Process before Promotion

Have you ever had to encourage yourself? Friends couldn't do it... Husband couldn't do it... Kids couldn't do it...Family couldn't do it... Hell was coming in for the kill and Satan said "Oh I got her this time!!"..but guess what...Weeping may endure for a night but JOY comes in the morning. ~TD Jakes

Have you ever come to a point in your life where you almost gave up? You're laying in your bed and you're like "If one more thing happens...its over. I mean, you're crying EVERY night and day. You're crying so much that when other's come to you with their issues, you really have nothing to give because your emotional reservoir is tapped. Does it seem as if you can't feel or offer anything when other's come to you because it seems that the battles in your life have drained every ounce of your spiritual motivation? What once made something in your spirit jump or move you to "nurture" & feed another spiritual food, seems to be obsolete. You seem to feel nothing. I've just described my current position. The good news is that God has revealed to me that he will send me more "spiritual food" to refill my reservoir. He will give me and my family our peace and joy back. He will bring us out better than we were before. God will surround me with people with a vision. He will lift me and my family out of the pit. People may say, Oh you've won the battle and you personally know that you've won the battle but oftentimes what people don't see, is that "WINNING" comes with a sacrifice. You can be a winner but wounded. Anyone who's ever been in a vicious fight knows that you oftentimes walk away with scars. You may limp home. You may have a busted lip. You may have a bloodied head...but you've won. Don't mistake winning as always being pretty. You can win but be tired. You can survive but still be weary. Sometimes you can win but be too tired to enjoy the victory. People who WITNESS other people's battles often get so caught up in the OUTER armor of the warrior that they fail to see the pain & wounds underneath the warrior's armor. The outer armor represents who we are as a person on today. It represents our strength and perseverance against adversity. When this happens, some may overlook the need to give encouragement.  For this very reason we must all learn to encourage ourselves. As human beings, we have limitations. Do not make the mistake of seeking constant and everlasting encouragement and support from other people. People can only do so much. Encourage yourself in the Word of God. Once you have that foundation, nothing will be able to DESTROY your "home". You can't build a foundation on the spirituality of your family...your co-workers..your friends...etc. You have to KNOW for yourself. Have your own relationship with Christ. The issue with building a foundation on other people's encouragement is that people can be offering a shoulder one minute and at your throat the next. People can change up very quickly on you but Malachi 3:6 says that God does not change. Depend on him. There's nothing worse than when those whom you are the closest to, turn against you or start to hate you. Do you know what it's like to have a enemy in a strange place? People have their own agenda and sometimes whatever is on that agenda determines their motives towards another. My point is this, although I love all of who God has placed in my life and I trust a couple of the people, I only place COMPLETE faith in my Creator. He has never failed me. He won't fail you. Know that disAPPOINTments are only for an APPOINTED time but his joy is everlasting. An appointment has a beginning & ending time. Trouble does not last always. God has a purpose to the process. T.D. Jakes once said that many of us don't want to hear about a "process" because we want everything to be INSTANTANEOUS. But we must remember that the process always comes before the PROMOTION. Although my eye is swollen, lip busted, head is blooded, my faith in Christ has not wavered and my Spirit is unmoved. My emotions are screaming that I've never felt more alone in my life or more depressed or cried so much in my life but the still & small voice tells me to be still & that he's always with me. My seeds of tears will cause my harvest to be songs of joy. With all of that said, "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." ~Isaiah 43:18-19..."My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved. he who keeps you will not slumber." ~Psalm 121:2-3


Peace, Love, & Blessings,


Nata Bee