XXXVIII: The Target to Their Attacks (Guest Post)

By: Tatianna G. 

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Each day we wake up with a goal in mind. Maybe it’s just a small goal, “If i can just get up and get to work, the rest will all work itself out”, or maybe a goal that is much greater and more daunting, “Today is the day I will take the step I’ve been wanting to and leave my job”. Whatever it may be, we are all working toward something. The only problem with is that no matter how hard we are working to reach our goals, “life” and the devil are working twice as hard, if not harder, to make us feel inadequate, and as though we can never achieve said goals.  Some of the time these obstacles can be SO much that they actually make us think we may not be able to overcome them. In these situations it’s so important to remember who you belong to. Christ sent His son to die so that we may have life. So that we can fulfill each of the items He has jotted down in his master file for us and the moment we give into those beliefs that we aren’t enough or that our problems are just too big, is the very moment we start to become just that... depleted.

In order to overcome those feelings or attacks there are a few things I constantly have to remind myself:

We Can't be everything for everyone; heck we can’t be SOMEthing for everyone. 

While none of us want to watch or see people struggle when we know it is within our physical, and in some cases financial means to help, it is not “our job” to always jump in and “save the day”. Believe me, I know that sounds harsh, but if we are going around and trying  fix everything for all those we care about, and some we may not even know, who are we actually helping? Not only are we laying the groundwork to potentially become an enabler, but we also run the risk of running ourselves rugged. Once that happens, then you can’t help anyone. On a spiritual level, that’s not the assignment God gave us. Yes, we are to help others and love as He has shown love to us, but He does not expect us to take on all problems of those presented to us. That only takes away from His greatness. The idea is not that people come to you for everything, but that they instead go to God, having the faith that He will supply their needs as only He can.

It’s okay to not “be okay”!

If we were to use our social media pages as a bases to determine “happiness” we would all be miserable. Scrolling through these pages could leave someone who may have thought their life was going well, feeling like no more than a failure. A huge majority of what we see when we scroll, consist only of expressions of congratulations or great news of some sorts. It almost makes it seem as though having an “off day” never happens for those we follow, and more importantly, like it’s not okay for us to have an “off day” and DEFINITELY not okay to share it in the hopes of getting some support. The problem with this is that many of us DO go through things, and we do have tough days. When we are “expected” to only share the good things we encounter, we miss out on an opportunity to be transparent, and to help those that may be experiencing similar things. We even miss out on opportunities for others to pour into us, to share advice or simple encouraging words. It seems as though we’ve forgotten about the power that comes from knowing you’re supported and not alone. We weren’t meant to take this journey alone, there’s a reason fellowship with like minded individuals is so highly encouraged throughout the Bible.

A “No” today does not constitute a forever “No”

This one is so hard to grasp. We live in an era where everything we can possible want to know is essentially “right at our fingertips” with the progression of the internet and smartphones. So much so, that many of us have this false idea that EVERYTHING is supposed to be that way. The tough part is that this is by no means how life works. What we want is not always what we get, and in many cases not what we deserve. More importantly, we don’t get what we want when we want it. One of things I constantly have to remind myself is that I’m running on God’s time and not my own. No matter how much planning and scheduling I do in an attempt to make sure things go the way I think they should, in the end the only things that will be done, are those that fall within His will for my life. Just because He tells me “No” today, does not mean that we will never achieve that goal we are working at, or that we will never get that position we’ve been wanting, it just means it may not happen today. When this does happen, if we get stuck in that “stinkin’ thinkin” mindset, then we will only further prolong the victory.

With all of this in mind and weighing on us daily, it can be so hard to just keep moving, but the prayer is that you are able to find some encouragement and strength in your daily walk. Find something or someone that will step in and let you know that the victory is yours, and all you have to do is stay the course. No matter how stressful, tired, or overwhelmed you get, just take a moment to regroup, maybe even shed a tear or two, but keep moving. Keep your head up and your eyes focused on the prize and He will carry you through.

Brianna GrantComment