Affirm Who You Are

I have been told to use affirmations to instill new beliefs.  I was hesitant and very critical that saying and repeating a phrase would change anything significantly in my life.  Then I began to realize how powerful negative declarations are when heard over and over again.  So the same power must lie in positive declarations.

I began to look deeper into the actual word or etymology of affirm.  The origin of the word comes from the Latin words ad (to) and firmus (strong) or the word affirmare.  Affirmare means to make steady or strengthen.  Daily affirmations actually make thoughts stronger in your belief system.

Rather your thought is positive or negative, true or not; it is made stronger by hearing or saying the proclamation daily.

I am a child of God.  So I go to my manual, The Bible, to find my truth.  Most affirmations start with "I am".  "I am" is the name of God (Exodus 3:14)..... You know I was about to shout right there!   The name of God strengthens you and your belief system (Jeremiah 10:6  "No one is like you, LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.").  In essence you create in yourself, a belief about yourself, using The LORD's name.

So daily tell yourself the greatness that resides within because of the powerful name of God.

Stay in Stride

Your momentum will get you over your hurdle.  Those things that God is prepping you for will not trip you up if you keep your purpose in mind and your vision in focus.  Keep that momentum that has gotten you to this point of confusion and/or hurt and don’t slow down.  Rise above it and keep on going.  I am reminded every time I face an issue in my life that God usually gives me a Word or insight sometimes in a dream or in something that I had heard a million of times but this time it struck a cord… He was speaking to me and preparing me for this very moment.   RISE UP ABOVE THAT SITUATION.  And leave it behind you, not looking back but learning from it because there may be another hurdle to overcome… You must stay in stride! 

The race is not over and you are not in competition with anyone else.  How easily are you distracted with the next person running their race?  How confident are you that you can finish your race?  

Go Pass It

Learn to get pass some things… Whatever it is, it’s not moving, it has happened and you can’t undo what has been done, so it’s no need for you to be stagnant obsessing on it.  Beyond “it” is the rest of your life and unlike it, you’re not done and you are able to move… You are able to get around it BUT are you willing?

Can You See It?

Each life experience develops your perspective on life.  It’s not by coincidence that certain events in your life has taken you out of or placed you into a specific job, relationship or mindset.  Your position has changed for a reason; you see things differently in a different position.

Take the time to consider your current location…  What got you to this point?  Which direction are you being lead?  What is your viewpoint?  Become aware of where you are in your life?  Is the ground secure?  Is it crowded?  Is it secluded?  What is your guiding force and where is it taking you?

This is awareness… and it’s a tool that will give you sight when your eyes are blinded, direction when there’s no map to reference. 

Before You

Our purpose is before us and we often cannot see it.  We have the ability to see but we must become aware of it, be enlightened.  I really believe gratitude enables us to become one with our purpose.   Be thankful for what you have and your situation (1 Thessalonians 5:18) then the purpose that is within you becomes visible.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.  

Ephesians 1:18

Trouble in the spirit, testify…

We can learn a lot about how to deal with conflicts and issues in our lives through the Word.   I took note of this revelation back during the Lent season and I realized that this might be helpful to someone holding on to hurt that’s blocking his or her blessings.

After Jesus washed the disciples feet in John 12:12-17 and explained the humbleness He expected of his disciples, He then predicted His betrayal in versus 18-20.  This must have hurt Jesus deeply because verse 21 says “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit…”

Jesus had just washed his betrayer’s feet and speaking of the betrayal that was soon to come, had to be troubling.  Can you imagine?  I’m sure you have been in the position where someone that you would have bent over backwards for, turned his or her back on you or betrayed your trust.

How do you deal with such a level of betrayal or anything that troubles your spirit?  First, acknowledge the hurt you feel.  You cannot deal with anything if you don’t first address it.  The person that may have offended you, intentional or not, may not want to face it but you must. 

Secondly if you can address the person, you should address them privately.  Although Jesus announced that He will be betrayed and even addressed his betrayer directly, those in the same room didn’t know what was going on (verse 28).  Resolution doesn’t come with public scrutiny.  It is difficult to resolve an issue with too many opinions and perspectives. 

Thirdly, and most importantly, Jesus understood that the offense was part of a larger plan (verse 18 ‘…but that the scripture may be fulfilled…’).  And this is the approach you must take when an offense is committed against you.  God will use what was intended for evil for good (Genesis 50:20).  The betrayal just set in motion what needed to be done.  So your hurt is not the end of the story, there is something good that can and will come of it… if you just let God use it.  Let your test be a testimony for God.