I am noticing that more and more we as women are making some of the same mistakes over and over again. I know that I too have made some choices repeatedly with different people and the more and more I see this younger generation make these same mistakes and I see ‘women’ sit back on their butts and not say anything and condone this I get IRRITATED all over again. God is calling for us to be a people of transparency and authenticity yet we become so locked up in our fear that we say nothing to them, but choose to gossip about them. If we continue in this mindset then how can we expect anything to change?
With that being said, as I look at some of the statuses on Facebook and the countless conversations that I have more often than I care too with some friend and acquaintances to, I am saddened and upset because of the way we as women view ourselves and what we accept from the men we come in contact with. And the labels we chose to wear in order fit in or gain acceptance from other man or woman. Even after learning that God has so much more in store for us and a plan that is way better than the one we set out to accomplish. In Jeremiah 29:10-11 God tells the Babylonians after their years of bondage was over “I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” (MSG) Ladies this word still applies we just need believe it and stand on it. I asked myself and God “why is it that we talk ourselves out of what you say about us and what you have in store for us?”
It is because we didn’t truly believe it in the first place, our faith is lined with a thin layer of fear, we become so impatient that we don’t wanna wait and we allow the enemy (sometimes loved ones, friends) to tell us that we don’t deserve His best. Ok maybe you don’t or haven’t its just me. I believe that God has spoken and shown some things about where I am going and upon sharing this with some others, I have allowed their disbelief to cloud and short circuit my own. Often times with doubt/fear comes disobedience. Walking in disobedience is not a fun journey it leads to many encounters that had you, I/we been obedient, stood still, or moved when He said so you, I/we would not have been traveled.
I am learning that we have to sometimes have our Lazarus moments in life. We have to die in order to be restored. To have restoration and to be revived in Christ is to become better that before. I do not have much knowledge of cars other than putting some fluids in and if it looks good. But when you restore and antique you must remove those parts that don’t work properly or have lost its luster with a more up to date parts to get the desired look and usefulness that is was once created to do. But due to some natural and unnatural wear and tear it has died. Time for that moment of restoration in that moment Jesus is cry out to you and me to rise a come forth “he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.” Luke 11:43 (MSG)
In Him Alone,
Chavela (Restored) Garrett
