Happy New Year's Eve! Maybe you're on cloud 9 right about now - or maybe you are feeling lonely and hidden away... let me share a little story with you.
Swiss Rolls. Have I got your attention? A few years back I was visiting a friend for a few weeks. There were teenagers in the house, and it seemed that everything I bought was quickly eaten. Well, this was just not working for me so I devised a plan. First of all let me back up. I have this dirty little secret... yes, it's true. I really LOVE Swiss Rolls. You know those plastic, toxin-filled, chocolate cake rolls.... ohhhhhhh yeah baby!! Now right now you are either cheering or you are shaking your head.
Anyway, once a year I'll buy a box. I decided to buy some on this particular visit and wasn't in the mood to share. I hid them in the bottom cabinet behind the pots and pans. (yeah, I know pathetic really!) Ohhhh, but it was so great having them all to myself because I loved them so much... They were hidden - not discarded.
About now you're asking, WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?? Do you ever feel hidden or discarded? Most people do along their journey. I hid the box because they were my FAVORITE! God is actually working during our seasons of hiddenness and the truth is that you are not discarded, just hidden, tucked away with a special purpose that is unfolding.
Here are 3 practical things you can do when you feel hidden:
1. Work through any rejection issues that you have. We all have had them: past failures, hurts, abandonment, deaths, and losses of any kind can lead to a root of rejection. These will leave soul wounds that can skew our thinking and derail our destiny. Repent where you have given place to your own personal pity party and where you have judgment against those who have hurt you and forgive them - and also very importantly, forgive yourself. Ask God to come in apply the healing oil of the Holy Spirit. Ask him to renew a right spirit within you. There is nothing like peace that comes from a healed heart. Psalm 147:3, "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds."
2. Embrace the Truth. Most likely, you are not being rejected or cast aside.The truth about your situation is that according to God's Word, you are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation - you are a child of God! 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." He loves you and absolutely will NEVER forget you! If God is FOR you WHO can be against you? The truth of the matter is that God SEES YOU. He sees every time you help someone in need without it being posted on Instagram. He sees those things that you do for others that no one will ever know about. Ask yourself, "Have I done all that I can? Have I loved as I should?" If the answer is yes then be grateful because you are storing up treasures in Heaven. Ask God to show you how you matter and that what you are doing matters. I will be praying that for you too.
3. Trust the process. Yep, there's a process. According to Dr. Bill Hamon, prophetic evangelist, "God makes the man before he makes the ministry." After graduating from seminary back in the '50's, Dr. Hammond told God he wanted to take the nations for the kingdom! He was ready to preach along side of Billy Graham and the rest of the great evangelists of the time. Guess, what? God put him on the backside of the barn in a little church in the middle of nowhere for six years. Over the six - long - years, God molded him and shaped him into the mature instrument he needed. He recounted that it was HARD, but there was fruit. As he was faithful with the little, God began to give him more. There are seasons of being hidden and tucked away for all of us. Sometimes the seasons of hiddenness cycle back through when God is doing something even deeper in our lives. Trust the process. You are God's beloved.
[This Week's Prayer]
Father, thank you for the opportunity to be hidden and loved by you so much that you would take time to mature me and make me complete for every good work! I am thankful that you love me far greater than a favorite dessert! I renounce in the name of Jesus any root of rejection that I may have in my heart. I ask your forgiveness where I have hurt others out of my own pain. I receive your love and forgiveness. Wash the blood of Jesus over me and cleanse me from my sin. Fill me with a fresh filling of your power and heal all soul wounds associated with rejection. Flood every cell of my body with acceptance, love and divine mercy. I choose to live a life that is un-offendable. Father God I ask that you give me your powerful grace to accomplish the assignment you have chosen for me. I choose to trust you with my gifts and talents because you gave them to me. I ask you to take all of me and empower me to be used by you in 2016. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen!
Happy New Year!
You are LOVED and Have a Divine Calling!
Kelly Roberson