Don't Get Ahead of God!

Have you ever found yourself to be ahead of God? I have found myself in this place one too many times.  This last year and a half for me has been great.  I have seen the hand of God move in my life more than ever before. My life has been transformed and I'm a different woman, mother, wife and friend.  My family has been put back together and we are stronger than we have ever been. My marriage is healthy and my husband and I have fallen in love with each other all over again.  My relationship with my children is different, I loving and nurturing them, I am enjoying the journey of motherhood.  The Lord has begun my ministry of ministering and empowering other women and I continue to see myself change and grow through it all.  So, how is it that I started to feel like I was missing something or better yet should I say, "Why was I becoming restless?"

There are still some areas in my life that I am believing the Lord for. I have penned and shared about the different aspirations and goals that I have in life.  There was a time in my life when that I didn't have a grip on how to accomplish these things and other people and commitments would suffer because I didn't have balance.  I was very prideful and my intentions behind these things were not always pleasing to the Lord. I was the force behind doors opening in my life and found myself getting ahead of God. Needless to say, those doors didn't stay open very long and when they would shut, it was not by my choice and always left me empty.  Today, I'm careful with getting myself back into these predicaments and getting ahead of God and stepping outside of His will.

This year I will be turning 37 years old.  And some may say that's young ... I Agree! But it's not about being young.  For me, it's about being settled, stabled, learning and staying content in every season.  It's about being in a place where I am operating and functioning in my God-given purpose. Or, just being in the career that never feels like work, because I'm doing what I love, or maximizing the potential of my credentials and education.  I am grateful for teaching and humbled that the Lord has gifted me to do it so well.  I influence and touch the lives of His people everyday.  Every moment of this journey has been by His Grace.  I live in a home that as a child, I would dream of.  And the memories and traditions that we make as a family are priceless!!!  My husband is a God-fearing, hardworking man who loves his family.  And my children are growing in the Lord and looking towards the plans He has for their lives. You see, when I look at all of this I am encouraged and motivated.  Encouraged to do more, to be more and yes, to have more.

I want to be careful how I lay this out, because I know there is someone out there saying, "That would be enough for me." And it is enough.  The wealth of any parent is not the job or career that they hold, it is the blessing of their children living for the Lord and serving Him.  I am not looking for financial wealth, but I am believing for financial stability.  I am not looking to be the CEO of a company, but I have obtained higher-education and I would like to maximize my full potential in it.  You see, there would have been a time in my life where my credentials identified who I am; today, they don't.  Credentials give you credible reputation of your talents and abilities in the business world. In my opinion, a degree speaks to your discipline and dedication to being a student of learning, working hard and accomplishing one of the fewest things in life that can not be taken away from you.  My husband and I have financial goals that we would like to meet; a solid financial future that we would like to build for our children, a financial treasure that we would like to establish for the things of the Lord and a long-enough financial trail that prevents us from being thrown off when we have an unexpected expense that arises.  It's not about having a big house, luxury car, prestigious title, or high status.  It's not even about the degrees!  I understand and know first hand that those things are not needed to qualify you in the Kingdom of God.

It can become tempting for you to want the Lord to move at your pace and on your time. You are motivated by all of the good things that are taking place in your life and you want the FULL blessing of the Lord. But, let me go back to God moving at our pace and on our timeline.  It's easy to allow our motivation to thrust us into 3rd gear and shoot out the blocks before the Lord.  And when the Lord doesn't follow, you are now left discouraged, unmotivated, fearful and your faith starts to diminish...this has been ME recently in the last few weeks. I am holding on for God to transition me into a new season. And the wait has been challenging for me.  And if I could really be open and honest, I have been holding back! Although I have seen the Lord do mighty and great things in my life, I have become somewhat discouraged.  My fear of not being prepared and ready for the unexpected has caused me to lack in my faith.  It has become challenging for me to look pass what is in front of me and believe for the future that I can not see.

You see, when we get ahead of God, we now put ourselves in an unsecured place. We run outside of the covering that He has provided for us. We start to do our will and not His.  Just because I wanted and thought that my season needed to shift, didn't give me the allowance to take control of things and not seek the Lord.  When I finally surrendered my will to the Lord and allowed Him to minister to me, I realized that I was dictating how and when I felt like the Lord should move on my behalf.  I also realized that I would be short changing myself and the Lord's will for my life.  When you get ahead of God, faith now turns into fear, your hope leaves and you become weary, your discouraged and you loose sight of the promises that He has given you. You talk yourself into thinking that God is okay with what you are doing even though he's not in the midst.   

As the Lord was ministering to me, He brought back to remembrance how easy things were when I trusted in Him fully and what seemed like a lifetime, happened in just a moment.  I remembered how all things work together for the good of those who believe. God's timing is perfect, His favor is available to me in every season (as long as I am not getting ahead of Him). The soil of the season that I am in right now is very rich; my marriage is restored and healthy, our family is unified and not divided; we are loving, enjoying and encouraging one another. Our home is peaceful and structured on Biblical principles and we are not without. I don't need to rush through this season, I need to enjoy it and not forget what the Lord has done.  

So I want to encourage you today, don't get ahead of God, stay the course, follow the path at His speed and allow the Holy Spirit to pace you.  Maybe you feel like you have endured your season long enough, trust and believe that God's grace is sufficient (thank you Lord for giving me the Grace to come to my senses and not mess things up...Amen). Enjoy where you are today so you don't forget where you were yesterday! When I got ahead of God, I started to feel alone, my self-esteem was getting low because I wasn't getting the responses that I wanted, I was loosing my joy and peace. For all that we have endured, WHY NOT, take the moments of happiness and peace and allow them to be enough!

• Don't get ahead of God, trust Him for the plans that He has for your life. Proverbs 3:5
• Don't be weary in well doing, Galatians 6:9
• Be content in whatever season you are in and enjoy it, Philippians 4:11

Remember, surrender all ...
Tynisha