From Striving to Thriving

06.19.19

In an era where everything seems to be focused on building empires and making something of oneself, it’s important to understand that the things of eternal value, the things that actually matter, can only be conceived in the place where you encounter the heart of God. When you change your focus from doing to being, you’ll stop striving and start thriving.

I’ve never heard someone say I’m doing motherhood right now, instead we say, I am a mother. The idea of “doing” instead of “being” places our focus on tasks, rather then focusing on becoming everything it takes to accomplish the tasks with ease. Being a mother is a lifestyle, the work is never done, nor is the title ever taken away, regardless of the status of your children. When our “do” flows from “being” we find fulfillment and enjoyment, rather than emptiness and resentment. These feelings are our gauge telling us where our actions are flowing from.

“If God’s grace doesn’t help the builders, they will labor in vain to build a house. If God’s mercy doesn’t protect the city, all the sentries will circle it in vain. It really is senseless to work so hard from early morning till late at night, toiling to make a living for fear of not having enough. God can provide for his lovers even while they sleep! Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward. Children born to a young couple will one day rise to protect and provide for their parents. Happy will be the couple who has many of them! A household full of children will not bring shame on your name but victory when you face your enemies, for your offspring will have influence and honor to prevail on your behalf!” Psalms 127:1-5 (TPT)

Notice the emphasis on family, I believe what we sow into our biological and spiritual children is the greatest contribution we can make to the world. I fully believe, It is better to sow the majority of time into a few individuals that will really receive and grow than into big crowds that may forget everything you say minutes after leaving a platform. Both are important, as shown by the life of Jesus, but the priorities must be in the right order and more importantly the right heart! Don’t miss out on loving the one in front of you for the sake of a to do list that won’t matter one day.

On an average, I change anywhere from 20-30 diapers a day as of the last week and a half. (Yes.... We’re desperately trying to potty train and praying for supernatural intervention at the moment!) Hunter walked in the door from being at work the other day and said, “Hey, how’s it going?” Before I even thought about it, I sarcastically remarked, “oh you know, just changing the world one diaper at a time.” He graciously replied, “That’s actually the truth!” I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit rise up inside of me saying, “Your part in changing the world for this season is raising world changers! Give it everything.” Many times our cultural perspective of success invades our ability to see the most important opportunity is right in front of us.

The grace of God gives you a supernatural ability to do what He’s called you to in this season. If you feel like you don’t have the grace to continue in an area, it’s time to seek the heart of God. It’s an indicator that you’re either trying to build something without grace, because the timing and season are wrong, or that you’re not spending enough time receiving your portion of grace in the secret place before putting your hands to action.

Grace is translated unmerited, undeserved, or unexplainable favor! God’s grace being upon you doesn’t mean He’s taking away all the difficulties of the season you’re in, but it does mean His hand is at work in the midst of it all. The problem with this is that most people are unable to see with pure vision and cannot tell the difference between God’s hand and the opposition of the enemy, or even how sometimes God uses what the enemy meant for harm in an incredible way to benefit you in the end. Some of the most seemingly difficult situations are actually a set up for greater growth.

It must be so frustrating to be the devil. God, being omniscient, already knows the enemy’s strategy before he even puts it into action. And it must be even more aggravating that God not only knows it, but He also has a plans to make it backfire on the Devil by using it for our good! This means the only real chance Satan has at defeating us, is to blind us from seeing the goodness of God in it all so that we will give up before it gets better! The only true defeat you’ll ever experience is the delusion of thinking God’s not got a way to use ALL things for our good.

Talking about this reminds me of the day the church building my grandfather built caught fire and was terribly damaged. I had been feeling shifting in my spirit for weeks prior and knew something big was coming, I just didn’t know what it would look like. My dad called to tell us and when I got off the phone, I was hit with Holy Spirit laughter. I should have been upset, grieved or even angry but instead, I couldn’t stop laughing. I had no idea the details of God’s plan at that moment, but I’m fully convinced that my spirit did, because the joy that filled me in that moment was purely supernatural.

There was an unexplainable peace about it all, one that has remained with me through ever part of the transition reminding me that I am right in the middle of God’s will for my life. That same grace, peace and joy are available to you if you will align yourself with God through obedience and stillness in His presence. When the firefighters finally allowed us back in the building directly following the fire, the only thing that was left untouched by flames in the hallway where the fire broke out was a giant sign with the verse Romans 8:28 (NKJV). It says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Just become who you’re called to be, and the rest will flow effortlessly.