Do you live by the spirit of sonship or as a slave to circumstances?

We’ve all been there. Maybe you had a vision, a dream. I did. I took off running full speed in the direction I thought I should go. I felt the wind at my back, the sun on my bare head and I was loving life. I was living out my God-sized dream. Then, I got tired. I couldn’t see the finish line. I didn’t know if I was heading the right direction. Then doors began to slam in my face. Did I hear God? Was I on the right path? Did I really hear God?

“When life comes along and slaps us silly, it can feel as if God’s purpose for us has now been cancelled. But nothing can stop His purpose for us…just because your circumstances are hard doesn’t mean God’s purpose for you has changed.”- Holley Gerth

Can I tell you something friend? You were created for a purpose. Last weekend, at The Gathering, we spoke of thriving, instead of just surviving. So, how do we thrive when we are too tired to just survive? Maybe you just experienced a major victory followed by BLAH. Exhaustion.

Maybe your special needs child took three steps forward only to take four backwards.

Maybe you wrote the book and no one is buying it.

Maybe you took the class and still feel as if you haven’t made any progress.

Maybe you stepped out of your comfort zone and it backfired, You’re still suffering the effects of fear.

Maybe you risked it all on love and got rejected.

Maybe you followed your heart and stepped out in your God-sized dream and now you feel stuck? As if you aren’t making any progress?

You’re not alone. It’s not over. This isn’t the end. Can you imagine if Moses thought his story ended before he crossed the Red Sea? Or if Mary, Mother of God, thought her story ended after the birth of Jesus? Or if Joshua gave up after the death of Moses? No promised land for the Israelites.

There is a season that our faith must take over. Our feelings about what we are doing for the kingdom of God must be secondary. We must not depend on feelings to carry us through. They are too fickle. The kingdom work is anything but fickle. It is fierce. It requires determination. We must pursue the kingdom with ardent zeal and intense exertion (Matthew 11:12). It’s going to take maximum effort, not minimum. You’re going to get tired. There will be days when you want to give up. You will feel a hundred different ways in a hundred seconds. That’s not who you are. Those are feelings. Your circumstances don’t define you. 

Faith in you, feels tired, but she puts on her running shoes anyway. Then she keeps going. Running. Activating stuff. She doesn’t stop…..Faith doesn’t care. She gets things done because she knows it is not up to her but up to God. Nothing can stop Him. God will prevail.- Kelly Balarie, Battle Ready

When your faith needs a reboot, copy some scriptures. Read them aloud. Remind yourself who God is. Remind yourself that He orders your steps. He’s in control. He has a plan and a purpose, even when your feelings tell you the opposite.

Here’s a handy set of scriptures from Kelly’s book to get you started.