How God Kept Me Moving Forward

I've been surprised how God has redirected my thinking as I've meditated on writing these posts. He's had me go back to my old diaries, voice notes I'd recorded while out walking and worksheets that used to tie my stomach in knots. Now I can look back and see why it seemed so hard at the time and how much quicker I can say 'yes' to Him on the other side of those barriers. Though I am sure there will be more to come as I mature in Christ.

'I desire to do Your will, my God; Your law is within my heart.' Psalm 40:8

Sometimes it's hard for us to see past our shortcomings and to remember that God looks on our hearts far more than our performance. As I continued to make my new routine into a habit - especially starting the day with quiet time with the Lord - I became more aware of what I wasn't 'doing right'. At church I sang loudly and full of the love of God, I served and encouraged others, while at home and work I battled my old nature. I had many areas that I knew weren't 'fruit of the Spirit'. I was a complainer and a gossip. That was a hard thing to face: it took me a while to stop trying to justify and to believe the Word over my feelings. Then the Lord opened a new door for me with a free five-day 'masterclass' offered through Facebook. Here was another opportunity to spend time with God and learn in a new way. In my case, it was through art.

ACTION POINT: Though God never changes, His work in us does. He doesn't fix one thing and say, 'that's your lot, you're on your own now'. As you take steps - time in the Word, meditating on it, praying and giving thanks - He will give you the next step. If there is a habit that your Bible study challenges you in, press into it and say 'yes' to God. Rather than try to rationalize it, find more Scriptures on that area and write them. Ask the Holy Spirit what He is trying to show you. Then just be still in Him and on the lookout. God will get your attention in that specific area, but it may well come from 'left field'.

'Knowing this, that our old man* was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.' (Romans 6:6)

'Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.' 2 Timothy 2:15

Our world bombards us with messages of individualism: self-care, be true to yourself, invest in you. And while to a degree I get what 'they' mean, I believe it's gone too far because it focusses only on our soul and body, totally ignoring our eternal aspect: our spirit. Self-care in God's Word is ultimately selfless instead of selfish: 'freely you have received, now freely give'. (Matthew 10:8) When I took that next step and signed up for the masterclass, I was saying yes to God without fully understanding - stepping out in faith. I was able to do that because the man who created the class was freely giving what he had freely received. And as I went through the lessons and worksheets, I began to see the Bible as the living, breathing Word that He told us it was. The course made me look inwardly more than I ever had before, and at the same time it showed me Scripture from a totally new perspective. I was on the road from being a believer to a disciple. Diligence began to replace my procrastination, conversation about the Word began to replace gossip.

ACTION POINT: Is there an opportunity presenting itself? Something maybe you've been wavering on? Wondering if it's the right time, if it's from God or 'just me'? There is rarely a perfect time to take the next step! If the opportunity is moving you forward in knowing God and His Word better, it's worth doing. With one caveat: say yes in peace, not from fear of missing out. Fear-based decisions will never be from God. More on that later.

'Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed." ' (John 8:31)

'Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.' Proverbs 4:5

At the end of that short course there was an invitation to join a mentoring program. It would mean a monthly commitment for as long as I wanted to stay in. This was during the early days of New Zealand's 'recovery' from the lockdowns and everything that went with that. It had affected my husband's work massively, so adding to our monthly expenses wasn't an easy decision. But we prayed and talked it over, and I asked the Lord for clear direction. Jeff has always been my biggest advocate, believing in me more than I did, and had for years encouraged me to get stuck into writing seriously. In the end we had peace about it, so I signed up. There had been an option to make one big payment for 'lifetime access' but God made it clear to stick with paying monthly. Just an aside here: conversion rates between USA or UK and New Zealand makes a lot of these things more expensive for us than they sound. At the time, US$99 was averaging NZ$155-$170, so it was a significant investment in my mind. But the three years I stayed in the program proved so worth every cent. The printed content, the live chats and recorded training sessions meant I was in the Word almost daily. It wasn't just how to be an artist, it opened my eyes to how to live and work online and run a business by God's standards. I was being stretched and challenged by people who were ahead of me in some ways and in the same place as me in others; we were 'iron sharpening iron' across the globe.

