This year has been an exciting, memorable and remarkable year. Through the unforgettable displays of triumph and success, tears and laughter, old friends and new friends, I have learned valuable lessons that I will cherish for many years to come. If anyone asked me five years ago, "Do you think you would be in the place you are today?" I would have to say, "No!" It has been a process and I appreciate every step I had to take. In the recent Bible study series, "Courage to Move Beyond", one of our members asked an important question, "Do you believe it is a process to knowing who God is calling you to be?" Not only is it a process for you, but it is a process for those attached to you. You will notice in the Bible how family was often the most common circle to question, hate, doubt, misunderstand or not receive the full illumination of someone's process. We see it in the story of Joseph, where his brothers despised his favor and desired to kill him for being a dreamer. We see it in the story of Lot, where his own family ridiculed his time of deliverance from the place he was in. We also see it in the story of our Savior, Jesus Christ, where his own mother did not understand the depths of what it meant to be about his Father's business.
Nevertheless, it is how the process is handled on both ends that will help you see whether you have Godly attachments with people who are assigned to your process or seasonal attachments with folks who cannot take the trip with you and must be detached from your process. There are some folks you will lose permanently, just as Lot lost his wife. There are others you will be reunited with after your period of elevation has taken place, just as Joseph eventually saw his brothers again. And there are others who can only see the full revelation of who you are becoming once they step back and witness the flourishing finish, just as Mary did when Jesus handed her over to the disciple.
Not only did I not know that God had all of this in store for me, but I was not even aware of the steps I would have to follow to get to this place. Here are some key points in how I journeyed through this year.
1. Submit to the process. A biblical character who highlights this point the best is Saul. It was on the road to Damascus that he encountered God and with astonishment asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" That is the start of submission to one's process. Saul had to get to a place where he not only acknowledged God, but he asked God to reveal His will to him. Have you gotten to that place yet?
2. Re-prioritize your priorities. I had to learn to readjust some people and some things in my life. Stuff I put at the top of my list should have never been on my list. Other stuff I had at the bottom of my list should have been moved to the top. There were people that I gave too much power and authority over my life by allowing their negative words to define me for a season. I was searching for genuine friendships that were never genuine. I was working on projects that were long expired. My gifts and talents were being abused and I had to re-prioritize what I thought was most important. Are your priorities straight?
3. Evaluate your weight. I remember flying to Texas with my husband and checking in one of our suitcases. We found that the one suitcase weighed more than 25 pounds, while the other suitcase was underweight. Instead of paying the extra fee, we decided to open the overweight luggage and find some items to move to the other suitcase. To our surprise, one item alone weighed seven pounds and caused the bag to be overweight. That is a valuable lesson. Is your weight emotionally draining? Is it physically draining? Is it spiritually draining? Whatever your weight may be, evaluate it. Don't let one simple item that weighs a lot cost you a fee. All you have to do is shift the weight or completely eliminate it. Although we held on to the item, don't allow the value you have placed on someone or something keep you bound and weighed down.
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