Well I made it to the party --at least for a few! It was nice to be back! Finding your tribe is so essential to living our full life! (We preached on that at Dad's House last Sunday, in fact!)
This is Five Minute Friday (- a five minute timed free write) and our One Word Prompt for the day is: SLOW
{GO}
The Importance of Knowing How You Are Wired...
You guys! This is so helpful!
This world will push and pull and it will take what it can get... it doesn't really matter what you bring to the table if it is not what is asked of you, right?
So knowing who you are and what is expected is tremendously helpful.
But here's the thing: If we pay no attention to how God wired us, we will be quick to keep pace and we will rush to fill in the gaps. The temptation to be and do things He is possibly not asking of us, in the end, will leave us tired and unsatisfied! If left unchecked and unsupervised, it can leave us burnt out and lost, dizzy with all the not knowing.
This is never His will for us.
(Like, ever.)
You guys! This is so helpful!
This world will push and pull and it will take what it can get... it doesn't really matter what you bring to the table if it is not what is asked of you, right?
So knowing who you are and what is expected is tremendously helpful.
But here's the thing: If we pay no attention to how God wired us, we will be quick to keep pace and we will rush to fill in the gaps. The temptation to be and do things He is possibly not asking of us, in the end, will leave us tired and unsatisfied! If left unchecked and unsupervised, it can leave us burnt out and lost, dizzy with all the not knowing.
This is never His will for us.
(Like, ever.)
I know we say it often in this little corner, but knowing the person that Jesus intended you to be is crucial... because it really doesn't matter what pressure anyone else puts on you --if God is not requiring it or asking you for it, it will not satisfy. Maybe a little, at first. Or maybe we let it begin to define us and it begins to be our identity and ...well, again: If left unchecked and unsupervised, --burnt out and lost, right?
I didn't even realize I had fallen into that trap until the Lord ever so gently pulled me aside a couple of months ago. He sat me down and He leaned in, but He stayed real quiet. I felt His hands on the back of my neck pulling me closer so our foreheads touched and I could feel His breath filling my lungs real slow... stretching to full capacity. I went from being out of breath, to being breathless, and I couldn't help thinking of my OneWord Dwell and how this word was going to teach me of things I already know --but so often forget, this year!
"Just Breathe. Remember?" He whispered soft.
I do... (Well, I do now! I remember now!)
He whispered slow,
"Are you listening now, my dear? This is so important: It is vital that you stay true to who you are and to how I have wired you. Things around you may be wired fast, but you I have intentionally wired slow. Stay intentional and in tune!"It's so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of activity and of doing... and that is not a bad thing. But it can turn into a bad thing if God has not wired you to be Fast*. We are all called to BE first, and then DO. The Doing must come. We are not called to be inactive and passive... complacent and ineffective.
But in all of our Doing, we forget to BE... to Dwell... to pay attention to how we are wired and to realize that God only ever asks us to bring our whole selves to the Table.
He invites us in and His hope is that we will show up, fully being who He designed us to be --for it is only when we do that, that the Table is truly full, and the banquet is ready!
{STOP}
(I'm just going to keep right on going here for a few... since I'm finally sitting in this chair, typing out words and such!)
I have been quieter lately. It's really for a few reasons, but one of the main ones is this:
My OneWord this year? Yeah --He really wants me to DO it... so that I can BE it. That may sound opposite of what I just typed out above, but in 'doing' Dwell, I will fill up and go out and BE His Dwelling place wherever I go.
This is part of my being wired Slow.
As Ann Voskamp says, Life is not an emergency! Oh but it can feel like it, can't it? Everything can feel so urgent and chaotic and for those of us who are wired slow, the temptation can be to hurry up!
When the Lord first began to whisper Slow to me at the beginning of this year, He reminded me that the God who moves inside and outside of time, who holds all of eternity in His nail scarred Hands, is not --not ever-- in a Rush!
When I asked Him about being wired slow, He reminded me of the answer He gave me when I asked who He says that I am. (He said that I am His Heartbeat set to the Rhythm Words.)
As I was pondering that, He added, "You are My exhale."
He went on, "When everything is spinning and it feels like all of the air is being sucked out of the room... I send in you, and you --in your Slow and your Sacred... you breathe in and breathe out, and you are My exhale that releases Calm in the midst of the Chaos and Peace in the midst of Problems."
In this season of my life, I am surrounded by people who are wired differently... some of wired fast, some are slower like me... some are wired for risk, others want to weigh out a matter... and here is the (other) thing: WE MUST HAVE BOTH!
If you are wired fast... RUN!
Feel the wind in your hair and feel the Father's love chasing you!
And if you are wired slow, DWELL!
Sit awhile and simply BE... and feel the Father's Arms wrap around you!
Listen, I don't want to lag behind and slow everything down... and I don't want to rush ahead and be out of step with who God made me to be! The importance of knowing how I am wired is the assurance that I will be in tune and in step with Him and that we will arrive together, at the appointed time!
I want you to show up -- being fully YOU... and I want to have the freedom for me to be fully me! I love how the Lord led me to the visual of coming to the Banquet Table because who wants a buffet of all the same exact thing? We want variety and colors and flavors!
Let us never assume that He isn't longing for that, too!
He created us on purpose, with purpose and my hearts desire is that we will wrap this up in prayer! (Because of course, right?)
Let's take a moment and ask Him, "Lord... I know who You are. Who do You say that I am?"
