Today I’m on day 13 of writing my goals and planning my days, after all success is hidden in your daily routine! Terri Savelle.
So as part of my hour of power I have been doing a 5 km walk daily. Today however, it was pouring rain.
I choose to show up, come hell or high water, I won’t let nothing stop me from achieving my goals I'm determined.
So, I start my walk, proud of myself and inspired I took some selfies and sent them to my husband to share the inspiration I was feeling, I was on top of the world I didn't let myself down!
Somehow seeing that I was the only one on the trail confirmed to me that I was indeed the one percent today (doing what 99 percent of people aren't willing to do) its so easy to give up on our goals when its not convenient. That truth overwhelmed my emotions and I felt in my spirit that God was routing for me exciting and confirming yes my girl! these are the steps that will bring you success; you will have everything you dream of. I felt this incredible amount of inspiration and empowerment with each step. I was rising to the mountain top. I had my motivational audio playing and filling my mind and spirit with declarations and promises that I have been believing for!
As I began to reach the finish line of the first half of my 5 km walk my legs felt so cold, they were beginning to hurt. I quickly said a prayer lord don’t let me give up, please warm my legs so I can continue. I believed he would and carried on over the finish line for my next round.
5 minutes or so into the second round my headphones died. I was discouraged! how boring would this walk be without my pep talk. That's just like Satan isn’t it, always trying to throw us off course, especially when we are trying to better ourselves. The audio is the best part of my walks in fact it’s my favorite part; I had to endure the rest without it. On top of that I could feel a sensation that I needed to go to the washroom, just great! and I had puddles of water in my shoes but at least my legs were warm right!
God did show up but so did the enemy with his distractions now I was without my comforts in more ways than one.
I think that it's an accurate metaphor for how in life we start out strong when we first set a goal and feel inspired but then as life starts to throw its little inconveniences or were to tired are emotions are low, or we lose our desire; we then make choices based on comfort rather than delayed gratification. It seems to get harder the closer to the finish line we get because there is a force that does not want us to have the victory. We must choose, despite all odds, to stick with the thing we set out to do.
I could have allowed those discouraging feelings fester and been negative, frustrated and upset with the situation but instead I seen it as an opportunity maybe God wants to talk to me? maybe I need to listen? and he did!
He said so much to me the rest of that walk I was filled with his wisdom he spoke to me about my purpose, and about walking with him in life. He continued to affirm the steps I've been taking and encouraged me to share this.
The enemy is always trying to steal away blessing’s God wants us to receive. We have to be mindful that those annoyances frustrations discouragement are emotions he tries to stir-up to distract us from hearing what God wants us to hear.
My arms were so cold at this point now starting to ache and feel numb. I was almost at the end of my walk with about 10 minutes to go. Thinking I had endured the worst, I started to feel this annoying pain on my ankle. My shoe was rubbing against my skin and I could feel that I was going to get a blister if it continued. I did my part, said a pray and favored that foot. As I carefully walked, I noticed the irritation subsided and thanked God.
That was the most uncomfortable, cold wet walk I’ve had so far but isn’t it funny, it was also the most inspiring and God connected ones. Our walks with him won’t always be comfortable and he may not always stop us from getting a blister but if we endure and allow it to do its work in us we will see he is always working it all out for our good and he will use it somehow someway. Having hopeful expectations will help you see his hand on it and be confident that if he allowed that discomfort, he will use it to do something good in and through you. and we will be better and closer to him and our destiny on the other side of it,
I forgot to mention at the beginning of my walk as I was feeling that inspiration for showing up for my self despite the un-favorable conditions, I had a thought, a gentle nudge, a quiet whisper some describe it as. For me, it came as a thought, which I often easily dismiss. It was that today wasn’t just a physical walk; it was a walk into a higher realm. I was walking right into a new path a transformation. My faithfulness in the little things was blessing me, and I would never be the same. My “walk” would never be the same.
It didn’t come in quite so many words but more like a quick thought evoked with intense emotion. As I said, it was a nice thought, but I did not think to much of it until I was nearing the end of the path, and I seen a dead bird. My instant thoughts were bad luck! that can’t be good! I quickly questioned those thoughts and replaced them with no, this could be a good thing, and it came to me maybe it means dying to my old self or death of old things and I’m being made new, that’s what I was hoping for anyways. Then I turned the corner and saw a group of baby birds chirping and flying around a little tree, I was instantly excited in my spirit, I felt like it was a confirmation that seeing those baby birds meant new life.
Later, I had researched it and I did find that those thoughts lined up with exactly that! Seeing a dead bird meant death of old and baby birds meant new life around the corner and they were literally around the corner, how cool is that!
I can easily dismiss these beautiful synchronicities and brush them off as coincidence. I do think we tend to get spiritual amnesia and forget how impactful those moments are. I know I sure do! I seem to question moments like that afterward when the emotion and feeling of connection subsides.
When God speaks to us, we need to write it down and remember constantly the word he has given us. This will continue to build our faith. Just like the parable of the seed in Matthew 13 the enemy will come to kill our crop with doubt. Our job is to be mindful to not only receive what God speaks to us but tend to the seed, which requires a bit of work, but it's well worth it. Otherwise, we float through life mindlessly unintentionally and missing out on living a purposeful life and possibly fulfilling God’s Purpose for us.