Soaking
I find myself in really tricky, distressing situations sometimes that almost suck out my drive and motivation of my service for God. I can openly admit that the past week or two, I have been easily triggered by the people round me. Possibly because my time with God had decreased and instead of placing my expectations in God, I placed them in man. Now we all know that placing expectations in people means it's inevitable to be disappointed. We will get disappointed soon or later... Eventually.
But yes, I became emotionally weary. I found myself getting disappointed consistently that my moods became nothing but cold. The problem above all this is that in time of my weariness, I failed to go to my source of strength. Which was not the smartest decision to do.
Isaiah 40:31 - NLT
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint
Isaiah 40:31 - NKJV
But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
The problem I found myself having was trusting in my own abilities in managing my moods, my time spent on other things and life in general. I had almost placed God aside as I dealt with life and the world consuming my mind and this is the mistake that a lot of us make.
Life can get so busy that all your 'God time' is becoming a bit too much so God has to go on the side for a bit. The trick is that God wants to be acknowledged at all times even in our busyness.
Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
We tend to place God in some sort of box as if He is only relevant when we worship in our secret places, when we pray, when we are struggling etc. We tend to almost involve God when it seems 'appropriate', not realising that every moment is appropriate. God doesn't want to remain in just your secret place, but wants to manifest in your life. He wants to be involved from the moment you wake up to the moment you sleep. He wants to be involved in deciding what to eat and what friends to keep. He wants to be involved in your education/work and in your chilling time. He wants to be involved in everything. And most of the time He tries to communicate to us the fact that He's not just like any other gods, but instead is our Father and Friend. Hmm... Notice we sometimes involve our friends in our lives more than we involve God? God is simply saying, 'I want you to realise I am interested in your life'.
Romans 12:1 NKJV
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:1 NLT
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
We need to realise that our bodies are to glorify God. So everything we do in life should be to glorify our Father in Heaven. Our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit and just as God is holy, we ought to be holy too. By acknowledging God in everything we do, we allow the Spirit of God to continue speaking instead of silencing Him as He directs us in the ways of holiness!
Back to the actual topic, soaking. With the experience of weariness I eventually came back to my senses. Even though during the drainage I had become tired of wanting to try that I drained myself even more. In the process I could hear God just longing for alone time with Him but I continued silencing the voice.
Eventually it came to the point I was tired, and Valentine's Day was approaching. I had reached the point that all I needed was God. All I wanted to do was to lock myself in a room and spend time with God. So yes... I cancelled all my plans to soak myself in God. By soaking in God I mean inviting the Spirit of God to dwell in my midsts as I open my heart to receive Him. Whilst receiving Him, I release any filth, and problems, any pain, any stress... All of it onto God. I cast it out onto God exchanging that for His peace. I allow the word of God to speak to me through worship, prayer and the studying of the Bible.
You see, a lot of the time, things happening around you fill you up so much to the point where you end up drowning in filth but when I soaked in God, it enabled the rinsing out of the cold bitterness that was beginning to dwell inside of me.
Two days later I soaked again in the presence of God which took out the last filth that had been planted as a seed but had began to grow as a intoxicating thing against God's will. This soaking allowed me to be sober in the mind for God and realise I serve an Almighty God. The joy and peace belong to ME! So anything trying to steal what's mine shall not prosper.
Soaking has become my favourite way to spend time with my Father in heaven for it enables a level of intimacy that rinses out your fleshly desires, the hurt from the world and everything that doesn't glorify God.
Above all...
Jeremiah 8:
4 “Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? 5 Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around.
I want to encourage everyone to understand that you don't have to give up!! If you find yourself in the wrong path, 'stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls...’ Jeremiah 6:16
That is all that's needed. There is no need to feel any sort of condemnation for walking the wrong path. Just pause, reverse and continue walking. God just wants you to soak in His presence. He doesn't want to be silenced, but instead to lead you in the way of everlasting life.
Remain encouraged!
This is my testimony
Written by Rue., 2018
Inspired by The Holy Spirit