DAILY "MANNA" DEVOTION: Called Yet fLaWeD.
Reading Time: 4 mins. 49 secs.
Scripture Readings: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Read Last Devotional: The Tainted Heart.
Day 15
We all start out with those big dreams. Almost everybody does. You know those dreams that'll have you constantly thinking about them?
Yeah, those.
We picturize all the possibilities of what and who we could become.
And then...
It happens.
We become what we've imagined.
Okay, if this one doesn't suit you let me give you another scenario.
You have one thing set out to do. Move to the big city. Get a nice apartment.
You are really going to do this thing...
establish the biggest music career you ever have...
become a well-known artist...
become a great dancer...
and etc., etc., etc.
Just when you thought you met destiny, something comes along and disrupts your plans...
Your actual destiny!
The thing you are being called to do, but never saw yourself doing before.
Read Daily "Manna" Devotion: When Plans Fail.
Okay, give me one last time.
This is for those who haven't quite caught on yet to where I'm going with this.
So here's one last scenario.
You are a free-hearted person. You don't bother with dreaming because you live what you desire even though you may not quite know where destiny is calling you. You don't mind doing this one day and becoming that the other.
Until...
Purpose begins slapping you in the face.
As a matter of fact...
You realize it's been smacking you the whole time, but it kind of felt good...
well,...
having no purpose but living in the moment.
You realize you have been called to a task that is greater than you. And you realize this once you begin to see your inadequacies.
These are all of the things staring you in the face telling you that you will never amount.
And yet your purpose is pounding on the door of your heart, telling you...
"Do it!"
So you do.
You begin to take all of those negative thoughts and fight against them, one by one. And you are unstoppable now because you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Your vision is clear.
Your ideas are fresh because you are facing the "newness of life!"
Your new beginning!
You have finally begun to feel on the inside of your soul a fulfillment unexplainable.
"This is it."
"This is it!", you tell yourself. "I can't believe I am doing this."
I've gotten married.
I'm homeschooling.
I've climbed the corporate ladder.
I've become a mom.
I've established a big family of my own.
I've moved to another state.
I've become a missionary in another country.
I've adopted a child.
I've become a foster parent.
I've established my practice.
You get the point, right?
You are facing and walking in a calling that feels good...
no, great actually!
But then you face the unexpected...
This one you didn't see coming.
You meet something by the name of ADVERSITY, with a capital "A".
As a matter of fact...
capitalize everything because ADVERSITY makes its grand entrance as you begin to face a war that cannot be easily detected from the outside.
This is a mental war.
No one can tell.
No one else sees it.
You are called to that profession but intimidated of a co-worker.
You're called to homeschool, but your child is growing worse in his studies.
So now those past thoughts aren't only mere temptations...
They have become embedded in your heart!
You cannot see pass another day doing what you thought you were being called to do. You are now doubting yourself as you question your abilities.
You question your purpose again.
You question, "YOU" again!
You feel hurt, rejected, tensed and confused. But no one sees you.
Even when explaining it to people, no one seems to fully understand the depth of your affliction...
because after all, it is going on on the inside.
This war is raging.
It's persistent and won't stop.
You know you need to wipe the tears. You gotta do what you're called to do, right?
But it's getting harder and harder. The war on the inside, that is.
It's pulling you to stop.
You can feel the drain from it.
The exhaustion is terrible!
But just as you are about to give up... a small voice says...
"Where would Paul have been without his thorn of the flesh?"
(2 Corinthians 12:1-10)
Paul wasn't perfect because of his demeaning past which often caused him confrontation with those whom he was once part of before his deliverance.
Isn't it something how you could be delivered from one thing and yet struggle in other areas?
This was Paul, as his thorn in his flesh was out of his human control.
And get this...
he wasn't healed from it right away either!
Paul was used so mightily but he still had a flaw.
He wasn't perfect, but he had purpose.
So if you're finding yourself on today "called" and yet see flaws present, It is okay.
Don't give up on what you are called to do!
Don't throw in the towel!
Wait on God for your deliverance and as you do...
find out more about you!
You might even be surprised how much strength lies in that weakness as you are attempting to fight and overcome.
Superman didn't become as powerful as he could be until he was faced with kryptonite.
Sure, our kryptonite may cause us to be weak toward our calling, but you can find a way to fight amidst the adversity.
Now...let's give adversity a small "a"...
because you are stronger even in your flaws.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your strength in midst of my weakness. I thank you for keeping me humble even when I may think I am the strongest. I ask that you continue to work through me as I am waiting for deliverance from my thorn of the flesh. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen!
Quiet time meditation: Wait for the Lord to minister to you personally on what He may want to say to you. Be sure to pay attention to any areas that may pop up in your spirit (even silly things such as: how quick you may be to get angry with things or a friend or family member who has been bugging you with their problems.) This process could take anywhere from 10-30 minutes or longer. But, try not to rush this because you could be missing out on a great breakthrough. Within this quiet time, the Lord wants to restore you in any broken areas and he wants to replenish your spirit for what has been used up.
Understanding what He means: This is a time to jot down some of those things the Lord has ministered to you while in meditation. Sometimes, the Lord will wait to speak to you throughout your day. Pay attention and jot these things down so that you won’t forget. You may even come up with more scriptures that may come to mind.
Read Next Devotional: Being Easily Broken
May the Lord bless your day abundantly!