I thought You leave me in this season. I thought I am a failure for not achieving all my desires but now it makes sense. Your delays are not denials and thank You for allowing me to pause, reflect, and seek You. Those days on my knees in deep prayers asking you to answer me and You didn't hence You give me peace that surpasses understanding and undeniable joy inside my heart until now. I would still choose this season, the breaking, molding, and crushing.
I once wrote all the pain and sorrow but now it's all praises, thanksgiving, and lessons. You really meet me at the corner and restore my heart. The baggage was taken away, the pain didn't linger, the doubts weren't creeping up, and the insecurities were removed. The enemy doesn't have any power in my life in Jesus' Name!
Every day you make me fall in love with you Lord, it sounds so cheesy and corny but it's real. Even if I fail you at times, thank you for not keeping records of wrongs. Your love always reminds me that everything is by Your grace. All the things, achievements, wins, good relationships, and favor comes from You. I don't even deserve all of these yet You still provide, Your goodness keeps running on me. You even call me worthy in your eyes and loved by the King of kings. Who am I that you're thinking of me?
You're creating new things every day; new plans, goals, dreams, and visions. It's all for Your glory.
These days are the most joyful moments in my life, the peace inside my heart is unexplainable and the joy is overflowing. And I realized this is what living in faith also means.
If you're reading this whoever you are, I appreciate you for taking the time and I hope you'll be reminded that God never leaves you in any season. You might not feel His presence all the time, maybe your pain is too deep, or whatever baggage you've been carrying, God can remove all of those so you can fully enjoy His presence and be ready for greater things ahead. God will meet you even if you're in the corner of your doubts and unbelief, God has already proven His faithfulness since then and you might think your problem is too big, beloved nothing is too hard for Him.
Seek His presence until you discover He's the only one who can satisfy your weary soul. Think of His goodness instead of your weaknesses, claim His promises instead of counting your failures, think of what is true instead of listening to the lies, and rejoice in the Lord. No one regrets it whenever they come to the Lord. He can renew you every day, there's hope in each day. Your past doesn't determine your worth, You are truly love because He is love. Fix your thoughts upon the Lord. He will give you peace that surpasses understanding and overflowing joy that no amount of money could buy.
I remember when Paul wrote Philippians, he was giving advice and encouragement while he was in chains, facing death; a man who has been stoned and beaten and hounded by the mob. Yet experiences that may leave others sour and bitter leave Paul with overflowing joy. How does he do it?
Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whateever is lovely, whatever is commendable. If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned, and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4: 4-9
All sin begins with thoughts, that's why purity is so important to pursue. Youth, I know overthinking now become word of the mouth of every one of us, I've been hearing it from younger children too. Satan is the accuser and He instills lies in our minds. Thus, the Bible always tells us to seek the truth, what is noble, and honorable.
Perhaps you aren't in prison like Paul, but your mind is in prison- too much information around, finding your identity from the influencers in social media, trying to fit in society's standards, trying to sound cool, trying to know everything in life, chasing all the materials around, having millions of followers yet still crying at night and feeling empty, finding validation from the people you even don't know and still you feel broken. Beloved, your identity isn't found in material things, popularity, money, and even to people.
Your identity can be found in Christ. He's the only one who can fill the void inside your heart; empty your heart so you can experience His fullness. Surrender. Pour out all your baggage, and ask Him to forgive you for your mistakes, failures - sins that withhold you from experiencing Him. He never keeps a record of wrongs, He loves you because HE IS LOVE. God loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. You can't save yourself from this broken world, Jesus is the only antidote to your suffering and emptiness. Seek him with all your heart and you'll find him beloved. He will cleanse you and give you a new heart- a new life in Him. Seek the truth through His word by reading the Bible.
I pray you experience overflowing joy too through Jesus.
Take heart! By His grace!
You then, my child be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2: 1
So flee youthful passion and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that wahtever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
John 15:16-17
So also you have sorrow now but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
John 16:22
I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
