EBENEZER = 'stone of help'
Ebenezer, my help, has come.
**
The past 24 hours have been enlightening, this morning more-so. I was reading extra bible commentary in my bible that talked about emotional healing. It had me reflecting on some things, and I prayed about some things that I need to lay down, things that I “meant well” in but were also causing me frustration.
It’s the end of the month, and a new one will begin in a few days. One prayer that I prayed was for boldness, boldness to fulfill His plans and purposes. Boldness to chart my course and run with it. Boldness to ensure that everything laid in my hands will have its full expression. Boldness to dream of impossible things again, and to believe for it, to trust Him implicitly.
Because we’re too easily intimidated to surrender great things, in order to settle for good and comfortable. Good and comfortable is worth fighting for, but the glory isn’t the same. I say that because I feel God is showing me that when we don’t go all the way to trust him, we’re leaving so much of his goodness uncollected on the table, and it’s not supposed to be like that. We’re afraid of everything and everyone and are not concerned about what we are giving up and its implications. Afraid to trust his yes, afraid to trust his no, afraid to trust his wait. Afraid of the gaze of people, the judgement of people, the displeasure of people; afraid of disappointing people, at the cost of destiny. At the cost of generations.
We want destiny-changing encounters, but are we willing to do what we must to see them fully expressed and function in our lives? Are we willing to sacrifice? Are we willing to endure? Are we willing to trust him to bring it to its expected end?
When you get out of Egypt, you need to get rid of the mentality you held in Egypt. It takes prayer, and conscious effort to think differently, and behave differently, believe differently, speak differently. Many are delivered, but the same are not free. And it was enlightening yesterday for this light to shine on how in a sense, I wasn’t leaning into my freedom because of a mentality that I hadn’t recognized was pulling me back.
I’d been regretting a decision I wish I had made a few years ago. I had freedom at my grasp, but the noose of good intentions held me bound. There are high sounding lies that seem right but they’re merely an invisible noose keeping you in chains. But I’ve had to forgive myself for that. I thank God for his mercy otherwise I don’t know if any of this would be worth it.
All in all, it’s better to be brave and lose, than to be a coward and win what, in your heart, you don’t really want. I think to myself what thing of value did I gain by not going for it? I’m now forced to grin and bear it. But even when I attempted to move years ago, at least I tried. And I’m not wrecked with what if. This morning’s commentary noted that one needs healing from “what if.” You must heal and let go, and let God bind up that wound, and not let it afflict you any longer. Our regrets can become wounds that we’ll need healing from.
So, if there is any “what if” in your life, release it to God. Sometimes, because it was always yours, he’ll bring it back around. Other times, he’ll do something new, and it’ll be better than what was lost. In all things, it’s a lesson to trust God no matter how murky a thing looks. He alone can purify waters; he alone can make that which is clandestine come to light. He restores beautifully. He forgives totally. He heals completely and brings wholeness. He’s good at wiping the slate clean and doing better things than before. He’s an expert in beautifying. And when it comes to glory? He bestows it majestically.
As the month is coming to an end, and a new one is beginning, arise from the chambers of those whom you are trusting or have trusted; and entrust yourself wholly in God’s hands. If you want to live a life that is better than what it has been thus far, decide to go with God.
