A Touch of Grey
As I was driving to work on a Friday morning, I took notice of how the sky was covered in a grey hue. Some areas ranged in color from a light, to medium, and a dark grey. From this observation came the reflection of how our lives are at different stages of our journey. Along the way, we may experience minimal to severe setbacks and no matter how you rate them, we are often led off course. We get so caught up in the norm and whenever any unexpected situation arises, we immediately panic and feel as though there is no way to overcome it. It is our first instinct as humans to think that we have the ultimate power and our lives are solely in our hands. This is where we tend to fall short and began to count out the most powerful gifts we possess; the love, mercy, and grace of our Lord and Savior. No one said this life on earth would be easy and it was not in His design to be that way. We will go through trials, tribulations, heartache and pain but the amazing thing about it is; we do not have to go through it alone.
At certain times we seek counsel and advice from the wrong source (s) which will cause us to take a path not intended for us. Everyone is not meant to speak into your life because the power of life and death are spoken out of our mouths. This too is a powerful human characteristic that may serve us well in our spiritual walk or it can cause destruction if used for evil doings. We sometimes desire the acceptance and advice from others to co-sign what we may think or feel. Despite what we have been told throughout our lifetime; no one loves us more than God. He is our Creator and He allowed Himself to be made flesh to die for our sins. We could never repay Him for such a sacrifice, but we can be obedient unto His will. Some people think we are here to serve ourselves and to live a life of luxury but that is not the case. We were given life and an assignment to fulfill for the Almighty. Our lives were created to serve His purpose and His will on this earth which is to win lost souls for the battle to come.
From the beginning, God gave man dominion on earth to rule the lands but not by their will but His. Now grant it, He does not want us to live a lifetime of unfulfilled dreams, disappointments or a lack of. He will grant the desires of your heart if you serve your God appointed purpose. We are often discouraged because we do not see our lives mirroring that of the next person. We will begin to covet and be envious of our neighbor while disregarding the promise of God, in that, what is for us is for us! We may compare our hardship and scars and wonder, why us? I was guilty of doing this very thing in my life. I often thought I was not good enough and failing to understand Who I Was and Whose I Was!
I can speak from experience because my life has not been an easy journey, but it has been my journey. I am a survivor, who once thought she was not strong or courageous. I allowed the enemy a foothold in my space which changed the course of my entire life. I was a young, eighteen-year-old girl, who suffered physical and mental abuse. I was battered and bruised with blackened eyes and several busted lips. I was even on one occasion kicked in the face and a had a loaded gun pointed at my head. All I can say is, my God, my God, kept me through it all. I thought my tears were a sign of weakness, but they were a sign of strength and an acknowledgment that I could not get through this battle alone. My tears were a beacon in my darkest hour that transmitted a signal to God in my time of need and spoke directly to God on my behalf when I did not have the words to speak. I had to realize that I did not have the power in human form to change my circumstances. The moment I cried out and gave it all to Him I was saved and never to return like so many often do. The Lord had an angel there to cover me and I am eternally grateful.
Throughout my life’s story, I have often tried to do things in my own strength, forgetting the most important lesson; nothing is by your own will and might, only God’s. As a lot of people do, I had to bump my head but through the tests, trials, wrongs, or mistakes; I am not ashamed to say, I love the Lord! He has never left my side nor forsaken me during my need. He has always found a way to let me know He is forever present in my life. I had to learn to hear His voice and discern His voice from the enemy. I had to also learn that everything and everybody was not for me and that what was embedded in my soul was more valuable than anything I would ever possess in this foreign land. I wondered and often questioned, “Why Me” but during my spiritual journey He has whispered and said to me, “I have created you just as I intended. You did not and will not go through anything that I have not ordained. Do not be ashamed of your mistakes because I knew you before you were conceived in your mother’s womb.
I spoke creation over your life and I know your beginning and the end. You were designed and equipped to handle everything that you have faced and may face in the coming time. Never doubt who your Father is and what I can do in your life. You are my child and I will never leave or forsake you regardless of what the enemy may whisper. You are strong and a conqueror in Christ. Let no man destroy your spirit and crush your faith in me. Lay your burdens at my feet and leave them there.” I said all of this to say, your days may be a shade of grey but remember that your troubles do not last always. Just as our days may seem dim; a brighter day is coming! The Lord allows the sun to break through the clutter and He clears the clouds to reveal the beautiful blue sky with separation or division.
This shows us that everything will not be perfect, and we will experience rough patches, but new opportunities are on the horizon. We must experience hardships which will help to make us who we are called to be. These troubled times are not to hurt us. They are designed as “eye openers” to get us to see what we are made of. It is designed to show us just how powerful we are in Christ and that no weapon formed against us shall prosper! We choose what happens to us on this journey. The Lord gives us the tools and instructions but most importantly He grants us “free will”. The instruction manual lays out how things should be done and if we deviate from the course then we alter the outcome so do not blame God. It is up to us to take a leap of faith, trust and believe in God even when you can not see a way out with your human eyesight or logic. You must know in your heart that He operates in the spiritual realm and His blessings are supernatural, authentic, and can never be duplicated by man. I am now spiritually mature enough to thank Him for the not so happy moments in my life because instead of them changing me negatively or making me bitter; those lessons only made me a stronger warrior in Christ.
My love for God never wavered, despite the tragic events written in the pages of my history. Despite the naysayers who believe or think your story is a made-up fairytale; I am here to declare that you are my God, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Father and my Friend! You do not know my story. You do not know what I have had to endure, and you can never comprehend the obstacles that have gotten me to this place in my life. My story is not your story, my test is not your test but in the end; I am a wonderfully made creation by my Savior who is above all others. Speak to the enemy and assure him that you are no mistake. The Lord carefully crafted and molded all of us into who we are at this present moment. I have not yet completed my journey. There are far more greater trials and tribulations to overcome. I have not fully become what and who God has called me to be. I welcome the enemy’s advances because I know I am a conqueror through Christ Jesus that strengthens me!
