God did not fail me. Was this journey hard - HECK YES. Was it worth the pain I felt - well, actually YES! I learned of an intimacy with God I am not sure I would have learned otherwise. What I have "been though" makes me uniquely qualified to talk to you. I don't know everything - and I will not pretend to - but listen here - I assure you that I do not look like what I have been through. I have had many, many, many "BUT GOD" moments - and I am a STRONGER PERSON for it.
Today, I want to remind you - you WILL be tested. What are you gonna do when trouble knocks at your door? Looking back from the MANY EXPERIENCES God has brought me through - you gotta hold on to the HORNS OF THE ALTAR!! God took people from me - all I could do was lean on HIM. I write to you today from a totally different posture of existence because I KNOW what the Lord has done for me.
"Deborah's Freedom" has afforded me the honor of meeting people from different stations in life. I am humbled that social media has afforded me the opportunity to be here and communicate with kind people from all over the world. Thing is, we are all uniquely more alike than we are different.
Saddest commentary is that over the years I have met people who have gone to the grave by way of suicide. The stigma of going to a psychiatrist or a psychologist kept them from seeking the needed help available to them. I encourage EVERYONE in a battle to reach out for help. Just DO NOT FOLD under the pressure.
This is not necessarily a "feel good" addition to my blog - although it is a necessary one. Unless you have the tremendous pressure of pain you probably will not value these words. I seek no applause but if you live long enough - saved or unsaved - I assure you will ask God to take the bitter cup away from you. In the midst of my worst days - it was SOOOOOOO hard for me to fathom that God was even with me. I cannot tell you ho how many times I wondered ... "has God forgotten about me". With full knowledge that He would never leave me or forsake me - the crush of the enemy was real too.
Don't dismiss the enemy as a red figure with a pitch fork!! The enemy is serious about his task and you better believe that the legion of demons are ready to pounce on your very address. You DO NOT have the luxury to take it "easy" and let your guard down. Just try to enter life without putting on your FULL ARMOUR~ The enemy is looking the that one "NICK" in your a spiritual suit. Keeping your guard up is real. It is not a ride though life believing you are exempt from the challenges of life.
Every knee WILL bow - and EVERY tongue will confess. Did you ever consider that your circumstances could be sent from God? God is the author and finisher of our faith - it is true - BUT the enemy has to get permission to attack you... ask JOB!!
To close for this writing - I admonish you - during the times of testing (and you WILL be tested...) - just do not FOLD. There is so much more to you than you know - the Creator knows what you are made of - and when you are tried in the fire - you WILL come forth as pure gold.
You may "THINK" that are are surrounded - but you are surrounded by HIM!! So, how do you fight your battles? YOU FIGHT ON YOUR KNEES. Every situation and every adverse circumstance is won - on your knees! No way around it. You can cry if you want to. You can punch a hole through your wall if you "really" need to. You can take a long walk on the beach. You can drink iced tea on your back porch. You can buy yourself things you don't need to medicate the problems but victory will be unequivocally won - where? ... on your KNEES!!
Just - DO NOT FOLD!!!!
Trouble don't last always!!
God's got you!
Thing is, no one is exempt from being processed through the fire of life. One may choose to argue that ONLY certain classes of people feel "certain" levels of distress. I would emphatically say - NOT SO! From the projects to the penthouse the pain and angst of life WILL show up. From flip flops to red bottom shoes - be sure - if you live long enough you will face something that will take your breath away. Take a pen in your hand (go ahead...) - extend your arm away from your body (yes... go ahead and do it...) - now drop that pen. The likelihood is great that it hit the floor. Similar is true with the law of processing difficulties - it's coming.
There are numerous mechanisms for processing pain and many are incredibly successful BUT when you are wrestling with the plate of pain you have been served - it is HARD to remember the "12 steps to a better you". It is not a formula that will adequately prepare you for the burden that comes when you are being tried in the fire. Oh wait a minute - we DO have the WORD, right? Well, have you hurt so bad that you could sit in the church - listen to a sermon that ignited the congregation in a thunder of praise - you may have even took notes yourself - and by the time you put your hand on the handle of your car you are reminded of the horror you are silently processing. You may have danced up and down the aisles yourself because "church people" (like myself) LEARN the protocol of church to prevent anyone from knowing that our reality is a living HELL. Problem is - not every assembly of worship offers the ability to be transparent. Many congregations are full of spectators, "praise inspectors", people looking for a prophetic Word and some just looking for a miracle. All categories and those not listed are valid reasons for going to church BUT it also makes people LAZY!! While the Office of the Prophet is a sacred one - some run after a WORD from God - through that person - INSTEAD of visiting their own prayer closet! The time we spend in church is limited next to the time we are away which leads to realizing we need a relationship with the master - a habitation and not a visitation. Going to church just gives instruction -the real work is taking what was delivered to you and WORK IT OUT. So many want to attach themselves to others who they KNOW have a fervent prayer life, then "they" dump their problems on that person for them to intercede for them. There is nothing wrong with having someone "touch and agree with you" - but God will continue to process you until only HE gets the Glory. Have you ever met the "praise inspector" in church? You know the ones who are critical of YOUR praise and knows just a little bit about the people in the congregation and wanna know "Why are "they" jumping up like that" or "I "know" what I know about them"... and the list of critical conversation continues. Be careful about questioning the praise and worship of folks who had a "close encounter with the eternal" and did not get permission from the "praise inspector"!! Church as we know it has changed so much - I would wonder if God is in the building anymore. Try talking to someone who was in church - let's say 20 years ago and listen to how "different" things are now. When a sinner gave their life to God - we used to dance around the church because there was one more person added to the Kingdom! Now, people are in a hurry to be the first to break the glaze on the macaroni and cheese at the restaurant and become restless during the altar call~ Crinkling the paper of a peppermint during prayer was not heard of. In some cases, we have seemingly lost our honor and respect for holy things.
I digress.
As a disclaimer - there are MANY churches and places of worship that still hold up the blood stained banner for the Lord.
For this writing, there is a bountiful list of scriptures to soothe the hurting soul during times of testing. I have personally been so perplexed I could not focus. I could not from God (or so I thought) because the belief that the pain was so heavy - I wanted to just die. Yes, saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost - and that with a mighty burning fire!! How do I explain that? I wanted to give up!! I felt like NOTHING would quench the fire I was in and the problem was just that - in my mind. Oh, I have "survived" things in my life I look back at and say "had it not been for the Lord - where would I be".
Many of you know about my bout with being a victim of domestic abuse. Yep. A beautiful, intelligent woman settled for "some" of what I was worth but I compromised and paid a horrific price~ Red flags and all - I looked at life through "rose colored glasses" and ignored signs. Looking back, while I did NOT deserve anything I went through - I had to blame myself, too. Yeah, I understand the soul ties I enlisted in my life which made it difficult to part the toxic relationship. I also know that I had free will BUT at one point I felt powerless to overcome the situation - until one day.... God stepped in and reminded me of who "HE" (the Eternal One) was to me. Was it easy to relocate 12 hours away to a place I knew no one - with a very young child to support - ALONE - heck no... it was AWFUL. The stories of survival would fill volumes .... "BUT GOD". I applied for food stamps (for instance) - working a temporary job put me at $58 over the poverty level so I (at that time) was only qualified for TWELVE DOLLARS in food stamp assistance. I had to lean HARDER on God - and God did not fail me. Was this journey hard - HECK YES. Was it worth the pain I felt - well, actually YES! I learned of an intimacy with God I am not sure I would have learned otherwise. What I have "been though" makes me uniquely qualified to talk to you. I don't know everything - and I will not pretend to - but listen here - I assure you that I do not look like what I have been through. I have had many, many, many "BUT GOD" moments - and I am a STRONGER PERSON for it.
Today, I want to remind you - you WILL be tested. What are you gonna do when trouble knocks at your door? Looking back from the MANY EXPERIENCES God has brought me through - you gotta hold on to the HORNS OF THE ALTAR!! God took people from me - all I could do was lean on HIM. I write to you today from a totally different posture of existence because I KNOW what the Lord has done for me.
"Deborah's Freedom" has afforded me the honor of meeting people from different stations in life. I am humbled that social media has afforded me the opportunity to be here and communicate with kind people from all over the world. Thing is, we are all uniquely more alike than we are different.
Saddest commentary is that over the years I have met people who have gone to the grave by way of suicide. The stigma of going to a psychiatrist or a psychologist kept them from seeking the needed help available to them. I encourage EVERYONE in a battle to reach out for help. Just DO NOT FOLD under the pressure.
This is not necessarily a "feel good" addition to my blog - although it is a necessary one. Unless you have the tremendous pressure of pain you probably will not value these words. I seek no applause but if you live long enough - saved or unsaved - I assure you will ask God to take the bitter cup away from you. In the midst of my worst days - it was SOOOOOOO hard for me to fathom that God was even with me. I cannot tell you ho how many times I wondered ... "has God forgotten about me". With full knowledge that He would never leave me or forsake me - the crush of the enemy was real too.
Don't dismiss the enemy as a red figure with a pitch fork!! The enemy is serious about his task and you better believe that the legion of demons are ready to pounce on your very address. You DO NOT have the luxury to take it "easy" and let your guard down. Just try to enter life without putting on your FULL ARMOUR~ The enemy is looking the that one "NICK" in your a spiritual suit. Keeping your guard up is real. It is not a ride though life believing you are exempt from the challenges of life.
Every knee WILL bow - and EVERY tongue will confess. Did you ever consider that your circumstances could be sent from God? God is the author and finisher of our faith - it is true - BUT the enemy has to get permission to attack you... ask JOB!!
To close for this writing - I admonish you - during the times of testing (and you WILL be tested...) - just do not FOLD. There is so much more to you than you know - the Creator knows what you are made of - and when you are tried in the fire - you WILL come forth as pure gold.
You may "THINK" that are are surrounded - but you are surrounded by HIM!! So, how do you fight your battles? YOU FIGHT ON YOUR KNEES. Every situation and every adverse circumstance is won - on your knees! No way around it. You can cry if you want to. You can punch a hole through your wall if you "really" need to. You can take a long walk on the beach. You can drink iced tea on your back porch. You can buy yourself things you don't need to medicate the problems but victory will be unequivocally won - where? ... on your KNEES!!
Just - DO NOT FOLD!!!!
Trouble don't last always!!
God's got you!
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