In my last blog, I talked about how this Christmas season, I am trying my best to expect the unexpected. I touched on how going through the motions can interfere with hearing something new from God, and as I’m navigating this Advent Season, I’m finding distractions can play a part as well.
One morning I was having some quiet time with Jesus. I was thinking about Advent and how we prepare during the weeks leading up to Christmas. It got me thinking about the actual expectation and preparation for the birth of the Messiah in Bible times. It was prophesied that Jesus would come (Isaiah 9:1-7 & Isaiah 11:1-12 to name a few). By the time Jesus actually walked the earth, the Jews were looking for a King, a deliverer and savior from the Romans who were currently oppressing them.
Looking back, two thousand years later, Jesus giving eternal life, freedom from sins, direct access to God and His Holy Spirit is a much more triumphant victory than freeing some people from the Roman Empire. Two thousand years later it is much easier to see that God had a bigger plan and purpose for Jesus than the people of that time could have comprehended.
As I sat there thinking about what people in Bible times expected of Jesus, I couldn’t help but wonder how often we forget that Jesus may be trying to show up in a different way and accomplish something different than what we have in mind.
Just as the Jews circumstances and history of enslavement, exile, and oppression could have made it more difficult to see Jesus when he was literally right in front of them, our circumstances may also confine what we think Jesus is coming to accomplish in our lives. What are we expecting deliverance from? What does Jesus want to do instead?
This is not to diminish the significance of any particular hardship. As I’ve mentioned before, I think God wants to heal and restore the broken parts of our lives. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV) However, I do believe the devil can use some of life’s circumstances, pain, and disappointment to distract us from what God has next. He comes to confuse and destroy when we are vulnerable and weak.
About a week ago, I was pretty overwhelmed (which was a nicer way of saying I was freaking out) about some circumstances that had come up. After putting it off, I finally sat down to talk to God about what was going on. I poured everything out into my prayer journal and finally ended with, “This has left me totally shaken and rattled.” I didn’t really think about putting into words the way I felt until then and the words “Shaken” and “Rattled” threw me off. Those are two words God often uses when He speaks to me about Spiritual Warfare. While circumstance may be unexpected, feeling rattled or shaken by them are never feelings from my protective, loving God.
Now, EVERY issue in my life is not caused by spiritual warfare. However, the devil did use the opportunity of sickness, exhaustion, winter blues, and financial stress to get to me when I was most vulnerable. Sad to say, I was unprepared and ill-equipped compared to my usual self and completely fell for it. The enemy succeeded at shifting my perspective from what God wants to do next to my circumstances. When the enemy does that, who you are, who God is, and what God wants to do begins to deteriorate in your mind and heart. Losing sight of my authority in Christ left me feeling completely beaten down physically, mentally, and financially.
With this realization, I have asked God to transform my heart and shift my perspective. And in true demonic fashion, more things in my life have continued to go wrong again and again and again in the last week or so. I am still seeking God’s guidance and deliverance from some of these areas, but I am trying daily (some days are more of a struggle than others) to see what the bigger picture is and what Jesus wants to do next.
I encourage you, in empathy, whatever you are facing, not only ask for God’s help and rescue, but also, don’t forget to continue to seek God for who He is and remember to keep open ears and heart for what He has next. It is not over yet. Keep your head up and keep fighting!
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV).