Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Transformation

trans·for·ma·tion
ˌtran(t)sfərˈmāSH(ə)n/
noun
  1. a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.
    "its landscape has undergone a radical transformation"
    • a metamorphosis during the life cycle of an animal.
    • PHYSICS
      the induced or spontaneous change of one element into another by a nuclear process.


    Please note: a metamorphosis during the "life" cycle....
    I have had so many women share with me ( and I have been here ), that they do not feel God present and/or working in their lives. They are bereft with troubles. Marriage struggles, children failing to launch, health issues, disappointments... I can go on, can you relate?

    Please know, a seed is planted. Then it must be watered. 

    Watered with scripture, with prayer (conversation with God), with the Holy Spirit, with experience, with connection to others. 

    I am not one who's seed flourished upon planting. My walk with God has been a journey, albeit the changes in me took place without my noticing at first. Is this happening in your life?

    A sprinkling of a ha's.. a noticeable change in how I react..a heart mending..acceptance of things once not acceptable..a softening of the heart..patience..compassion. Gifts of transformation given to me along the way. Beautiful gifts. For me...a journey, an impatient one at times, but yet a journey.

    I was even angry that God did not just "touch" me and change me instantly for a very long time! I saw this happen to people. They would be healed of a hurt, an illness, or have something miraculous happen that would just absolutely change them and strengthen their faith immediately. I was jealous of these people...now, I am ever so grateful that my walk has been as it has been. Why? Because, for me, this was what God needed to do. He needed to peel away the hurts of the past and hold my hand and walk with me, open my eyes and show me things. It's not that I did not believe, or that I was not instantly saved when I accepted Christ in to my heart, I did believe and I did accept, I just did not get an instant download, and I want to assure you that not everyone does. 

    For me, the journey has strengthened my foundation. It is concrete and I am clothed in my faith in a way that I would not have been had my walk been any other way. The trials, the pain, the situations, the outcomes all make me who I am today. 

    Like a child who puts her hand in a candy jar and pulls out the most perfect candy..she is content and runs off. I didn't find the right candy right away. I kept dipping into the candy jar. I still dip into the candy jar. The sweetness of the scriptures that speak to me. Those that once meant little, now pop out at me. The sweetness of prayer. Once a seemingly one sided conversation is now met with a feeling of presence and an enveloping of love. And on those days that I don't feel, it's ok, because I now know. I just know. 

    This is a snippet of my walk with Christ. My personal walk. We are all so different and can not expect what we see "going on" with someones walk should be the same for us. We are all so intricately different. We all hear His voice in different ways. Don't discount that God is not working in your life because you are comparing your journey to someone else's. That is the worst thing you can do. And, don't let man tell you how your walk should be in its entirety, because God may have different roads and avenues for you to experience, You do not want to miss what God has for you because you are trying to copy someone else's walk. 

    I pray that today you find peace and solace in the fact that you have an amazing God, Who is an amazing Father. A Father Who loves you unconditionally and wants the very best for you. He wants you to have a beautiful life "now" and He wants you to be prepared for forever. I pray that you will walk this journey today, knowing that He is by your side and you are never alone. I pray that your eyes will be opened and you will see His work in your life today. I pray that you will realize the trans-formative nature of this beautiful walk...that you will look back and see just how much He has guided and directed you. He has and will always, hold your hand.

    Bless you today and always. In love. M

    "I am the Good Shepherd: I know my sheep and my sheep know me--"
    John 10:14

    "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.
    Jeremiah 29:11

    "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." 
    Romans 12:2