Spiritual Depletion

A few weeks ago I listened to a message from Pastor Joann Rosario Condrey. She made a point about "spiritual depletion" that stuck me.  If I tried to summarize her point it would be this . . . that many of us have gotten so use to operating in a state of spiritual depletion that we begin to believe that the symptoms of spiritual depletion are part of our personality. That these symptoms are just who we are. A few of the symptoms being . . . we are short-tempered, irritable, argumentative, overly aggressive, extremely defensive, unsympathetic, paranoid, insecure, impatient, stressed . . . and the list could go on.

I began to think about this statement and wondered how many times I've operated from a place of spiritual depletion and not recognized it. How many times have I been stressed, short-tempered, irritable, and impatient with those around me and not recognize that those outward expressions were simply a bi-product of what I was lacking spiritually. As I continued to ponder this thought, I found myself in a place of repentance before God. I recognized that because of my own lack of discipline, at times, I allowed myself to fall into a place of spiritual depletion that then affected my relationships, interactions, and ministry.

Pastor Joann's further point in this message was that when we put ourselves in a position to be constantly washed with the Word of God, worship God, and receive from the Holy Spirit, we are more likely to produce the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) and not those of a spirit of depletion (Galatians 5:19-21: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, etc.).

Over the past month I've had more flexibility in my schedule, which is great; however, it also means that I have to exercise more discipline over my time. I have purposed in my heart that during this season of life I will be more intentional about my personal time with God through worship and meditation on the Word. I recognize that it is necessary for my own personal sanity and for the welfare of those that are connected to me. I don't ever want to operate from a place of spiritual depletion again, so I know that it is critical for me to be consistently surrounded by the things of God.

This post has been extremely introspective; however, I pray that you will take a few moments to reflect on your own life and actions. And if you find some areas where you are currently spiritually depleted, I pray that you will begin the process to shift and allow the Spirit of God to refill and overflow you, so that you can reflect more of His character, which is your true personality.

Chosen

". . . I chose you, forever I'll choose you still . . . 

cause I love you, I promise I always will"

There is just something about being chosen! When someone expresses to us or notifies us that we've been chosen for a particular assignment or opportunity there is a sense of acceptance, worth, and belonging that comes over us. If we are honest with ourselves . . . we all just want to be chosen.

As I listened to "Promise I Always Will" by Steffany Gretzinger, the lyrics at the top of this post pierced my ear and my heart.  When I began to reflect on and imagine God saying this to me directly . . . . I was completely overwhelmed and overtaken by worship! I dare you for just 5 seconds to imagine . . . the God of all creation speaking to you directly and saying . . . I CHOSE YOU, forever, I'll CHOOSE YOU still. 

Well . . . If you didn't already know, I'm here to tell you . . . that's exactly what God says about YOU! Yes, YOU!!! It doesn't matter what you've done, what you feel like you failed at, or what areas you may still be falling short in.

God loves you with an unimaginable unconditional love that's hard for us to even imagine. Don't believe me . . . well . . . Galatians 1:15 (NLT) says that "before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace." The Word also tells us that "many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). There is something about being called and chosen! It is a wonderful place to be in God to not only be called but also to be CHOSEN by Him.

Now I know that for someone reading this the enemy will try to tell you that what I've pointed out is great, but it doesn't pertain to you, because of whatever you've done in your life that you feel wasn't pleasing to God.  But let me expose the enemy's lie right now . . . the Word of God says in Psalms 139:

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

God knew how every day of your life would play out before you were even born. He knows every intricate detail of your personality and He still has precious thoughts towards you. It doesn't matter what your past holds, God is still with you; therefore, your past can no longer hold you!

I pray that this post today gives you the bit of encouragement and the sense of belonging and acceptance that you needed to keep pressing forward in your life and in your journey with God.  Life can be overwhelming at times with all the things that are required of us, but know that God loves us enough to give us relief and overflow our lives with His goodness at any moment.   Don't give up!!

God says to you today . . . 

"I chose you, forever I'll choose you still. Cause I love you, I promise I always will."

I Can't See . . .

So here goes a real honest moment . . . . 



In this walk with God there are moments where I feel like, I can't see.  I can't see the path that God is taking me on and the directions that I'm given . . . well sometimes, they don't even make sense in the natural.  Fortunately for me, I've had enough experiences with God to know . . . that's exactly how He desires our relationship with Him to be.  


God does not like to be predictable in our lives.  He wants us to constantly be in a place of trusting Him.  He wants us to trust Him, even when we cannot see.  And as we progress and mature in our relationship with God, the level of trust and the things that God will require us to surrender to Him will change and even, at times, be more of a challenge.

There have been times in this walk with God that I've found myself having to surrender to God's will at the expense of my own desires and thoughts about what is "good" for me.  I've found myself having to prove through my desires, decisions, and actions in life that I truly trust God and the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life, even when it doesn't make sense in the natural. I've had to challenge myself to prove that at the end of the day, above all else . . . I trust God's leading in my life. I have to trust that God will guide me in the direction of what's not only "good" for my life, but what's "great, exceptional, and abundantly blessed" for my life.  I have to trust that God will work all things for my good, including even those things that are a challenge for me to give up or walk away from.  I have to trust God even if, at the onset, what I can see in the natural is completely opposite of looking like it is working for my good.

