So I’ve been very distracted lately. Worry, anxiety and fear have been prevalent and I was heavy with sorrow. I couldn’t seem to find my way back to truth but in His grace Truth found me. A few weeks ago I was listening to some sermons by a well-known minister. I was encouraged and edified by his teachings and eagerly forwarded his messages to friends. Then after being edified I found out he had been glorified. Both he and his wife, only a few months ago died in a sudden plane crash along with several others. His death greatly affected me even though I had just become aware of his ministry. It was like I had known him through his revelations, by the spirit. And then I learned that he was no longer on this side of eternity. He had finished his race. The thing about it is that he apparently dreamt about a change in leadership before his death. I understood Holy Spirit was giving him insight into his own glorification, even though he himself did not understand this. The message Christ was giving was that His leaders need to pass on the baton in this race. This spiritual race we are in is not a sprint and it’s not a one-man-show. It is a relay. Each generation has a calling to complete their leg and then pass on the baton to the next generation. When I learned that this man was suddenly done with his race (as he was only 60 when he died) and that he had no idea that he was going to be finished so soon, I realized the brevity of my own life. I had a sudden understanding of my own temporary existence on this planet and I felt the call on my life. But then I became distracted again by temporary things and my focus was no longer on the eternal. Thankfully, I watched a really good teaching by Francis Chan and once again was reminded of the eternals. It is so easy to get caught up in this life, but that is where the deception lies. We are only here for a moment and each person has a calling and a mission to complete. Each day there are orders our Father is giving but are we meeting with Him to receive them? I have not been meeting with Him. I have been too concerned with self. Lisa Chan said it well, “whenever we are focused inward we are miserable”. I have been miserable. My heart is to keep focused on the eternals as that is what I know will keep my heart encouraged. I pray the same for you. I pray that you and I who are called for such a time as this will run our race with endurance, covering as much ground as possible, so that the next generation will have less ground to cover. I pray that we would fight the good fight of faith, and that we manifest the victory of Christ in the warfare we encounter. I’m grateful for the Holy Spirit to remind me of what is really important in this life and that is only what I can bring into the next one.
His will being done in me. And in you.
Heb 12:1-2 (AMP)
THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.]
SHALOM