You win!

Is there anyone reading this that started this year with a word from the Lord about 2016? I mean, you had a vision of what this year was going to be and it involved walking in what God said, obedience and moving forward! Anyone? Ok…so as we begin the month of May, how many of you have been hit by every weird attack, distraction or foolish thing that you could have ever imagined? Isn’t it crazy? Well, I’m here to remind you to keep going! I’m here to tell you that God’s plan is not changed by a distraction. If He said it, He will do it. If He set it in motion, it has to be accomplished. If He showed it to you, it has to happen. Here’s the thing though, you have to trust Him through the challenges. You can’t lose your focus or jump in with your own ideas…NOPE! You have got to stay with what God is saying and He will direct your path! I feel a shout, y’all!

I’ve been hit this year with some hard things. My household is enduring some challenges even right now but can I tell you that God is still God? Can I tell you that God can take that huge attack that the devil meant for your downfall and turn it into your elevation? He’s God and He’s a good, good Father! So as I was thinking about the idea of distractions, God took me to the words of Paul in his first letter to the Church at Corinth. He spends a good portion of the letter focusing on the difficulties in the church, from division to immorality to problems with worship. He took me to 1 Corinthians 10: 13, which reads like this in The Message translation, “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” The verse is in the midst of a reminder to the church not to fall prey to the same distractions that the Old Testament saints fell victim to, like complaining and sexual immorality, and lust. As a matter of fact, Paul tells them a couple of verses earlier that the sins and challenges that the Israelites went through happened to warn them and us not to do the same things!  It is an encouragement to the church that God is faithful no matter what temptations come against them. But it really hit me as I thought about the struggles that some of you are facing. This same word applies. Why? Because what is a distraction? According to the Google dictionary, It’s a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else; an extreme agitation of the mind or emotions. It’s main goal is to throw you off course, to make you sin or doubt God. Isn’t that a temptation?

I need for those of you that are being hit particularly hard right now to know that God is faithful. The word says that He will not let you be pushed past your limit. So that job challenge, God is showing you where your provision really comes from. That adoption delay, God is reminding you that His timing is perfect. That death that took you by surprise, God is proving that He alone is enough. That family dysfunction, God is saying I can handle it, I can make all things new, I am capable.  These are hard things! Struggles that you would have never volunteered for or agreed to but they are building your character and strengthening your faith. They are distractions that God wants to grow you through and use to carry you to your next destination. What you saw at the beginning of 2016 has not been set aside by God, it just may not be presented the way you imagined. I’ve seen God do what I’ve been praying about for years in the midst of difficulty and challenge. So I say this to you! Be open, be flexible, be obedient and be willing and watch God take that distraction and turn it into assurance. Just see what God has to say about it…

If a nation marches against you, know that I am not behind it.
    Anyone foolish enough to challenge you will fall to you.
I have created the blacksmith
        who readies the fire and forges weapons for wars;
    And I have created the destroyer to ravage and ruin.
   But no instrument forged against you will be allowed to hurt you,
        and no voice raised to condemn you will successfully prosecute you.
    It’s that simple; this is how it will be for the servants of the Eternal;
        I will vindicate them. (Is. 54: 15-17, MSG)

In other words, you win!

Amen…