Process
We all process things in our own time and our own way. There are no right or wrong answers. We are hard-wired to feel a certain way about certain things. There are outside factors that affect all areas of our psyche. How were you raised? What is your belief system? Where are you from? What is your social-economic status? All of these factor into how you process information. These things determine not only how you work, but why you work the way you do. When you take the time to do some introspection, you will be amazed at the results. Respect the process.
Purge
verb
rid (someone or something) of an unwanted quality, condition, or feeling.
remove (a group of people considered undesirable) from an organization or place in an abrupt or violent way.
noun
an abrupt or violent removal of a group of people.
People purge in different ways. There is a series of movies dedicated to the notion that to eradicate violent behavior one must be allowed to commit violent acts without consequence for a day. You can fast. You can pray. You can do a cleanse. You can remove yourself from toxic situations and relationships. Purging is necessary to cleanse yourself of both physical and emotional toxins. Do whatever you need to do to get healthy both spiritually and physically. Let go. Purge.
Answered Prayers
My pastor said that, “God answers prayers incrementally.” We expect God to do the big things and forget about the baby steps. We want a house, but our credit is jacked. We want a car, but our license is suspended. We want long life, but have poor eating habits. We have to do the work. We have to be good stewards. We have to be responsible with the talents and blessings he’s already given us. God answers our prayers when we are ready for the responsibility that comes with them, not just because we asked. The key to answered prayers is enduring the process. Show thyself approved. Be in position to be blessed.
Broken being built
In my experience, God rarely uses things in a traditional sense. He uses pain to bless. He uses turmoil to elevate. He uses detours to direct. Why wouldn’t he use brokenness to build us? I’ve learned more about myself and God in isolation than any church pews. I’ve gained wisdom and insight through heartache that I never learned in any classroom. What lesson is God trying to teach you? Have you ever thought that maybe you’re broken being built?
Pearls
I grew up wanting to wear my grandmother's pearls. I loved how beautiful and shiny they were against her brown skin. I knew it was a special occasion if my grandmother was wearing her pearls. Ironically, "pearl" was one of her nicknames. My grandmother valued her pearls, maybe because she knew what it cost her or maybe because wearing her pearls made her forget momentarily that she was a Black woman raised in the segregated South.
The bible speaks about not throwing your pearls to swine. Simply put, don't give what you value away. Some species of oysters die when a pearl is harvested. Are you willing to die for what you produced? Are you willing to die for your purpose to be accomplished? Your life's work is your pearl.
Pearls are produced by irritation. The defense mechanism of the oyster is to isolate the irritant. What's irritating you? It's producing your pearls. Every layer you use to isolate the irritation is adding dimension, color, and value to your pearls.
Process
Trust the process! We hear this all the time, but its hard to trust the process when you don't trust the processor. God is the processor. He is the one who is ultimately in control. It's easy to acknowledge God as creator, supplier, and healer because all those roles benefit us. However, it can be difficult to acknowledge God as a processor. A processor by definition is responsible for executing a sequence of stored instructions called a program. There is a plan for your life that was established before your creation. God designed your program. He is the executor, all you have to do is trust the process.
Pull the Weeds Up!!
I never thought a Saturday morning of yard work would be so profound. Let's get this straight. I have allergies. I don't do outside. I don't do bugs. I don't do dirt, and I'm not a fan of heat.
I'm not completely new to yard work, but let's just say it's been a while. I used to help my grandfather in his garden in exchange for playing in the sprinklers afterward.
So, here I am with my face mask, gloves, and hoe... and God starts to speak.
My grandfather always told me:
1. Pull the weeds up straight.
2. Make sure you pull the roots up.
3. Use the hoe to help you.
4. Repeat.
Pull the weeds up straight.
Lesson: So, you have to get the whole weed not just what's visible. Weeds have strong roots. What you see on the surface is only a tiny bit of what's happening underground. If you just pick what you see, you're not really dealing with the issue only what's visible. Go deep!
Make sure you pull the roots up.
Lesson: Get to the root. Take the time. Do the work. Put in the sweat equity. Don't let those roots stay in the ground. They will produce and multiply and overrun your garden. They will choke out your plants and whatever else you are trying to grow.
Sidenote: Some weeds look like grass and you can't tell the difference until you pull it out and see the root.
Sidenote 2: Be careful about who you keep close. Some of them are weeds. Their sole purpose is to grow with you to ultimately hinder you. All weeds don't stifle growth, some just stifle your maturity.
Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
Use the hoe to help you.
My Native New Orleanian is screaming, "there are some hoes in your life who can help you." Cue my organ.
See Joshua 2 Rahab and the Spies. (Rahab was instrumental in God's plan for the Battle of Jericho)
Lesson: There are people in your life who have learned the lesson....the hard way so, you don't have to!!! Glean from their experience and understanding.
Sidenote: A hoe is a garden tool. Its sole purpose is to be used. I'll stop right there.
Repeat
Lesson: You can't just stop because you pulled up one weed. There's more. Gardening is messy work. Your hands will get dirty. It requires strength. It's uncomfortable. It's a process, but the results are worth it.
Pull the weeds up from the garden of your heart. Get to the root. Use the tools that God has given you and ask for help if you need it. Pull the weeds up!!!