Thank God for Growth in 2011: Be Resolved to Continuously Mature in the New Year

The ending of a year always puts me in a place of reflection. 

I like to look back over the months and think about the tests I endured, what I learned, and how I matured.  This time I allowed my mind to drift back over the past couple of years, after I came across an email from 2009 detailing some of the harsh realities of my life during that time.  My eyes bucked and jaws dropped as I read through what I’d written about my life two years ago.  “Wow, God” I whispered to myself as tears filled my eyes. 

I became so emotional, because as I looked back into that moment in time I realized how much I’ve grown and matured in Christ during the passing years that followed.

There are things, places, people, and conversations which were once at the top of my interest list, that no longer tickle my fancy. My paradigm, priorities, passions, pleasures, and plans have changed tremendously as I am developing into the woman God created me to be.

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What God Says about Waiting on Him: Biblical Answers to the Question “How Long?”

I want to share with you something that I recently shared with my blog readers.  This word from the Lord offers encouragement for those of us who are waiting for God’s promises to manifest in our lives, and it seems as if time is passing by and nothing is happening.  The Lord greatly ministered to me when I went to Him concerning my weariness in the wait, and I believe it will minister to you as well.

Waiting can be one of the hardest things to do when you more than want what you're anticipating, but you need it like yesterday. Whether healing in your body, financial increase, restoration in marriage, a job, or deliverance from a situation, I'm sure there's a particular area in each of our lives where we are waiting on God to move. But doesn't it sometimes seem like God is taking forever? Don't you sometimes feel like maybe God forgot about what He said He was going to do for you?

I've certainly been there; quite recently, to be honest.

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Get Rid of Excuses & Move Forward: Maximize Your Potential God’s Way

I can’t believe this year is almost over.  It seems like we were just welcoming in a new year, and here we are, preparing to do it all over again.  Time sure does fly, which means none of us has any time to waste.  I think it’s time for us all to become proactive in getting our lives in order, purposeful in our pursuit of God’s presence in our lives, and passionate about fulfilling His plan for each of us.  As I mentioned in my last article, the cycle of circling has gone on long enough.  It’s time to seriously work through all of the issues in your life that hinder you from stepping out of your common place, and onto the road that leads to your blessed place of purpose and abundant life. 

I believe that the Lord is ready to raise His daughters up, but He needs us to move past our past, get over ourselves, and stop making excuses.  This was a serious process for me, but over the past two years the Lord has tremendously moved by His power in my life, and they’ve been the best years I’ve ever experienced.  Not that I have arrived, or my life is perfect, but because at the close of 2009 I declared that I would not continue on another year with life as I knew it—bound, depressed, and accepting less than God’s best for me. I made a conscious decision to relentlessly work towards becoming the woman God created me to be, my life is better than I ever imagined it could be. 

The last two years of my life have been nothing less than a testament of God’s grace.  I am fully convinced that it does not matter how low you sink, how dark your past, or how great your sin, God will clean you up, and use you for His glory.  If He could do that for me, I know He’ll do it for you.

So where do you start?  I’m glad you asked.

1. Move past your past. Your past is only a prelude to the story of your life.  If you allow yourself to get stuck there, you will never find out how the remainder of the story unfolds.  What happened yesterday does not define who you can be tomorrow, so as much as it may hurt or as shameful as you may feel, there is life beyond it.  It is absolutely impossible to walk forward and look backwards at the same time.  In the Message Bible, Isaiah 43:18 says “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history…I’m about to do something brand new.”  Break free from the chains of your past through the power of Jesus Christ, and allow the Lord to do something new in your life. 

2. Get over yourself. Now before you roll your eyes at me for telling you to get over yourself, hear me out. This was a hard one for me, because I often felt like nobody had it worse than me.  You know, the whole “woe is m” attitude…  I had it bad.  But you know what?  Life happens to everyone; not just you or me.  God hasn’t singled you out to be picked on by the happenings of life.  You’re not the only one who was molested.  You’re not the only one who never had a father or mother.  You’re not the only one who had a baby out of wedlock.  You’re not the only one struggling with addictions.  It’s not just about you.  Realizing this helps to put an end to that pity party you keep getting invited to.  At least it did for me.  Once you understand that the things that happen in your life are not God’s personal attack against you, but can be used to build and develop you, I think you’ll learn to stop feeling sorry for yourself.  Self-pity will begin to cease, and progression towards moving forward will begin.

3. Stop making excuses. It’s as simple as that!  The enemy will always give you reasons why you can’t move forward in life.  He definitely gave me plenty.  But at some point, you have to stop believing what he says about you, and believe what God says.  I want you to erase the following phrases from your mind and vocabulary:

I can’t…

I would but…

It’s just not meant for me…

This is just who I am…

Those are all excuses.  Replace them with positive affirmations.

                        I can…

                        I will…

                        There’s more for me…

                        I don’t have to stay this way…

You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13)  In Christ, there are no excuses, because with Him nothing is impossible.

Purpose in your mind that this will be the last year that you allow yourself to be anything less than who God has destined you to be.  Resolve in your heart that you are going to make the first step towards moving forward, make strides towards tapping into and maximizing the potential that God placed within you before the foundation of the world, and commit to the process.  It’s time to come up.

LaKeisha Rainey-Collins is a wife, mother of two beautiful boys and inspirational blogger. She believes that God has purposed her to use her gift of writing to share her experiences as a Christian woman, wife, and mother, in order to touch the hearts of other women just like her.

Email LaKeisha:
kcollins@eewmagazine.com

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