Single Sister in the City: Thanking God for the Delay

While reading Bob Sorge's book Envy this week, I wondered if he had hidden cameras in my house because he was writing my exact experiences

Bob Sorge is an awesome Christian speaker and writer.  He sustained a vocal injury that has left him unable to speak no higher than a whisper but that has not stopped him from ministering God's word and also proclaiming publicly his beliefs for God's healing. I had the awesome privilege to hear him at Shiloh Church last month.

He has written a fantastic book on Envy which I highly recommend.  

Time to go on a Detour!

In his book Pastor Bob teaches that when  God gives you promise he ALWAYS takes us on a detour and the road to fruitfulness is never enviable.  Ain't that the truth!

I can speak from my own experience last year that I prayed,  believed I got an answer, and waited for the shout music to start.  It never did.  Instead it seemed that I started going on a journey that had nothing and everything to do with the answer God had given me.  

I've gone on a detour that exposed the envy, bitterness, unbelief, discouragement, shame, and self ambition of my heart.  

In his book Pastor Bob said that God takes us on a detour to root out selfish ambition and also deal with the envy of others.

I can personally testify to rooting out selfish ambition.  It has been shown to me on several occasions that the reason WHY I wanted certain things in my life had nothing to do with God's Glory or helping others, but had everything to do with my own ambition, ego, and need for accomplishment. 

Pastor Bob also said that God uses the detour and delay to root out the envy of others.  I completely agree with this as well.  This road is not enviable at all.  I don't have the fabulous or glamorous story, but I do have faith and promises which probably seems ridiculous to most people.  

I don't have anything to brag or send out press releases about and this is keeping me humble and also keeping others from envying me.

God's Purpose in Delay

People are watching.  People are watching me on this Sacred Journey.

Pastor Bob said this on page 131 of his book:

God's purpose is to make you a gazing stock, but as you persevere in discipline and temperance, one day your journey will become a life giving source of encouragement to others who will walk a similar path.

Well Glory.  EXACTLY

I believe the above statement 100%.  I keep saying the reason I started blogging and recording this journey is so that people can see the entire process and learn that you have to trust GOD in the process.  You've got to see the tests and the monies and not just the sanitized testimony.

I know that people are watching me.  It's funny I have this blog and my fitness blog and I don't think people are reading because I rarely get comments. I have found out the opposite is true. People are reading this journey because I will run across people who tell me they are following my journey on both this blog and on my fitness blog.

I believe I have been called to teach.  The best teachers are those who can speak from experience.  Their words have power because they have LIVED them.  They aren't teaching THEORY.  Good teachers have power because they are transparent and can share the human experience.  You can't teach people what you don't know.  

That's why many preachers and teachers lack POWER.  Their leaders have no experiences of FAITH.  They can't tell you about a big God that was the only one who  can make it happen because they don't know Him.  They lack victory because they've never believed God for the impossible.

I already know this entire experience is going to serve as a testimony to others to hold on, have faith, and embrace a life that you didn't think was possible.

Passing the Delay Test

I am training for my first fitness competition and I have been delayed again for another 4 weeks.  My coach doesn't think I'm ready.  Roxie's clients always show up in competitions looking fantastic and if she says I am not ready, then I am not ready.  I was hoping to compete in July which got pushed back to August which is now pushed back to September.  

I am thankful for this delay because it will allow her to be at the show with me instead of having to do it on my own and also I can put my best foot forward.

Now how about that for a living practical example!

This week in prayer I gave thanks to God for his delay on this Sacred Journey.  I am so thankful that I am going on this detour because I know that he is with me no matter what and I also know that he wants to transform me so that I can be the woman he has called me to be SO THAT I can put my best foot forward and bring glory to his name.  

I realize that I had too much darkness in my heart to be able to fully receive what he has for me.  I had to face it and then allow God to set me free, give me a perspective change, and begin to walk in transformation.

It is IMPERATIVE that I pass this delay test because otherwise it will lead to death.  We all know what happened to the Children of Israel.  Many of the people died before they were to enter the promised land because they started complaining and grumbling again.

Pastor Bob puts it so well

Those who pass the detour test will find that it opens the door way of spiritual destiny.  Those who succumb to unbelief and discouragment will perish.  (p 128)

Well I have come too far to give into unbelief and discouragement.  I believe God is going to do SOMETHING.  I also receive the prophetic word from Pastor Patrick of Shiloh Church that we are entering into the season of answered prayer.

Thank you Lord for delaying this process and waiting until I am ready to step on that stage!

To God be the Glory