#FreshVision-Refocusing My Focus

I so look forward to Blog Hop Thursdays. Perhaps because I enjoy writing even if it's not the best. :P
Every week I am one week behind in a chapter. Life has been shaking out that way. 

At first I was so upset about it and tempted to beat myself up for my lack of personal organization in keeping up with such a simple online study, but each time I went for my book to try and catch up, I have felt held back. 

At first I thought it was Satan trying to discourage me, but when the next week would come, I'd have the confidence and courage to pick up the book again and read my one week behind chapter.

Funny how we can have a weekly plan rolled out, something that is meant to be corporately done, on the same page and yet God has something else in mind entirely. As a heads up, this blog post is going to be a little scattered since I am covering two subjects so hopefully it's not too confusing to follow. :)

Last week I mentioned being in chapter 5 while most were then on 6. Well surprise, I caught up with chapter six THIS week haha. (Yesterday I did read chapter 7 to stay in line with the blog hop topics. :) ) I had a great weekend. Birthday celebrations, including my own, and Labor Day fun. 

I woke up Tuesday morning and got a text from one of my bosses announcing she was letting me go because of financial struggles. Understandable. Yet I am left losing even MORE hours. What on earth? I did some cleaning to get my mind refocused, and then had some breakfast while I read my devotional.
The verse of the day:

"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion;        

 therefore I will wait for him.'"

~ Lamentations 3:24

A whole devotional on waiting on God and allowing Him to be my portion in this time of waiting for what's coming in my future. AWESOME.

I got to work and while the kids were napping I opened my book and read through chapter 6. Oh. my. word. This chapter spoke to so much of what I am feeling! Even the title, "If It Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Worth Doing". Storytime. :)

Labor day I spent some time with a couple friends, something that was unplanned and a surprise since I didn't realize the extent of the company. It left me feeling uneasy. Out of place. As if I was trying to squeeze and force myself into something that was no longer, me. 

I have been changing and maturing in good ways! Hanging out with a previous crowd that I haven't spent time with in awhile showed me that. I am in a different phase of life. Grasping onto the new and trying to cling to the old is not God's best for me.

I continued reading about "Purpose, Perspective, and Persistence" which gave me a boost in confidence that my prayers Tuesday morning over both incidents were being heard.

"A real sign of spiritual maturity is looking to God not for comfort and 

convenience but for purpose and perspective."

"Provision, Protection, Process". The portion that spoke directly my heart after discouraging news.

  

"How can He be our Ultimate Provider if we aren't ever lacking and in need?" 

"Anytime we have to take a break from something we really enjoy, it's hard." 

That is so true. The change of seasons happen and become even more frequent the older we get. It's how we respond to those that gives us direction to where we're going to be in the next one.

With my one situation, I need a #freshvision of relationships and friendships. This doesn't mean throw out every previous friendship, but reevaluate it. Is it harming me? Is it helping me grow? Is it encouraging? Is it bringing me down? Is it uplifting? Is it spiritually edifying? Is it steering me away or towards Christ?...

As for finances, I can choose at this crossroad to ignore the provision, protection, purpose, and perspective. Or I can use this time in my life, these trials and struggles to be persistent in the process God has me going through to be more like Him. I can move forward with #freshvision and set aside the world's enticements to live in the moment.

God has His special way to speak to our hearts and let us know what project He's tackling in us. He especially will use His Word to reinforce a lesson, even if He has to use it twice in the same day for confirmation as he did with this familiar verse of Lamentations 3:24, found tucked away in the Process paragraph of chapter 6:

             "I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion;        

      therefore I will wait for him."

Will you wait on Him with me?

More in this series:

Our Dreams, God's Will 

#YestoGod: When God Says Let Go

#StickWithIt: When God Is Speaking... 

I Said #Yes to God

With love and compassion,