Spiritual growth and maturity is not an easy process, but it is necessary if we truly desire to deepen our relationship with God.  In this type of season, it will require more and more of a dying to one's self (i.e. desires, thoughts, feelings, etc.) in order to progress forward.  As we take this journey, the growth and maturity that we experience in our private lives will begin to spillover into our external ministries. Remember that with every step, God is with you and He will never leave you or lead you astray.  God has your back and knows where the path is that leads to your future. When it is all said and done . . . JUST TRUST GOD!

In the Mirror

Begin to love who you are and have confidence in whose you are. ~ RDP

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In light of Valentine's Day approaching this week, I thought it was a great opportunity to release this post that the Lord inspired me to write.  

Valentine's Day, for most people, is a day that they look to those around them to validate them and prove their love for them by the giving of gifts, the spending of quality time, and even the expressing of grand gestures to profess their affections.  And unfortunately, when we place so much of the responsibility for our happiness and validation on other people, they have the tendency to disappoint us.  Why is this you might ask . . . it's because they are human.

The objective of this post isn't to focus on the disappointment, but to challenge you to redirect the expectation that other people are responsible for making you happy.  There comes a point where you have to look at your reflection in the mirror and decide that you are going to be happy -- "point, blank, and the period".

I've come to understand that happiness is a personal choice.  It doesn't matter what challenges you face, what situations you may be in the midst of, or even what you might be lacking during this season of your life.  Your personal happiness should be rooted in and be an extension of the joy that the Lord provides.  When you chose to receive the joy of the Lord, there is a peace that comes along with this free gift.

Your true happiness comes from being able to look in the mirror and accept yourself for who you are, understand that you are on a constant road to being perfected by God, and know that above all else God loves you. Take the time to reflect and ask God to help you see the beauty, love, joy, and all-around awesomeness that He created on the inside of you.  Let that inner deposit begin to shine through to that reflection in the mirror and take back the control over your level of happiness. Begin to walk confidently in the knowledge that you are God's own. Remember that He made the grandest gesture imaginable to show forth His love for you . . . He gave you the life of His only Son.

Shedding the Old, Embracing the New

At the beginning of a new year, we all have likely fallen into the mindset of embracing fresh starts. We look in anticipation towards midnight hoping that it will bring the promise of dreams come true.

Many people set resolutions and goals for the start of a new year. These goals can range from losing weight, launching a business, starting a new career, saving to purchase a home . . . and the list goes on.

As I began to think and reflect on what God would have me to accomplish or focus on in 2015, I heard the Spirit of God say …

"I need more of you."

I must admit, I was taken aback a little at this request.  Not because of the implied sacrifices that it would require from me, but because I knew that if God was asking me to surrender more of myself, He was also willing to pour more of Himself into me.

As I've continued to reflect on this request from the Father, I look forward to each new day with great anticipation of what God has in mind.  I look forward to His leading and His direction on what should be accomplished for that day. As I'm faithful to give God more of me, I stand in overwhelming expectation of God's outpouring of His Spirit and His glory in my life.

Being in this place of surrendering more of myself is not unfamiliar. I've noticed that during periods of transition in my life, God has often pulled me closer to Him. In this place, where God nudges my spirit to have more intimate moments with Him, I've often experienced maturity and revelation.  I've also always experienced growth from the inside out. This type of growth cannot always be seen with the naked eye, but I know that it is happening beneath the surface. 

When you grow from the inside out, the outward evidence will soon not be able to be denied. Why is that you might ask . . . because what you are carrying on the inside will no longer fit the outer exterior. As you grow from the inside out, all of the external situations and challenges and even your countenance will change. God will begin to beam through your pores and your life will be changed forever.

If you think you know what 2015 might hold for you or if you are still trying to figure it out, I want to encourage you with this post to surrender more of yourself to God. 

Make the investment in your relationship with God, spending more time drawing closer to Him. I promise that you won't regret the time you spend in His presence and that your life will never be the same.

The Spirit of Honor

When the Holy Spirit inspired the title for this blog post I thought that it would go in a different direction initially.  In the midst of thinking about what to write to address the Spirit of Honor, my family suffered the tragic loss of my Step-Father - Mr. John E. Walker.  In the days that followed this loss, the Spirit began to speak to my heart again in regards to the Spirit of Honor and what to include in this blog post.

The Word of God admonishes us to . . . "Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12 NLT)  

God reminded me of the above scripture and reminded me of the simple fact that the time that I took to shut everything down in my own life to be at my Mom's side, for as long as she needed me, didn't go unnoticed by Him.  I also watched intently as my Mom took the time to take care of every detail for the arrangements and desired to ensure that she was truly honoring her husband and his final wishes. 