ACTION POINT: Investing in yourself to 'get wisdom' doesn't always mean a financial investment. But it will always mean time. In my case, God got my attention through first my writing and then through art. What has your heart been drawn to lately? As you have spent some time with God, building a daily habit that works for you, He will have been bringing something back to your remembrance, or quickening your interest to some aspect of life. He can and will use anything to draw you closer to Him and His plans and purposes. He loves us where we are, but too much to let us stand still. 'And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.' (2 Timothy 2:2)

'Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.' Romans 12:12

There were moments when I was well outside of my comfort zone. When Scripture was explained in ways I'd never heard before, challenging my preconceptions of God and of my own responsibilities. I even felt offense rising up in me and I had to choose to keep reading, or keep listening, staying on those Zoom calls regardless of my feelings. God knows us so well! We were paying for this: finance was an area He knew I needed to work on. It was a weak part of life that the enemy had often used to lead me into fear. I knew I had to stick with it, make it 'worthwhile' financially and prove to myself I could see something through. The point was that our mentor and his team were 'walking the talk' - they had successfully turned their art not just into thriving businesses, they had built up influence for the Kingdom through that process. I was developing what they called spiritual grit. And while I did fail at my early attempts to put the teaching into practice, especially on the business side of things, I was learning what not to do. I was unlearning a lot of bad habits - like the idea that I had to do it all myself. I found myself needing to lean on God more and more. Praying for understanding, for guidance and forgiveness.

ACTION POINT: As you begin to build good habits in your walk - more time with Him, whether actually reading the Word, praying or meditating on it all as you go about your day, remember that He is renewing your mind. Challenges to your beliefs and to your understanding of God and His Word will come. You may, like me, find offense rising up. When it does, let it send you back to Him and ask the Holy Spirit to show you why you react the way you do. Whatever the challenge, He has the way through. 'All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.' (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

'And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.' Acts 2: 42

In the early church, once they were saved, they were part of a close community, caring for one another, praying together. I'd read Scriptures like this my whole Christian life, but it hadn't sunk in. Somehow I'd believed that I was supposed to figure it all out by myself. As a writer, I shut my ears when experts talked about building a team around you. I'd use the excuse that I couldn't afford to pay anyone. When I heard a talk that convicted me, I took it as another thing I had to 'fix' in my own strength rather than asking God how to make the change. At the start of the mentoring program, I'd take the lessons and tie myself in knots trying to do everything all at once, by myself, often jumping in without listening properly. But God is patient, and He slowly, gently, guided me towards getting more connected. He helped me build a habit of turning up to the regular Zoom meetings. I became friends with people I would never have had the chance to know but for living in this time of internet access. And I learned the truth of 'the more you put in, the more you'll get out.' I learned to actively listen. I learned the value of building others up, praying for their needs before my own. During this time, God was connecting me with other women in my neighbourhood as well, women with a heart to know God and His Word.

ACTION POINT: Are you like me? So many of us are, having grown up with a self-help book on just about anything you could think of. While we are called one-by-one to salvation, God's plan has never been for us to live or work or grow in isolation. Taking a step at a time, being diligent and listening, watching for His leading, investing in yourself and facing challenges with help from the Holy Spirit - all of those are easier when you find others to do them with. And don't let anyone tell you that online community is less 'real'. I have friends I met through homeschool groups online twenty years ago. We are still supporting each other now our children are grown. 'Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.' (Galatians 6:2)

Thank you for visiting and reading. See you in my next post.

*A quick note: I have absolutely no problem with the older meaning of the words 'man' & 'men', referring to mankind rather than males. So I'll often use Bible versions that maintain that usage.