In a good place

Truthfully, I don’t have much to say today, except that I’m in a good place and I know it. And.... you need to find your good place, and quickly too.

Recently I went on a retreat with a four of my dearest sisters (you know the ‘there-is-a-friend-that-stick- closer-than-a-brother’ kind? Yep! ...four of those kinds of sisters). That God met us in our place of retreat would be an understatement. We had an awesome time in His presence. My Coach and mentor Anna McCoy talks often about the power of women who are able to move from the level of physical bonding, to that of relational bonding, and then the greatest level of all – a spiritual bonding.  Boy, but did I experience the true meaning of spiritual bonding over the past couple of days. Awesome!

Of the various worship, praise and prayer sessions we had, we also had time to evaluate where each of us is right now and how we were framing our 2012. Granted, each one of us have something or the other that we are dealing with, but isn’t that the way of the world? God Himself did say that in this world we would have tribulation didn’t He? So the issue is not so much whatever anyone of us is dealing with at any one time, it’s more of whether we have understood that there is power in the presence of the King and that we truly are victorious through Christ. But, I am getting ahead of myself.......

Over the past couple of years I had somehow found myself in a place of intense dissatisfaction. I was constantly in a place where I felt there had to be so much more to my life, to my business, to my relationship with God, to everything really. In truth, I found myself on my knees many a time just asking God to grant me new vision. My life had achieved something of a status quo, so to speak and it just didn’t seem to be ‘enough’.

Here’s the funny thing. I was not at all in a bad ‘status quo’. Indeed a lot of things in my space were basically ‘settled’ by God. A good home; good businesses; great husband; great kids; defined areas of positive impact; etc. But....something in me just refused to rest in the peace of the moment. I was constantly desiring a new challenge; new areas to make impact; new I-really-don’t-know-what’s!  

Why do I mention this? Because the irony of life is that you can experience discontent as much when your boat is yet to set sail, as you can when it’s cruising calmly across the sea of life. Discontent is discontent and the constant mental turmoil that it brings can be quite unsettling. I don’t know what the source of your discontentment with where you are in life is, but my sister....suffice to say that we have worn the same shoes and I do understand.

I prayed and fasted for new vision. ‘Lord please give me a new vision for my life. Please Lord, give me new territory to conquer. Lord please do something new in my life’. These were my constant kinds of prayer points, so  much so that I once had to go on my knees and remind God that I was truly not unappreciative of the blessings He had placed upon my life.... but ‘New vision Father, pleeaasssee!!’. I can only imagine now that God probably had a few chuckles on my account. Pathetic! I can almost hear Him think ‘Do you not know that I am working things out for your good, whether you can see it or not? O ye daughter-of-mine of little faith!’  Hmmm! It is well.

Anyhow, one bright sunny morning (okay, scratch that. I really have no recall of whether it was sunny, but I am sure it was morning), I was listening to one of my favourite ministers preaching and he said something to the effect that everyone is asking God to give them new vision/new territory, but the Word of God to us is ‘Have you really done the best you can with what I have given you already?’. Wow! That was a Rhema Word for yours truly for sure. I did some real deep thinking and came up with a realization that I was discontent because I hadn’t really worked my present space to the fullest. I realised that if I had, then I would have a peace around me and the next move would be quite clear. Yes o, I had a new spring in my step the next day that’s for sure.

So, at this retreat, issues and all, my mantra was ‘I am in a good place’. And you know what? God confirmed this through one of my sisters as she ministered. She said ‘We don’t need to worry about the concealed will of God for our lives. We need to walk in the revealed will and as we walk this faithfully and to the best of the ability that God has put in us, His concealed will for our lives will become clear’. Deep!

This is the confidence that I have for 2012 and beyond. I AM in a good place. Challenges, issues and all, I am effectively positioned to be used of God. He will make clear at His own time and in His own way, what it is that He has purposed for me to achieve in the year(s) ahead. His Word is that what the enemy meant for evil, He will use for my good, so I don’t need to focus on the constraints in my life. No, I need to focus on His ability to work all things out for my good. I need to trust and believe that His goodness and mercy shall surely follow me all the days of my life.

Wonderful woman of God, I decree and declare that no matter where you are in your life today; no matter the ‘noise’ in your space; whether your boat is idling or it is on cruise control; that the Lord Himself will guide your course. He is the light and lamp and He alone will illuminate your path.

Rest in that confidence my sister. It may not look like it; your spirit may be disquieted within you but, trust me.... No, rather trust HIM! It is well with you and you will fulfil the purpose that the Lord has ordained for you IJMN.

I said I didn’t have much to say right? As the Spirit led, girl! As the Spirit led! Rofl. But you get it don’t you? The message is so clear and simple. Trust in the Lord with all your heart regardless.....you truly are in a good place.

Ttyl