Written By: Ryan Walters
I’m a devout follower of Jesus, but that does not imply I’ve perfected dialogue with Him.
I still have plenty of moments where I struggle with my perception of what seems to be a monologue with God instead of a two-way conversation.
Interacting with the Divine, of which we’ve been given full VIP access through Christ, is a life-long venture. It is not to be understood in the flick of a switch like a geometric formula. It is to be explored, questioned and sought out like the ongoing endeavor to cure cancer.
As I casually journaled today, per usual for my Saturday morning routine, I heard in my mind words (complete sentences really) that encapsulated godly truths. I’ll get to sharing them in a second, but first a tip. When deciphering whether your thoughts are deriving from God or flesh, just ask yourself, “Who originally declared this thought to be true, if it is indeed true?”
If it’s common that you find yourself attributing thoughts like unworthy, helpless, shameful, fearful, not good enough, unable, stupid, pathetic, addicted, or black sheep to your identity then ask yourself, “Who ascribed those in the first place?” Warning: this could be the turning of the tide for your faith depending on who you believe and trust the God of the Bible to be.
Let me assure you that there are far more patterns of scriptural truth affirming our beloved identity found within the great love of Jehovah than the amount of verses that point out our darkened souls in absence of salvation.
Let me be vulnerable in voicing a recent insecurity of mine. What I thought for the longest time was admiration, was actually envy. The ways in which I ‘looked up’ to prolific pastors and prominent speakers in the Church evolved into “why am I not in their shoes?” For the last two years while not even being remotely conscious of this cognitive-evolution, I began to slowly but surely accept the false truth that I had to fill their shoes to be successful spiritually. The Judah Smith’s & Caleb Eaton’s set a bar of spiritual success in my mind that I had to meet in order to walk into my God-given destiny.
Woof. What a misconception.
So fast forward back to my Saturday routine. It was as if God grabbed hold of my hand and placed the ink onto the paper Himself. He had something to tell me today:
“I’ve already raised you up with Christ, My Son. What more promotion do you need? Just because I give a physical stage and platform to some, does not negate the fact that I have indeed provided you with numerous stages to do My work. You think your work is less important because it is not seen from a stage? Have you forgotten that I refuse to show favoritism? Does My choosing of Jesus’ mother, Mary, to give Him birth classify her as any more chosen than you, My Son? Was your name not on my mind before the creation of this earth just as hers was? Of course not! You are my beloved. And you are valuable beyond comprehension. Accepting your priceless value is an expression of honor to your Creator. I am proud of you and I am delighted in how you love me. Let Me rejoice in My created being, Ryan, for who he is and how I’ve prepared his steps. He need not compare his ministry to that of others. For this will remove the joy of the Spirit in him. The joy that comes from knowing he is Mine and I am His. I love him for who he is and who I made him to be. There is none other like him because he is uniquely and wonderfully made. Have I decided to speak through the prophetic voices of others to a Ryan who dreams of having someone else’s vocation? Someone else’s stage? Surely not! Do not envy what I have given to others. Ryan, you have all that you need right where you’re at to find praise and purpose in. So meet Me there; in the space of being you and nothing more.”
r.w