This was not the first time that I had watched my Mom in this role of honoring my Step-Father, but it got me to thinking  . . . How many of us wait until the moment of laying our loved one to their final resting place to honor them? 

This post is not about grieving or death, but it is about life and living.  I want to encourage you to take the time to operate in the Spirit of Honor on a daily basis.  Don't take one day for granted.  The Spirit of Honor seeks to appreciate and invest time into those that God has set in our path. It causes us to think of the needs of others before ourselves.  When you make it a point to operate out of the Spirit of Honor, those that God has placed in your path will have no doubt about the love and care that you have for them.  Walking in the Spirit of Honor demonstrates openly to everyone around you that the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) are at work in your life. 

As children of the Most High God, we always seek to reflect His nature in all that we do; so we must allow God to integrate a Spirit of Honor into the core of who we are.  And I will challenge you again . . . seek to honor those outside of just your family or good friends.  Honor those who you labor with in ministry, those you work with, or even a stranger.  You don't know how your one act of kindness could change the trajectory of their lives.  Have your ears and heart open to the Holy Spirit and follow His instructions on who, what, when, and where.

Your act of honor can be as simple or as grand as your heart desires.  It could be as simple as a handwritten note or could be as grand as blessing someone with the trip of a lifetime.  Whatever you set your heart to do . . . do it TODAY!  Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.  Don't miss the opportunity afforded you today to honor those around you.

It's Hard!!!

Even the best of us at different points in our Christian walk have turned to God and asked … "Why is this so hard? What am I doing wrong? Did I not hear you? Did I miss the shift?" Yes, even me! 

In response, God answered … "The Fight is hard, because the Call is great."

When you are called by God, consecrated, and set apart for His use … that assignment doesn't come easy. Over the years I've heard my spiritual leaders say many times, "there is a price for the anointing." There has to be a certain level of opposition to what you are called to do, or the enemy is not doing his job. 

Now, don't get me wrong … I'm not talking about toiling and striving in the flesh to try to get something accomplished. If you find yourself in a position where you are working so hard to get something done in your own strength, this is a time to seek God and reevaluate what you are working towards.  

But when you know you are clearly on a spiritual assignment, you should expect there to be a certain level of spiritual warfare. You will have to mount up in God's strength, that He so generously supplies, and put on the full armor of God so that you can make it through the hard sections of the journey. There is overwhelming victory on the other side. 

Based on your past victories, your assignments for God will increase in their level of spiritual authority. As this takes place, the spiritual warfare will also change and increase. But do not be afraid. You've already overcome so much and come so far. Know you have divine back-up at all times and that God is aligning those that are specifically assigned to assist you along the way.  Keep pressing forward and remember this message of The Lord … 

"The Fight is hard, because the Call is great."

Waiting on God …

Just my thoughts on a Saturday morning … We sometimes get impatient in our waiting … wanting God to show us who our spouse is. And when God reveals it to us, we are overwhelmed with excitement and want to shout it from the mountaintops. 

However … I challenge you to turn your focus toward yourself and ask God to show you what is required of YOU to fulfill the role of "husband or wife" to that person God has revealed is your spouse. Ask God to whisper the secrets of that person's calling and passion to you, so that you can prepare to be the support and prayer-warrior that they need. 

If they are called to minister around the world, if they are called to run a multi-million dollar business, if they are called to long-term missionary work, if they are called to be in the public eye … are you ready?! Have you made the adjustments in your actions to put them before yourself, have you changed your ways to be considerate and loving instead of selfish, have you renewed your mind with the Word of God…in order to be ready to step into the role of "husband/wife" for The One?

The role of "husband/wife" is truly a ministry … requiring a total surrendering of yourself to God, so that He can assist you in walking victoriously in marriage.   Marriage works … if you work! Great, amazing, and mind boggling marriages don't just happen, they take the thoughtful consideration of two people who focus their attention towards showing God's love to the other person FIRST.  

I've heard it said that great marriages happen when two servants fall in love. 

So you may say … what about ME, what about MY needs?! Well … I'm sorry to inform you that in marriage "me and my" don't really exist anymore. You are joined together with your spouse to be ONE. And think about it … if your spouse's focus is to always be filling your love tank, considering you before themselves, praying for you, pushing you to the next level in your calling, and thinking of unbelievable ways to bless you … what are you worried about? In this type of marriage atmosphere, you can easily take the focus off yourself, because God, through your spouse, is making sure that the things that concern you are taken care of.

Put your focus on being the best "husband/wife" for your spouse, based on their needs and not yours. Now I will warn you … in most cases, changing your focus may take you outside your comfort zone or what you are accustomed to. But the good news is … God is working those adjustments for your good. It is an adjustment that you need, so that you can go to the next level in all God has called you to do and all that He desires to bless you with.

When you put God at the center of your thoughts and your marriage, it produces a beautiful relationship of honor, respect, and love. Strive to be the spouse that "out loves" the other and I promise you that the fruit of your labor will be sweet!