Following is my journal excerpt about delays in moving forward with God. I edited the journal for length and clarity. References which would not make sense have been omitted. I pray you are able to follow and be blessed by the entry.
It may sound strange, but some people actually get excited about certain times of frustration. They feel restlessness followed by dissatisfaction. They can’t identify the cause. Then they know the Lord wants their attention. Once they make the move He desires, frustration will end. They’re in sync with His plan for their life.
Frustration is usually considered a negative feeling. But, when God irritates us, His purpose is always good. He sometimes uses spiritual and physical barriers to guide us toward new insights. Pray about these feelings and ask the Lord to reveal His will.
In a culture of busyness, we can easily and foolishly overlook or ignore restlessness. But divinely sent frustration is meant to get our attention. God wants us to ask questions like “What are You saying?” or “Do You want me to be doing or thinking something different?”
As soon as we’re willing to deal with whatever the Lord brings to mind, things will change. He reveals what we need to change to receive His insight.
Thur 6/5/08 5:01 pm
I finally got some sleep last night and for that I
am very grateful. I didn’t get into bed until well after 2 am but I did
actually sleep. I know it was well after 11 before I got up. I had a lot on my
mind during devotion. I want God’s guidance so badly. Discernment – and lots of
it. I said Lord please show me what to do. What to do about ___? What to do
about Anointed Messages? What to do about the ___ ministry and what to do about
___?
I was starting to feel pretty bad about my
abilities. My ability to pick good relationships, my ability to be a leader, my
ability to run a business or a ministry... Again I found myself asking God to
bring clarity about what He said to me [versus] what I imagined He said.
But something I read made me feel like I needed to
stop doubting what I’ve been believing for. Circumstances can be very
deceptive. I know Charles Stanley’s devotional prompted me to dig deeper.
When God Frustrates His Child
READ | Isaiah 14:27It may sound strange, but some people actually get excited about certain times of frustration. They feel restlessness followed by dissatisfaction. They can’t identify the cause. Then they know the Lord wants their attention. Once they make the move He desires, frustration will end. They’re in sync with His plan for their life.
Frustration is usually considered a negative feeling. But, when God irritates us, His purpose is always good. He sometimes uses spiritual and physical barriers to guide us toward new insights. Pray about these feelings and ask the Lord to reveal His will.
In a culture of busyness, we can easily and foolishly overlook or ignore restlessness. But divinely sent frustration is meant to get our attention. God wants us to ask questions like “What are You saying?” or “Do You want me to be doing or thinking something different?”
As soon as we’re willing to deal with whatever the Lord brings to mind, things will change. He reveals what we need to change to receive His insight.
But
there was something else that I read too. Anyway something reminded me that God
did give me a vision for ministry and I shouldn’t completely abandon it. That
God can do whatever He said no matter what it looks like. It’s not that I doubt
that [He can]; I tend to doubt that I heard correctly when things don’t line up. At one
point I was lying on the floor praying for clarity when the word “filibuster”
came to me. I don’t think that came from me because I had to look it up to get
the full definition.
When
I looked in the dictionary it talked about lawless adventurers invading a
foreign country. But just now I looked it up on Wikipedia and I got revelation.
Wikipedia says:
A filibuster, or "talking out a bill", is a form of
obstruction in a legislature or other decision-making body. An attempt is
made to infinitely extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay the progress
or completely prevent a vote on the proposal taking place.
I
get it! The enemy’s strategy is to hold me up by delaying the decision making
process. While I keep hesitating for the ‘perfect answer’ to appear nothing is
getting done. I need to move forward. Wiktionary says:
Delaying tactics, especially long, often irrelevant
speeches given
in order to delay
progress or
the making of a decision, especially on the floor of the US Senate.
OK Lord I’m starting to get it. I need to
move forward. Have the books ready, even if I’m not good at getting them published.
Complete the vision/book for ___. Do all I can do. Trust God will do what He
said. But I’m holding things up if the ‘pots aren’t filled with water.’ How can
they be turned into wine without the water? [This is a John 2:7 reference.]
At the end of devotion I was about to
exercise when “The Struggle Is Over” came on the radio. I found the tears
started coming. I was so tired of hearing that and yet the struggle continues.
So tired of hearing your season is now, expect change now, and it never comes.
Broken promises… But now I’m thinking that was due to some filibustering. The
proposal was on the floor but delayed. The decision must be reached.
I know all too well that I’ve lost a lot
of hope and energy and motivation. For that I ask God to help me.
-------------------
NOTE: God did help me,
just as He always does. :)
Thank you for today's message. You send wonderful encouragements but this was also an "exhort" so Thank you and God bless you abundantly. He always does even when it doesn't appear He is!!!
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