Wait for His answer... write it down! And then follow up with this: "Lord, I know You have created me to be me... show me how You have wired me and teach me to stay intentional and in tune with that!"
Amen? I'd love to hear what He spoke to your heart!
I have been quieter lately. It's really for a few reasons, but one of the main ones is this:
My OneWord this year? Yeah --He really wants me to DO it... so that I can BE it. That may sound opposite of what I just typed out above, but in 'doing' Dwell, I will fill up and go out and BE His Dwelling place wherever I go.
This is part of my being wired Slow.
As Ann Voskamp says, Life is not an emergency! Oh but it can feel like it, can't it? Everything can feel so urgent and chaotic and for those of us who are wired slow, the temptation can be to hurry up!
When the Lord first began to whisper Slow to me at the beginning of this year, He reminded me that the God who moves inside and outside of time, who holds all of eternity in His nail scarred Hands, is not --not ever-- in a Rush!
When I asked Him about being wired slow, He reminded me of the answer He gave me when I asked who He says that I am. (He said that I am His Heartbeat set to the Rhythm Words.)
As I was pondering that, He added, "You are My exhale."
He went on, "When everything is spinning and it feels like all of the air is being sucked out of the room... I send in you, and you --in your Slow and your Sacred... you breathe in and breathe out, and you are My exhale that releases Calm in the midst of the Chaos and Peace in the midst of Problems."
In this season of my life, I am surrounded by people who are wired differently... some of wired fast, some are slower like me... some are wired for risk, others want to weigh out a matter... and here is the (other) thing: WE MUST HAVE BOTH!
If you are wired fast... RUN!
Feel the wind in your hair and feel the Father's love chasing you!
And if you are wired slow, DWELL!
Sit awhile and simply BE... and feel the Father's Arms wrap around you!
Listen, I don't want to lag behind and slow everything down... and I don't want to rush ahead and be out of step with who God made me to be! The importance of knowing how I am wired is the assurance that I will be in tune and in step with Him and that we will arrive together, at the appointed time!
I want you to show up -- being fully YOU... and I want to have the freedom for me to be fully me! I love how the Lord led me to the visual of coming to the Banquet Table because who wants a buffet of all the same exact thing? We want variety and colors and flavors!
Let us never assume that He isn't longing for that, too!
He created us on purpose, with purpose and my hearts desire is that we will wrap this up in prayer! (Because of course, right?)
Let's take a moment and ask Him, "Lord... I know who You are. Who do You say that I am?"
Wait for His answer... write it down! And then follow up with this: "Lord, I know You have created me to be me... show me how You have wired me and teach me to stay intentional and in tune with that!"
Amen? I'd love to hear what He spoke to your heart!
Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today. Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click HERE to read what others have to say about: "SLOW"
I'm also linking up with the lovely writer community linked below:
I agree with your insights - it is so important to have self-knowledge and awareness! Makes life so much more enjoyable and achievable... great post :)
ReplyDeleteAmen! Thanks so much for stopping by, Emma!
DeleteHi, I love learning how God has made me uniquely for His glory - and accepting others in the same way - a process at times!
ReplyDeleteIt IS a process at times, isn't it? It's so worth the effort and investment, though! Thanks so much for stopping by, Sue!
DeleteThanks for sharing this thought-provoking post. Especially your final question!
ReplyDeleteI have always thought about it in terms that we are uniquely created for the works God prepared for us before the worlds began and it is He that will accomplish them through us, but I never thought about my wiring in how He created me, and how that plays out in my life lived for Him.
Love this! Love how He opens up more and more truth to us as we pursue Him and are willing to use our gifts for the works He has prepared for us to do! Praying He shows you how He wired you and how He intends to partner with you in those unique giftings! Thanks so much for stopping by, Karen!
DeleteYes! I can't help but think of one of my fave songs "Remind Me Who I Am" by Jason Gray. It truly is important to know who we are. I love the sweet reminders God places in my life like the friend who sent me a video by Mayim Bialik where she's talking about being "too emotional." The video reminded my friend of me! Love you sweet friend!
ReplyDeleteI love how He speaks to us in so many ways... He WANTS us to know who we are... He desires to see us step in to all He created us to be --being fully OURSELVES and not play acting like someone else to 'fit'! Love you, friend! Thanks, as always, for stopping by! xoxo
DeleteThis is just so good. Thanks for reminding me to keep checking my word for the year. Ours are very similar. Yours in DWELL and mine is ABIDE. Loved this! You rocked it. (As usual)
ReplyDeleteRight? We can often so easily 'get' a Word and then, come March, totally forget to look for it! I know I need the reminders myself! Of course, I am a huge fan of Abide... and Dwell... and they are so closely connected in the Kingdom! Thanks for hanging out in my little corner of the interwebs here, Karen! xoxo
DeleteWow! I am just blown away from your post! I feel like I need to highlight and print it all out! You spoke right to my heart and I am sure many others.
ReplyDeleteMy one word is RECLAIM. I am in the process of reclaiming and recognizing God's will and call. It is so easy to get lost in the shuffle of it all and our own expectations.
Beautiful post. I am walking away INSPIRED!
Dropping by from FMF (#69)
Blessed by the visit.
Kelly,
DeleteWow! I am just blown away from your comment! ;) (Ya see what I did there?)
RECLAIM --oh my! What an amazing word! Praying for you as you press in and grab hold of all He has for you to reclaim and take ownership of... as well as all He has for you to let go of, too! Thanks so much for stopping by! You are welcome any time!