First of all, allow me to tell you that having a relationship with God and serving Him are commitments you need Godâs help for, among other commitments, especially if youâre a Christian creative. At times, you find yourself trying not to miss the word of God for your life and not to miss the word of God for His people. Is this word for me? Is this word for Godâs people? Or is it first for me and then for Godâs people?
I literally had to leave the cross-over service and come put down some of the ideas for this Newsletter so I wouldnât forget and so Iâd be able to focus on the cross-over service. I believe this is where having a retentive memory can come in too. Sometimes, you really have to set your mind on the sermon and focus no matter what ideas flow in during the sermon/any other spiritual activities. Sometimes, the word is for you, not for the public. Even the well needs to be continually filled with water. If not, it wonât be long before itâll be of no use anymore. There needs to be a balance. There's a need for wisdom and discernment.
Sometimes, itâs wise to put down that idea if it comes in during a sermon so that you wonât forget, and sometimes itâs a foolish move(even though itâs for the right course). The wisdom of this world is foolishness before God (1 Corinthians 3:19), and thatâs why we need Godâs Spirit of discernment at all times. If God doesnât want you to put down that idea during the sermon and wants you to focus 100 percent, trust Him to remind you of the idea afterward.
Enough of my ranting. Letâs get to talking about my puffy eyes.
So, on the 31st of January, 2022, I was a bit annoyed about a particular situation. I felt helpless and had vented my helplessness into silent anger. As a result, another situation with someone happened. Subsequently, that led me to cry. I was tired, my hands were tied, and I cried more because it was just a few hours into a new year.
I can still remember all that happened as I cried. I said, âGod, I donât know why Iâm crying. I thought I was not going to cry. Why am I crying?â And then, I kept crying.
Leave my nose alone and allow me to tell you a fun fact/not-so-fun fact about me:
Iâve tried to make videos of myself crying and have failed. I have a few hidden videos of me in tears, though. Whenever I take my phone to record myself in tears, I stop crying.đ. It just happens, and I donât know how. Iâm not sure why too.
But this time around, as I cried, I took my phone to record myself in tears, and I didnât stop crying. The person must have hurt me that much.
Then I went to Instagram. As I scrolled through Instagram, I came across one of Joyce Meyerâs videos, her teaching. In the video, one of the things that she said that caught my attention was, âwhat I recommend is, instead of telling everybody about Jesus, we get out there and act like Jesus. And we let our lives be a sermon.â That was the first word that struck me that evening.
Oh boy. I thought of everything that the person said and did during the whole situation with them.
Be a sermon? How can I love this person like Jesus? Just how? How can I be a sermon when Iâm hurting? How can I still show love to this person when they hurt me? What kind of pruning is this?
Minutes later, I put down the topic for this Newsletter and still thought to share.
I couldnât attend the cross-over service due to personal reasons. I dragged myself to YouTube so that I could connect to LFC online. Bishop David Abioye was the one speaking as I joined, and the first thing I heard God say through him was, âdo not look at the past.â God then said, through Him again in His word, âBehold, I will do a new thingâŠâ Isaiah 43:19.
That was God speaking to me and comforting me with His words.â€ïž.
When we go through difficult situations, weâre quick to blame God or beat ourselves up. But one thing about challenges is that, in a way, they draw us closer to God. Each challenge God helps you to overcome eventually draws you closer to Him. Challenges prune us to become more like God. Ultimately, challenges come to test our faith in God, not really us. Your faith in God is being tested but at the same time being built stronger through the process; itâs like gold being tested in a fire but shining regardless. âFor you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.â James⏠â1âŹ:â3âŹ-â4⏠âNLTâŹâŹ.
So, you see, the devil thinks heâs the wise one by bringing challenges & temptations your way. But God proves that the devil is foolish by helping you overcome the challenges and building your Faith in Him stronger than before.
Back to Godâs pruning.
Have you heard the song, I surrender by Hillsong United? When you say, âLord, have your way. Lord, have your way,â be ready for proper pruning from God o. Youâve asked, and God will be sure to deliver.
âLord, have your wayâ? Okayyyyyyy.
If you also know the song Spiritual Surgery by Victoria Orenze and you sing it wholeheartedlyâŠ
***Laughs in unknown tongues.đ.
On God pruning us. Naturally, when doctors perform surgery on a person, such person is usually put in a sleep-like state while the surgery is going on, right? And I think the patient would feel pain after they wake up. Itâs not pruning if it doesnât hurt, even if itâs just a little. But good news! Youâre now made whole by God regardless of the pain you felt after the surgery.
Your character, your attitude, your âgoodâ but unGodly behaviors, your pride, jealousy, etc. Everything will be submitted to God during the pruning process, during Godâs surgery. You are the patient. Allow God to heal you.
And we have an advantage. We have the Holy Spirit working in us to produce fruits befitting the Kingdom of God. Weâre not doing life alone. Weâre not pruning ourselves by ourselves. Can the one who needs surgery perform surgery on Himself? Even if he does, itâd be difficult and much more painful. The Holy Spirit is constantly working in us. Heâs there to help us. âAnd the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknessâŠâ ââRomans⏠â8âŹ:â26⏠âNLT.âŹâŹ
The self-control you exhibit when somebodyâs child truly deserves a hot slap is the Holy Spirit helping you. Normal normal, you suppose slap am if no be Holy Spirit wey hold your hand.
So, I donât know what youâre currently going through, what God is teaching you in the season youâre in, or which one of your characters (which is a weight) God is currently asking you to lay aside (Heb 12:1), but allow the Holy Spirit hold your hands and help you to yield to God and His pruning.đ€. âBut when the Father sends the Advocate as my representativeâthat is, the Holy Spiritâhe will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.â John⏠â14âŹ:â26⏠âNLTâŹâŹ
Hang in there.đ«.
God leads us by His way even if it requires pruning and letting go. That's the call we have received. The call to be Christ like
Thank you for letting God use you, and thank you for sharing your storyâ€ïž