I don't know if I've shared it on here before... but I have a serious love for Joyce Meyer. - If you don't know who she is, google her. She's a mighty woman of God who speaks TRUTH - and she's one who for the last two years has touched my heart greatly with the words God speaks through her.
Today I've listened to her sermon "What do you know?" 3 times! I highly encourage you to listen here's a link to Part 1 and Part 2.
ANYWAY - This whole act of "knowing" is something that God has been working with me on for the last few years - Joyce talks about how it's important that we not only take in knowledge but that there is divine revelation when we KNOW something - to know something so well that it changes our behavior and the way we live. (And by 'something' I mean God) She discusses how in the Greek language the word we use for "know" is translated into many different words.. like there's different levels of knowing. When we know that God loves us, and I mean REALLY know it, down in our core, we will live differently, we will treat people differently, we won't complain or grumble, we will be thankful 99% of the time, and we won't allow our circumstances or feelings dictate our behavior negatively or allow them to deter us from God's will for our lives.
This is something that I have learned through many trials and heartache - regardless of my circumstances God is good. No matter how I may feel, HE has plans to prosper me, plans to give me hope and a future. (Hebrews 9:11) - I know this, down to the deepest part of my core, I know this. Realizing this got me through many rough tear filled nights. NO MATTER WHAT I may be thinking or feeling, God is GOOD. HE will NEVER leave me nor forsake me. He LOVES me with everything. - Knowing these things changed my entire outlook on life. It erased every worry and fear for my future, it allowed me to be joyful even when I was angry or sad. Doesn't really make sense, huh?
Joyce mentioned the importance of setting aside time with God.. that even when we feel like we don't know what to do in that alone time, even if we just SIT there and wait for God to speak, that is enough for the moment.. and it's important. - Joyce said that it had been a while since she heard a SUPER direct word from the Lord about her Life.. she said people might say "Well then what are you doing if you're not hearing from God?" her response "Well I'm just doing the last thing he told me!"
"I'm just doing the last thing he told me." - Hmm.
This hit me. Hard. There's a certain situation in my life that is a good one, but it's been one that has been fought for prayerfully and ever so vigorously. And in the midst of the fight, I knew that it was worth it, I knew that it was for a much greater purpose than just for me to live out those "good" plans God has for me.. so many will be impacted if I am obedient to what God has asked.. When you get the thing you've been praying about, it's easy to rely less on God to handle that thing because now we have it! Why do we need to pray anymore? Right? WRONG! - It's the exact opposite, and I lost sight of that. Even though right now that thing is here - God hasn't told me to pray any differently.. so why did I stop? I stopped because the thing I was praying for was now tangible... so why pray for it? I could use my own hands and my own words to speak to it myself. Where as before, I was trusting God to handle it, HIS words to speak to it.
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Okay so I wrote that many months ago...maybe even a year or more ago.. and I never posted it.
But even now that word remains ever true.
To KNOW something in our innermost being allows our lives to be different. To KNOW that God loves us with a fierce, everlasting, unconditional love.. changes our outlook, builds our faith, and brings joy in every circumstance.
"I'm just doing the last thing he told me to..."
God has been on me about writing more, digging, into him more, and sharing more of what he puts on my heart. I have used every excuse to deter this, but it's time to do what he told me to do. I've been praying to see God's vision for Jake and I's life more clearly.. to get more of an idea as to where we will be in the next year, two years, five years....But what God keeps telling me, is to do the last thing he told me to. To seek him first, and to pray without ceasing. So I'll do that.
This new blog revamp - "Padrick in Progress" is pretty much a journal that I'm sharing with whoever wants to read. God asks us to "Be Holy as I am Holy" - and being human, that will always be a process. I will not reach perfection until I am standing in Heaven with Him...but on Earth, there should be progress.There should be revelations, realizations, and life changes that happen as I strive for Heaven.
As you follow, I pray that whatever you read would direct you to the one who's love covers ALL and abounds much.
-Taylor
