In your journal on Day 2, you wrote what was keeping you from spending daily quality time with the Lord and why that thing (those things) was keeping you from Him. You were real when you looked into your own heart. You were raw, and you were specific.
Now... take a look today on Day 10. Is it still keeping you away?
If it isn't, GREAT!
If it is, still GREAT! You know why?
Because our God is a loving God, and He sent me today to remind you that your time on this journey IS NOT over! He sent me to remind you to PUUUUUUSH! Push through to the end and shake shame, guilt, and condemnation right off of you!
Shame, guilt and condemnation ARE NOT His desire for you! His desire is for you to desire Him!
If you're getting a little weary with the day-to-day routine, PUSH!
If you're feeling like you've missed too much, PUSH!
If you're feeling ashamed for not being consistent, PUSH!
If you're feeling like you're not hearing from Him, PUSH!
If you've been enjoying every day and getting what you need, PUSH!
Testimony
I know the cycle all too well. Trust me. I know what it is to feel like the scum of the earth for letting "it" (whatever "it" is) stand between me and God. I'd tell myself that there really should be nothing that stands in the way of me MAKING TIME to be with the Lord, and I would feel bad every time I looked up and realized I hadn't been talking to Him, or that I hadn't been looking into His word to hear from Him.
Every time I was away for a while, I struggled with going back because I was ashamed about going to Him to "start all over again."
I've been there time and time again in my walk with the Lord, y'all, so I can tell you that it's not worth it to stay away because you feel like you've hurt the heart of God (because essentially, that's what's happening within you). You don't feel worthy to sit at His feet to receive from Him. You don't feel worthy to bring your cares before Him because "who am I to come crying to you with my issues and my stuff when I haven't even so much as spoken to you for weeks?"
Mmmm hmmm... I know. I'm telling you, I know.
But trust me when I say that it's a trick of the enemy! If the enemy can make you think that you don't deserve to go to the Lord, or that the Lord won't hear you or speak to you because you've been away, then you'll stay away and that only ends up hurting you in the end.
When you realize that you've been away too long, PUUUUUUUUSH and RUN TO HIM!
If that's you today, run to Him.
And if you find yourself there in the future, forsake all and run to Him.
MAKE TIME to sit with Him. Talk to Him. Dig into His word to hear from Him. Those are the times that He wants to hear from you most because He wants to love you back to Him. He's so good!
If you get nothing else out of today's installment, get this:
DON'T BE ASHAMED TO "START OVER", start fresh, begin again with Him. The shame should come in NOT starting over at all. There's honor in going before the Lord, with a spirit that's naked and unashamed and there's nothing better than a clean slate.
******
When I took this 14-Day Journey a few years ago and talked to that group about shaking off condemnation, God took me back to what I experienced in my own life and told me to write about it in a blog. I shared it with them, and I want to share it with you.
The Assignment
- Read the blog here: My Best Friend's Wedding
- After you've read the blog, grab your bible and date your journal.
- Read the following passage.
- Psalm 103:8-14
- After you've read the passage, write a letter to yourself. You, the writer, are God, and you're talking to YOU. In the letter, summarize the thoughts and overall idea from the passage and encourage your child (you). Be sure to open the letter by addressing yourself by name.
- For Day 11, check the Facebook group. You have an assignment that has to be completed tomorrow when you go to church.
I'm praying for you.
-Iantha
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