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I saw a quote yesterday that moved me soooooo deeply, and that speaks to Faith Perfectly.
It was One of those moments where One really important piece of the puzzle lands and then SO many other pieces landing and consolidating, resulting IN High calibers of coherence and clarity.
"I have learned that Faith means Trusting IN advance what Will only make sense IN reverse." - Philip Yancey
The last 2 years have Truly made me INnerstand exactly THIS about Faith.
The last 2 years have BEen a deeeeeep restoration, cultivation and crystallization of Faith for me. Life has never brought me to my knees more than it has IN these last 2 years … which IS TELLING.
Faith IS the ability to Choose Power, Peace, and Prosperity right NOW, Knowing that it's All INborn and therefore, immINent.
INnerstanding the concept of hindsight IS important when it comes to Faith restoration, cultivation and crystallization. Hindsight IS defined as: “perception of the significance and Nature of events after they have occurred.”99.9% of the time, when WE look back on past obstacles and challenges IN our Lives, WE are able to see how it All fits INto the larger picture or more accurately, PLAN … that WE may not have BEen aware of at the time (BEcause WE WEre too zoomed IN and therefore narrow-sighted).
It’s this exact moment IN time & space that most of us experience that saturating sense of INnerstanding, closure, completion and arrival.
It’s this exact moment IN time & space that most of us are able to find reconciliation and Peace through realizing the GREATER PURPOSE IN those moments. To see the provision INHERent IN those moments.
Soooo, when WE reverse engineer it …
It would go that, IN order to have Faith / KEEP FAITH, WE must BE Willing to Trust that this larger Plan does IN fact … exist, even when WE cannot see, taste, touch, smell or sense it (yet).
IN moments when I AM doubting God’s Plan and Will, I remind mySelf: “God doesn’t call the prepared. God prepares the called."
God calls you to salvation.
God calls you to sanctification.
God calls you to Service.
Everything that God Purposes for me, for you, for WE IS IN the Name of salvation, sanctification and SERVICE.When I feel like I AM not able to handle what God has Purposed for me, I AM reminded that it IS not my preparedness that sustains me … it IS my CALLING and the answering of that calling (that God has Purposed for me) that sustains me.
There IS always Promise IN what God has Purposed for me, for you, for WE.
A test IS a prerequisite to a testimony. One must persist and persevere through tests, trials and tribulations IN order to develop a MEANINGFUL, emBodied, experiential and INspired testimony.
It IS through BEINg “tested” that our Faith IS restored. That our Faith IS cultivated. That Faith IS crystallized. BEcause EVERY TIME, God delivers us back to Truth and to Love. That IS the functionality of BEINg tested. Remembrance.
Tests, trials and tribulations are INtegration and revival points IN our Lives. Moments when WE access our Organic and ORIGINal templates of Peace and prosperity. Moments when WE are BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE BY THE GRACE OF GOD (SPIRIT).
The trial (that IS, the challenge or obstacle) IS what shows you / BLAZES the trail (that IS, the way).
Tests, trials and tribulations are not something to BE overcome, for they are the very path that lead us (back) to our CORE Selves.
When WE encounter a test, a trial or a tribulation, our egoic INclination IS to resist it. WE see it as something to BE either avoided or as something to BE conquered.
However, when WE Choose to shift our perspective and see the test, trial or tribulation as quintessential to our (un)BEcomINg, WE can and Will experience it as a path onward (rather than identifying it and identifying WITH it as a setback or limitation).
The test, trial or tribulation itSelf BEcomes and IS the way forward. It IS only by persistence and perseverance through the tests, trials and tribulations that God assigns us that WE can Truly unearth and remember what WE are REALLY made of and what WE are capable of (BEfore and BEyond All of the fear and lies WEre INstilled IN us).
“A river cuts through rock not BEcause of its Power, but BEcause of its PERSISTENCE.” - Jim Watkins
There IS boundless value and VIRTUE IN persistence and perseverance.
Persistence IS rare, however, perseverance IS much more rare.
