Joy Comes in the Morning

Our 2017 did not start out so great. I have been wanting to share this story for awhile now…like since February. But not really since February.

I had to wait a little while to share it because God was still moving and working on our behalf. Thank you God for doing that!

It is for those exact reasons, His moving and working, that I am half-sane and ready to share this with you today. I’ve never really considered myself a writer. I don’t mind writing, but I much prefer to speak on subjects I am passionate about than write about them. So, God decided that it would be a great idea to start a YouTube channel to reach more people for His glory through my experiences!

My response to that revelation went something like this, “Wait…what??! God, You KNOW me. You know how uncomfortable that makes me. More attention. More technology. Why?? Can’t I just do the blog thing? Isn’t that enough change for right now?” Did you read that in a whiny voice? I did.

Why does God do this to us? Why does He push us outside of our comfort zones? Why does He ask us to do crazy things?  I believe He does these things for two reasons:

1. God wants us to see that we cannot rely on our own strength, wisdom and expertise to live HIS calling for our lives.

2. God wants us to trust Him.

Relying on my own strength is something I do a lot. I’m a perfectionist and I like doing things myself because I trust myself to do it right. It feels like God is trying to tell me something here. 🙂

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, ” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I know that God has a plan for my life. And I know His plan has called me to trust Him and believe that when He says “Do this or do that”, that it’s for my ultimate best and that He is with me during the planning and producing of those things. God is a God of action and promise-where He promises, He acts! Thank you God for being so faithful and trustworthy!

That’s what really gets me, I think. I KNOW and BELIEVE that my obedience is not only good for me, but it’s good for others as well. So, whenever I start to doubt and fret over something He’s asked me to do, I think of that one person that needs to see God loved and obeyed by a regular person like me. Guilt trip much, Holy Spirit? 😉

So, I recorded a video. And then I recorded it again. And again. Technology is hard. It was awkward and hilarious and fun. It allowed me to laugh at myself and I know it made God laugh too. I’m sure He was like, “See Lindsey, it’s ok not to be perfect. And it’s ok to let people help you with things because you CANNOT do everything on your own.”

This process has been humbling for me in many ways. When you don’t put yourself out there, you don’t receive criticism. When you don’t try new things, you get comfortable relying on your own strength. But when God calls you to do something and you stress and worry and put it off, you lose peace. I want peace. I want it every day. I NEED it every day. I want to get better with my obedience response time. Which means I will have to be quicker to let others help me and be even quicker to trust God and give Him control.

I think the biggest lesson I have learned so far from this experience is this: faith demands growth. And for that matter-growth demands faith! Why did I ever think that having faith meant doing the same comfortable things forever? That’s not Biblical. God has called me by His own glory and goodness to grow in Him and trust in Him.

Read this:

2 Peter 1:3-8 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness,  brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess the qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Faith demands growth. It requires effort, not perfection. That’s His role, not ours. So here’s my effort, my step of faith, my act of obedience to Him. I hope it encourages you to obey what He has spoken to you or is calling you to do. You may never know who needs it.

What is something new that God has called you to do? Have you obeyed?