But God!
Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
But is a conjunction used to connect contrasting ideas. I tell my children that but negates everything said before it. That's a word right there....I was lost, but now I'm found. I was hurt, but now I'm healed. Now add God into the mix. You planned to hurt me....but God! I'm down and out, but God! I don't understand, but God! I don't see a way out, but God! It's okay to acknowledge your feelings and your situation, but don't count God out of the equation.
Distractions
Magicians utilize distraction to execute their illusions. They make you focus on one thing while their hands or assistant is doing another. Fake news works the same way. The controlled media creates news cycles to divert our attention from the real issues. The enemy does the same thing. We find ourselves caught up in conflict when God wants to deliver us. We find ourselves focused on the storm when God wants us to walk on water. What distractions are you currently facing? What is being deliberately put in your line of sight when you should be paying attention to something else? What are you worrying about when God has already handled? Don’t let these temporary distractions steal your joy. Don't let these uncertain times steal your faith. Don’t let one defeat steal your victory. Distractions are a tool of the enemy to keep you bound.
John 8:36 NKJV Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed
Enough
When is enough, enough? The signs have always been there lurking in the background. Fuel has been added. The country is on fire. The writing is on the wall. The bodies are adding up. The hate is real. The cheek has been turned. Not again. Not another name. What else needs to happen? Killer Mike said it best..."plot, plan, strategize, organize, and mobilize." If you don't know what that means, no worries. I got you. I will be breaking those down over the next few weeks. We got to be strategic. This is not the time to be in our feelings. Enough already!
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.
Planted
I think we confuse being buried with being planted. The process is similar, but the results are different. Both journeys involve isolation. Both journeys involve transition. Both journeys are emotional. Both journeys involve change. All of which can be areas of struggle. We tend to fight what we can’t control. We make the journey more difficult than it needs to be. Ask God, “am I being buried or planted?”
Peace
I have learned that peace does not come without work. It does not come without struggle. It does not come without planning. Peace requires a decision to be made, and action to be taken. You have to claim your peace. You have to declare peace in your life and your family. Peace is your portion. Peace is your gift. Peace is a blessing.
Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Favored
There are a couple of names that come to mind when I think about being favored. Abram. Mary. Elizabeth. Joseph. We tend to think that somehow favor means that we won’t endure hardships. Not so. In fact, Mary saw her son crucified, and Joseph was sold into slavery. I am starting to think that favor has more to do with God’s ability to trust you with hardships. When you are favored, God knows you will lean into him during hardships instead of choosing to run away. God knows that the result of testing your faith, will make you a better witness and ultimately a better disciple. Have your found yourself in a season of testing? Have you felt like it was too much for you to bear? Ask yourself are you favored?