Persistence refers to the act of persisting or continuing with a course of action, despite facing resistance, opposition, setbacks or obstacles along the way. On the other hand, perseverance refers to the ability to maintain that persistence over a prolonged period of time, even when progress may BE slow or difficult. Perseverance connotes longevity IN said persistence.T
Together, these two traits are the twin building blocks of success. By persisting through challenges and persevering IN the face of adversity, INdividuals are BEtter able to access their FULL POTENTIAL like God INtended (for us ALL, by equipping us with All of the tools necessary).IN essence, persistence and perseverance require Devotion, Desire and WILL. By expressing & emBodying these qualities, INdividuals can overcome obstacles and challenges that would otherwise derail their INnate INHERitance of leading and LivINg successful and prosperous Lives.
“Faith by itSelf, if it IS not accompanied by action, IS dead.” (James 2:17)
Faith goes BEyond awareness of the larger Plan. Faith IS, action rooted IN that awareness.
You can BElieve IN something and not have Faith. Let me give you an example.
People BElieve they can jump out of an airplane with a parachute, pull the rip cord, and that the parachute Will open allowing them to safely land to the ground. If / when you ask someONe, most people Will accept that statement as True. However, it IS another thing to take the action of actually putting the parachute on, jumping out of the plane, pulling the rip cord, and safely landing on the ground. To do so does not require BElief. It requires compounded and consolidated BElief … which IS Faith.
“BEcause you have so little Faith. I tell you the Truth, if you have Faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it Will move; Nothing Will BE impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:14)
This reveals that even a small amount of Faith can and WILL move mountains. That IS, even a small amount of Faith can and WILL Create (reality’s).
The mustard seed represents the INitial spark of BElief that IS necessary to grow INto a strong, steadfast and enduring FAITH.
While the seed may seem small and INsignificant, it has the potential to grow INto something much deeper, greater and bigger (with and through Devotion). So, too, does the tiniest bit of Faith, when it IS Pure & True Faith from God, grow to immense proportions IN the Lives of the FAITHFUL.
Little IS plenty when it comes from God.
Little IS plenty when it IS imbued with Faith.
The metaphorical Nature of this concept of Faith as a seed suggests that Faith IS something that must BE cultivated, tended to, cared for and Watered … much like a seed that IS planted and grown INto a fruitful plant or tree. Just as a seed requires proper attention and INtention to grow, Faith requires awareness and action to BE cultivated.
The parable of the mustard seed suggests that Faith IS not something that can BE imposed or forced upon someOne. Faith IS something that One Chooses. A courageous Choice, which requires an exalted Heart and a WillINg Spirit. Just as a seed must BE planted IN fertile and favourable soil to grow and mature, Faith requires a receptive heart to take root and to overflow.
"It IS INconsistent not to have time for God and to wish to spend Eternity with Him."
That IS, it IS INconsistent to LIVE IN HEAVEN if you are not Choosing to commune with God everyday and Choosing to Live out God's IMPECCABLE Word and speaking / singing it back to LIFE.
It IS INconsistent to Live a FRUITFUL Life if you are not Choosing to Live a Faithful Life (first and foremost). Faithfulness precedes FRUITFULNESS.
As I always say … BE Faithful, Live FRUITFULLY.
Faith IS a co-Creation and collaboration BEtween you, me, WE and God.
Faith given, IS Faith recieved.
When WE trace God’s hand of Faithfulness from All of our past obstacles and challenges, WE have LivINg evidence and proof that fuels our Faith of HIS FAITHFULNESS IN OUR FUTURE.
Amen.
If you feel a spark of resonance and / or remembrance here join WE IN The Estuary on May 10th at 4:00PM CET / 10:00AM EST for a Live transmission called QUENCHED 💦💦💦
QUENCHED IS a discussion and exploration on how WE Live IN a chronically dehydrated culture that IS entranced and entrapped thirsting for God’s overflowing Love IN shallow WELLs and how you / WE can ETERNALLY quench y(our) thirst at God’s fountain.
IN QUENCHED WE Will BE exploring ~
Spiritual hydration / dehydration
Spiritual dehydration leading to Spiritual death
how INcessant longing for something MORE IS due to a severed relationship with God
how not enoughness IS due to not communing with God’s BOUNTY
the importance of KnowINg God, True fellowship with God and daily INtimacy with God IN LivINg a quenched Life
the ‘trance of deficiency’
the trap of the hedonic treadmill
God’s Will and God’s Plan to provide for you and to SATISFY / SATIATE YOU
Water as an element of remembrance
Here’s the link BELoved ~ THE ESTUARY
May you continue to BE bathed IN Blessings,
Anja
