Be ALL Here

Oct 15, 2015Everything book, Find joy today

If you truly desire impossible joy, you have to be present. Remember that God is not the Great I Was. He is not the Great I Will Be. He is the Great I Am—the God of the present tense.

All you have is now. And how you view your life right now will determine your joy.

[Tweet ““Don’t live in the Great Yesterday, constantly looking back so that your spiritual neck has whiplash.” #Everythingbook”]

I have been guilty of the above quote. I’ve brooded over the past, living in the reality of “I was” statements.

  • I was molested.
  • I was abandoned.
  • I was a failure.
  • I was overlooked.
  • I was wild.

But God has set me free. He has set you free from the past.

Consider these amazing words:

“We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:7-8 NIV).

God has helped us escape our past. He has uncaged us. He is our helper. We no longer need to live enslaved to the past.

Instead of “I was” statements, I can now pen “I am” statements.

  • I was molested. I am used by God to help others heal from molestation.
  • I was abandoned. I am wanted and needed in God’s kingdom.
  • I was a failure. I am renewed so I can try again.
  • I was overlooked. I am noticed by the God who sees me.
  • I was wild. I am wildly loved by Jesus.

This is our last step to impossible joy, so grab a pen and paper (or type this on your computer) and write 5 “I was” statements.

Then pray and ask the Lord to give you insight on writing 5 “I am” statements that reflect who He is and who You are in relationship to Him. Doing this will alter the way you see yourself. It will bring new confidence. It will re-frame your life and bring joy.

Thank you for partnering alongside me in this impossible joy journey. I hope this simple blog series has brought you closer to Jesus and the joy He provides. Remember, you are wildly loved by Jesus. You are amazing. You are capable of hope. You are attractive and strong because the God of the universe resides within you.

Prayer: Jesus, sometimes I get stuck back there with the things that have hurt me. I rehash the injury, forgetting that You have healed and set me free. Help me to let go of my “I was” statements and embrace my “I am” statements this year. It’s not easy to believe that You love me, but I want to live loved by You this year. Do something new. Set me free. I want to soar like the bird set free from the fowler’s snare. Amen.

This is the final post in the Thursday series based on the book Everything: What You Give and What You Gain to Become Like Jesus. It’s the book I wrote that details how exactly we can grow in our relationship with Jesus in a life-altering, hope-fueling way. It’s everything I know about discipleship and growth.

12 STEPS TO IMPOSSIBLE JOY-goldenrodThis particular blog post is ripped directly from my free ebook, 12 Steps to Impossible Joy. I’d like you to have it. Just click the button below to receive the free PDF.

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