All through grade school, students who didn’t get their lesson had to get held back. I remember this around kindergarten through about the second grade. For whatever reasons, students didn’t get their lesson and had to get held back in that grade until they got the information they needed. It was sad to see them stay behind and as much as they wanted to move forward, they couldn’t until where fully prepared for the next grade. This scenario happens a lot in our walk with Christ. We want STEP TEN without passing through the FIRST STEP. We aren’t prepared for step ten! A lot of our step one is spending time with Christ. When you spend time with Christ, he can reveal things to you and show you what you need to be doing and things you need to change.
Ex. You can’t expect God to bless you with a new job and you have a nasty attitude toward everyone. Spending time with God will show you that you need to need have an attitude to check because it’s hindering you from progressing forward.
See, we can’t expect to advance in our lives if we keep stumbling and failing every test that is presented toward us. I remember when I wanted to be in a relationship and I was always saying “God has the perfect man for me; I just have to be patient.” Yeah, that’s true, but what are you doing while you’re waiting? Are entertaining a guy who you KNOW you don’t need to be with? Having sex outside of marriage? Going to the club with all your goodies hanging out? Or are you spending time with Christ and allowing him to be your focus? What are you choosing do while you wait?
How we expect God to send us a man and we’re running around here entertaining and FLIRTING with sin? You’re not passing the test. So often we just expect the reward without doing the work. I am currently single and believing God for my Adam. While I am waiting, I’m choosing to be obedient and do what he says so that when my Adam wakes up, I recognize him!!! I’d be lying if I told you that at times it didn’t get difficult and that I don’t get tempted. But each time I chose to pass the test because I KNOW that I have to allow this time to prepare me for what is to come. For me, my step one is strengthening my relationship with Christ. I can’t properly be led by my potential husband if I can’t even be led by Christ. When your focus is Christ, you don’t have time to focus on what you think you need. It teaches you contentment.
An area of my life where I am truly learning to trust the process is in ministry. When I first started, I knew I wanted to speak to other women in various places, not just in Troy. But first, I had to pass step one- being intentional about my walk with Christ. Making an effort each day to have quiet time no matter how tired I was. Once I passed step one, I progressed to starting a Pinky Promise Chapter at Troy University, which was my step two. It wasn’t easy to get to that place though, I had several test throughout this entire journey! But if didn’t learn nothing else, it was to trust God. Trust him even though I can’t see what’s ahead. Trust him when I can’t see how something is going to work. You have to TRUST the process. It doesn’t always feel good, but it’s necessary. When I got quiet before the Lord before I started Pinky Promise, the Lord checked me about my friends and my attitude. Did it feel good to leave certain friend behind and love them from a distance? HECK NO. Was it easy when I had to bite my tongue and not go off on people? HECK NO. But it was VITAL that I did these things.
John 15:2 says that “he cut off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it can be even more fruitful.”
I encourage you to spend some time before the Lord and allow him to prune you and get you ready for your step 2. Don’t expect the reward without the work. Be obedient. Spend time with the Father. Allow him to help you. Trust the process, God is going to finish what he started! He will NEVER leave you.
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to the completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 1:6
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5
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