Today in my quiet time, the Lord sent me to Psalm 139:16, “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.” I’ve read that verse many times (and have heard it) throughout my life, but today God encouraged me to take a closer look.
Sisters, God reminded me that nothing in my life has ever taken Him by surprise, not my bad decisions, many missteps, heartbreak, sickness, trials, storms…none of it. He has always known every single detail in my life. He has taken all of it into account, and He still loves me, no matter what. (He loves you too, Sister!)
Sometimes the enemy tries to bring up things from my past to torment me, and let me be clear: he has a lot of material to bring up! But you know what? I’m covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. I’m not defined by any mistake that I’ve made. I am who God says I am, not what others think or say about me. Not only does God know me, He chose me. So, when the enemy tries to bombard me with foolishness, I recite out loud the Word of God. I know that my Father loves me, and when I rest in His love, nothing else matters anyway. In His Presence, I just experience the fullness of joy. I am learning how to press my way into His Presence right in the middle of moments of despair. It’s not easy, Sister, because my will is involved. That means I sometimes have to “will” myself into His Presence, even when I may not feel like it. I’m learning to just keep my eyes on Him, and when I do, God showers His love upon me all over again.
Do you know that some people are quite comfortable being down and out? And I’m not talking about anyone battling depression; that is another matter entirely. If you need to find a safe space for you to release, receive support, or be healed and set free, I encourage you to reach out for help to get whatever support you need. You are worth it, Sister! God has allowed many resources to meet the needs of His people, whether it’s counseling, a prayer partner, a support group, or even a community of believers. God has whatever you need! Sadly, there are sisters who seek out dysfunction because it’s what they know. It’s not good, but it’s familiar. It’s not what they even desire, but they’ve learned how to survive in the midst of chaos. Well, guess what? You were not created to just survive; you were created to thrive. (God wrote that in His book too!)
The Manna Chef 