Time to take charge???

Some of you will know I have been wrestling with some injuries over the last few years. In particular
recently I found something go pretty wrong with my right foot. It has meant I can no longer run, which is an issue for me, due to it being my time out activity.

After a number of weeks of resting it, it just wasn't improving, so I "maned up" and went to see my Doc. He kindly wrote me a letter for an orthopaedic surgeon to see what could be done?
The issue I then discovered was that I was going to have to wait 6 weeks just to see him, let alone have anything else done.

So being a little cheeky I phoned his surgery to see if I came to his city whether I could get an earlier appointment. The answer was yes and so I travelled there today to get his expert opinion.
There are 2 options of what could be wrong and what might need to happen, but he needed an MRI to confirm. Armed with a referral letter I simply walked into the local imaging centre to get an appointment instead of phoning. To my surprise they asked if I wanted to get it done in 30 minutes. Of course yes!

I learned something from this experience.
I had time to think as I sat inside a room on my own with an MRI machine doing its crazy loud noise thing all around me...

Here I was humbly taking charge of what was wrong physically with my body.
I wondered if this is something we should do when something is wrong spiritually with us well?

Now I am a firm believer in waiting on God.
Resting in His ways, grace and timing.
And I am also I firm believer that there is also the balance of taking charge for your own spiritual life.

Scripture doesn't feed my soul magically with my Bible sitting on a shelf.
Prayer doesn't become more comfortable and confident only watching others do it on my behalf.
Ministering to others doesn't flow simply and effectively just reading about how to do it.
I have to take charge for my ministering to God, myself and others.

Maybe you are reading this and you are not in the place you want to be spiritually?
And maybe you have chosen the road most seem to and withdrawn or potentially given up by putting things on hold?
Can I encourage you take charge of your spiritual life?
With God's help get out of the boat, walk on the waters of faith!

Scripture reminds us that God responds to certain specific things:
When we draw near to Him He draws near to us.
When we step out in faith He moves to meet that faith.
When we speak in a healthy expectation of His supply, He indeeds moves to met and even exceed it.

Something to think about...

Did you miss it?

So what do you do when God speaks and you move past it?
Has He spoken or put something on your heart to do or say and you maybe got scared and forgot about it?

God recently reminded me of something I felt He wanted me to do.
I wondered if I had missed it by not dealing with it at the time?
And yet when I finally 'stepped up to the plate' and took my step of faith it still worked out really well!

Samuel was a young man who wasn't sure if it was God speaking and it took a few goes before he got it right. Even then he wasn't 100% sure but went with it and acted in faith.
Gideon asked God multiple times to confirm the things He was saying over a number of days and a number of ways. God didn't get upset or change His mind.
Mary wasn't sure what the angel was telling her in regards to carrying the saviour of the world. Scripture tells us many times she pondered the things God told her in her heart.

I wonder whether sometimes we feel we let God down by not doing what we felt prompted to do immediately? Wondering whether He will not fulfil a promise because we let Him down on the timing somehow?

Can I encourage to believe in Gods grace, favour and goodness?
Go in the faith you have...
I personally believe God is happy when we finally have taken a step of faith in regards to whatever it is. He will do what only He can when we take courage and step and do whatever He asks us to do.

If you have fallen off your faith horse, get back on it and ride that sucker with some confidence in Him.

Something to think about...

3 Wells

At this time of year I get a planned spiritual break/holiday/reset.
We have our movements annual conference in New Zealand's biggest city, and I take it as my opportunity to hear afresh from God.

Every year I have been blessed to have my expectations met.
God has each year without fail given me vision, direction, correction, whatever I need at this conference. And not always from what the speakers have shared, but just from having the opportunity to be in His presence.

One thing He spoke to me about I wanted to share in the hope it may help and encourage some of you.

I felt God tell me that it was time to dig a new well for my spiritual growth, especially for my personal devotion time with Him.
I then remembered the story of a man called Isaac who had some issues with wells.
It seemed to me God was speaking something important to me...

Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”

Genesis 26:19-22

Each of those wells had a meaning.
Dispute / Opposition / Room

Life will potentially see the well you have been drawing from either dry up, be filled with clutter from the others or even lost in contention and the struggles of life.
Maybe the lifestyle you lead is different to say 5 years ago? And now you can't do what you used to do? Well (excuse the pun) it is time to probably change things up...
Sometimes staring at your dried up well asking "what went wrong?" is kind of pointless.
Nothing changes no matter how how you wish, will or wonder.
Sometimes the best thing to do is simply dig a new one.

Isaac eventually got a well that gave him room again to flourish.
He showed us that if his well wasn't going to make him grow, then he has to be proactive and go dig again.
I think I need a new one as well to flourish again in God.
Maybe you need one as well?

I am setting aside a new time, style etc in my devotions and exploring a new well.
And looking forward drinking something new and refreshing in Him.

Something to think about...