P31OBS 5 Habits of a Woman who won't quit: Habit 3 - She stays open to the movement of God

Habit 3: Staying Open to the Movement of God

There are 2 points in this chapter that resonated with me and I want to apply more fully to my life.

1.  There is no magic Formula for praying and what God is doing

2. Allowing God to C-OVER (SEE OVER) my life while I give up control to him

No Magic Formulas

I am a linear thinker.  I think if you do a,b,c then 1,2,3 will happen.  That may be how it works in math class but that's NOT how it works in real life.  I grew up in a religion that thought they knew all the answers.  They had 5 steps to this and this is what that means but that's not how it works either. There is no formula when it comes to God and there shouldn't be.  If all we had to do was follow steps then what do we need God for?

For many years I thought God was unfair.  I thought it wasn't fair that I was following all of these self imposed rules I had derived from religion and yet it felt like I was losing.  I just wasn't getting ANYWHERE.  I was so frustrated and even started venturing out trying to see if there was a better way.

First off we should not be trying to follow rules because we think we're going to be blessed.  I tell you that Legalistic Mindset is a hard thing to get rid of but it is getting better the more i am aware of it.  We should be obedient to God because it's part of our character and we want to please Him...not because we want stuff.

Second had I been BLESSED with what I THOUGHT I wanted, I would be down in the miry pit.  I see this now very clearly.

Maybe this is one of the reasons I grew tired of church.  I was tired of hearing:  If you tithe, speak in tongues at the altar, live your life at the church building, or do xyz, then you will have your breakthrough!  To be fair, That didn't really happen over at Shiloh Church...I was just burned out by that point and needed a break.

We need to stop telling people that if they do this, that, or the other then they will have a breakthrough.  Maybe people need to go through their refinement assignment like I am and it will take YEARS.  That's not a bad thing when you think about all the destruction that could happen. Instead of telling those people to touch three people for their breakthrough, we should be teaching them to keep doing the little things and not to give up and settle because they really will miss their breakthrough because it doesn't come right away.

Reading that there are no magic formulas was comforting to read because for so long, I thought I needed to be doing SOMETHING to make things go faster or get what I wanted.  What was it that I needed to do?  Go on a missions trip?  Translate the book of Leviticus from the original Hebrew? What was it that I needed to do?

Be Still and Know that I am God

Relinquish Control and Let God C-Over my life

Be Still and know that I am God.

I am not God.  Sometimes i think I am and try to control my life but I am not God.

In the past few weeks, I have marveled at how God knows so much more than we do.  Here we have it all figured out and we have all the answers and turns out we were just as wrong as two left shoes. 

What if what we wanted to happen would have meant our destruction and the demise of our character and calling?  

Why is God so merciful that he sees the disaster before we do and no matter how much we kick and scream, he ignores us and we come to see he was right all along.

Why does the Lord sustain us when we complain, moan, grumble, tell him he's wrong, get angry, go our own way mess up, and come back?

He Knows What's Best for our lives

His Ways are Higher than our Ways

His Thoughts are Higher than our thoughts

In these past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to reflect on two areas of my life where I have done the MOST complaining.  Since it's no secret on this blog what they are, I'll go ahead and share.

• Finances
• Single Life

These are the two areas of my life that I've complained the loudest about and tried to control the most.  These are also the two areas where I've had the most epic fails and been saved from even bigger disasters.

It turns out with my finances that not making any money is normal for your first few years in business.  Unless you're running a scam, it's slow going but as I've reflected on my Year over Year Growth my business has grown 108% and we are adding new revenue streams as we speak.  This year my word was EXPAND and that's what we are doing.  It's the compound effect of keep taking positive steps forward and not giving up and settling because it's not insta success.

With the single life, oh Good Lord where to begin!  I'll just say this.  I'm over shiny object syndrome. Just because I like how it looks on the outside whether it be looks, status, or whatever that's not what is important.  I've also learned to let go of control in that area.  When the presentation is made there will be no question.  I will never have to question if this is it or if I'm enough.  If that's on the table, then he is not what God has sent!  I understand that now.  It's not rejection...it's just not what's for me.

Staying Open to the Movement of God

I loved what Pastor David Kiteley said over at Shiloh a few months ago during his teaching on Great Faith.

Doing the Will of God is rarely convenient.

I tell you I keep having these questions come up of:  What happens if it's complicated, messy, and you have fierce opponents?  What if God's movement is scary?  What if God's movement is risky?  What if it's al you've ever wanted and doesn't look how you thought?  What then?

That's why you have to go through these refining assignments to learn how to trust God and be faithful in the little things so when the big things come...you can say:  God I trust you.  I don't know how this is going to happen and I don't know how you're going to do this but I trust you.  You can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we ask or think!

To God be the Glory!