Day 7 with Teresa Ann:
DIVINE DISCOMFORT OF PERSEVERING
The call to persevere sounds so inspiring and incredible UNTIL we zoom into our own space. At least for me that is.
We all have different perceptions of persevering. Yet it’s in the moments that are seemingly most important to us. The ways of the Kingdom of GOD causes our flesh to successfully squirm from the discomforts of, “I want what I want and no one is changing my mind.”
It’s that subtle lie that is actually so great in believing that whatever we are holding so dear, that thing that is so temporary and fleeting; we hold onto it as it is ours and no one can take it; and yet the Kingdom of GOD says to rejoice when we’ve been taken from; because the Kingdom doesn’t see what was taken but was sown.
All the temporal things I have held so close and considered so dear are many times stripped from us. It’s in the moments of stripping that we realize, as our gaze is on Almighty God, we no longer forget Him or His benefits. We remember the great mandate that the eternal value of a soul, the very one who may have wronged us, is in need of GOD more than what I selfishly desire.
REFLECTION OF THE WORD WITH HOLY SPIRIT:
Hebrews 10:19-39, Psalm 103, Colossians 2
I’m going to highlight a few things that “stuck out” to me from Hebrews 10:
- We can boldly enter GOD’s throne of Grace.
- By Jesus death, He opened up a new and life giving way through the curtain of the Most Holy Place.
- Let us CLING TO, HOLD TIGHTLY without wavering to the hope we affirm (To agree, verify, concur; to strong agree).
- For GOD can be trusted to hold HIS promise no matter what our circumstances look like
- Abandoning hope in the things we desire and hoping in GOD to want HIM as our greatest desire.
- Thinking of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
- Even if all you owned was taken from you, accepting it with joy.
- The focus is now on GOD and the eternal realm of what GOD has for us on the other side of this life.
LET’S TALK:
As you read Hebrews 10:19-39, what are some things that really stood out to you to help you see see with eternal perspective? Thank you for sharing what you received from Holy Spirit by writing your comments below (If you don’t see your comment right away, it is because your comment is waiting for approval).
This concept is actually new to me: “…the Kingdom of GOD says to rejoice when we’ve been taken from; because the Kingdom doesn’t see what was taken but was sown.” I even just recently learned that I could pray that what was stolen was returned and that it’s scriptural. Every time something was stolen (money, physical items, time – a big one for me), I would let it go as quick as possible so offense didn’t brew, but I never really thought about rejoicing because a seed was sown. Wow!! Thank you for that new perspective!
Isn’t that incredible? This Kingdom truth causes us to agree that GOD truly has the last Word. The KINGDOM is constantly sowing…like one at the plow, HE doesn’t look back from the distractions of the past – just keeps sowing all those moments as seeds. When GOD says that HE turns all that the enemy has meant for evil and turns it for HIS glory; the faith can be activated to sow seeds of belief in WHO HE IS, in the midst…