*Dusts cobwebs*
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I haven’t posted anything in a while. While part of the reason is I’m busy with my final semester of college, the main reason is I’m having trouble organizing the swag ideas in my head and turning them into inspiring posts. One thing I told God when I revamped my blog into a spiritual/relationship blog is this: I don’t want to say or do anything without His anointing. And that applies here too.
Many times you feel happy. Then you feel the blues wash over you like a downpour in the spring. Other times you find yourself in a mechanical rot, where you really need to fix something that’s holding you from zooming into the Lord’s presence. You have the wrench (aka bible) and diagnostics (Holy Spirit), but you just can’t figure out how to start the fixing process. You’re sitting there with your bible open, flipping through books and psalms trying to find that rhema word that would speak to your situation. But it’s just not coming easy. The Holy Spirit, who is supposed to be your helper seems pretty chill about the situation. You think. Finally, you’re forced to ask: are you still here?
You’re head stuck in debt; your landlord has been playing with your heat and internet connection because you haven’t paid your rent. Your siblings are looking up to you for financial assistance. You haven’t paid off your credit card debt and you’re thinking of getting a loan to offset some bills. Did I hear you say more gbese (aka debt)? You’re still full of spirit though; singing praises to God, telling Him you trust him in and out of season. Yet, somewhere in your heart lies the question: God, are you still there?
You’ve been praying to move on from your last relationship. You fasted and prayed like a possessed person seeking deliverance, asking for soul-ties to be broken. You even deleted you ex’s number. Only one request to deliver McDonald’s to your house and you fell. You know what you have done, you feel dirty, and you blame your lack of strength. You wonder if God ever wanted to help you find rest in the first place. So you ask God; are you still there?
If you aren’t asking these questions or haven’t asked them in a while, you should! There’s nothing wrong with asking, but what is your attitude towards asking? Do you ask God as if you’re manipulating Him into doing you a favor? Or do you simply ask because you freaking need Him?
First, when you cry God “I need you,” you’re affirming that He is mighty to save. You’re
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acknowledging the fact that He is your provider, the all-knowing and all-seeing one. It’s like acknowledging your husband by cuddling with him on a cold winter night. *wink* lol
If God didn’t welcome all these questions, He wouldn’t tell you to ask Him in the first place. One of the reasons why people donate to charitable causes is because they’ve been asked. Giving comes from the heart and strengthens the connection between two people. In the same sense, asking should come from the heart with the intention of strengthening your ties with God! We should form a habit of asking God for His help because we really need Him and His blessings in our lives.
God doesn’t need you to ask Him for blessings before He blesses you but the art of asking makes it your relationship strictly personal. I just developed a habit of “gossiping” with God about issues that irk me and he speaks to my soul by making me understand the depth of the being called Human. Our relationship has developed into one of a father and child, where He’s come to expect that His developing child has needs that need to be met.
If you feel like you’re in a mechanical rot but you’re not sure on what to fix, move into thanksgiving. Thank Him for what He has already done and the Holy Spirit will teach you what to ask for. Remember we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
God wants to be thanked. He doesn’t dismiss thanksgiving, and the one way to ensure that you give him undiluted praise is for Him to be there for you. He. Wants. To. Be. There. Don’t shut him out. You can keep several “Mr. Perfect” lists but you can’t trust God and his design for your man. Talk to Him! Ask Him are you still there and He’ll give you a reverberating reply!
Ask away, guys!
When I grow spiritually, I wanna be like you. You dey gossip with God, that one na serious swag o. Sometimes the reverse of what you are talking about is the case, you can get so confident that God is here with you that you take him for granted. perhaps the best place s somewhere btw.
Interesting…Sir Farouk. You are already spiritually grown, lol! Better than opening a can of worms with neighbors!
I hear you on being overconfident with God. We certainly don’t want that but yes, I wanna be so confident with God that we’ll watch Nigerian Idol together. Haha
Reblogged this on Sherline's Watchu Thinkin' Blog and commented:
The questions we sometimes ask ourselves when we are seeking an answer to our daily struggles. We cannot manipulate God into doing what we want because we should seek Him to help us walk in His will. Interesting post by Margaret.
Thanks Sherline! You flatter me sometimes, lol
Great words! Everybody needs companionship. I always love to know that someone needed my consent, my approval, my encouragement, etc.
It makes me feel relevant and it moves me to do as much as I can. God can do much more than we can imagine, so when we seek His consent, approval, encouragement, provision and relationship, His relevance becomes more prominent and His mighty hand gives us more than we are able to imagine. Thanks for sharing this!
You’re welcome Teecee! His relevance definitely is magnified!
Gossiping with God. I simply love that expression. You are so right, God loves to gist too. I notice, in my walk, that the longer I stay without spending time in God’s word/presence, the farther away he feels. I say ‘feel’ cos one truth I have been knocking into my head over the years is that God never leaves me. Never. I am the one that moves away from him……….and then foolishly ask ‘Are you still there?’. Only to hear him yelling quietly back at me. ‘Yep, right where you left me’.
Thanks for this ‘made me think’ post.
P. S. I was drawn to your blog by your name when I saw it on NIL’s blog.
Awww thanks, Salt! God sure loves to gist…He wants to know everything about how the day went and so much more. I love it when you said that the longer I say without spending time in God’s presence/word, the farther away he feels.” So true, this faith of ours is renewable…it has to be.
Your visit is appreciated, thanks
HI ,MORNDAY HI,,DOT,BLESSING YOUR PAGE…..“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.’” Isaiah 48:17 (ESV)
Are you waking up today with a serious case of the Mondays? Does your life feel like a prison that is keeping you bound in chains of grief, shame, guilt, and sin? Sometimes we need a good reminder of how free we are and why praise and thankfulness should always be on our lips.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:3-10, ESV)
Thanks sisterdot56 for this lovely message!
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I can’t say much more than that this is on point, most true! Thanks for the word!
You’re welcome! Thanks for your lovely comment!
You know you have a way with words right? I can always relate with the way you express. I also love love love the idea of gossiping with God *grin*
Toin, I’m honored. Lol! Coming from you, the blogger clown…I better go dance azonto to celebrate!
thanks for sharing… is he still there! lol.. insightful, useful, encouraging. thank you
You are very welcome, Angelsbeauty! Thanks
Hmmm you gossip with God.. I like that!