Scriptural Foundation:
Psalm 1 New King James (NKJV)
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
2 Peter 3:8-10 New King James (NKJV)
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Reflection:
I can’t accept a compliment to save my life. It is like playing water balloons with baby oil. I can “catch” it, but then I drop it – always deflecting the compliment so it falls with a splash at my feet. Where is the glory in that for the Lord? I know it makes the person giving the compliment feel uncomfortable and it is something the Lord has recently revealed to me as a stronghold in my life that needs to be removed.
I moved around a lot growing up. On the positive side, I didn’t get attached to people and things, however at the same time, I was always the outsider looking in. My adult years have been the complete opposite. I have been planted in the same place for quite some time and as the years pass, I am challenged by the Holy Spirit almost daily. The Lord has blessed me tremendously. I see the fruit of the Spirit at work in my life. . .at the same time, do you know how fast weeds grow when watered? They tend to grow faster than the flowers, vegetables, and fruits next to them. What I have found in my “planted position” is that when one is always moving or making themselves busy, no real growth in the spirit can occur.
…his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. – Psalm 1:2-3
Everyone wants to prosper; however, everyone is not built for the process it takes to receive that kind of blessing. The Bible is filled with awkward people: Adam – Noah – Abraham – Moses – Rahab – Ruth – David – Mary – even Jesus. From the opening credits of their awkwardness to their departure into eternity, the Lord used their perceived shortcomings to connect and draw souls into the Kingdom of God.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. – 1 Peter2:9-10
He must increase, but I must decrease. – John 3:30
It is through our awkwardness we connect with the people around us. I can’t feel your current heart ache, but I know your heart ache. I haven’t experienced your current shame, but I have several shameful and disappointed moments in the folds of my past. It is when we as Believer’s try to air brush our memories, that the grace and the mercy that God wants to pour through the vessels of our lives, is obstructed. Similar to when there is an obstruction in the valve of a heart, the heart can’t pump the blood throughout the body efficiently. The same is true, when we try to cover our awkwardness. We obstruct the Blood of Christ being transferred to a lost and dying world. The Lord does not want anyone to perish, but all of us to enjoy eternity with Him (2 Peter 3:9).
I have a friend that is broken spiritually, he has been diagnosed by several doctors throughout his life for mental health issues. The names of the diagnosis only describe the spirit.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 6:12
Depression is a spirit Saints! [Check your offense meter Beloved, and really hear me.] I am not saying that doctors and medicine should not be used to manage such a feeling, but that is all that it is doing, managing it. The Lord wants to break that stronghold off individuals that feel like they are lost and forgotten. Although my friend and I both come from very different backgrounds, we have been able to talk and find out that other than my “religious thing”, we agree on a lot of fundamental view-points. Most of these view-points, he will not admit it, reflect the ten commandments…just saying. The bottom line is that as I continue to work through my awkwardness, the Lord is using me to connect with any and everyone around me for His glory. Isn’t that worth embracing your awkwardness today?
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- What areas in your life do you feel awkward?
- Ask the Holy Spirit, how you can cultivate these “hinderances” into a landscape that reflects the Lord’s love and mercy.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5