The Spirit of Indecision (Part 2)

Indecision - the feeling that you are unable to make a decision. As I look at the definition, indecision can be a good thing or a bad thing. It can be a good thing especially if we're yielding to the will of God. It can be a bad thing if we're indecisive and decide to take matters into our hands.

The focus of this blogpost is about the spirit of indecision and having what we believe in put to the ultimate test. I believe when your belief (or should I say your faith) is challenged, it will determined if you will be true to what you believe or will you just fall to the place of indecision. Another factor to consider is when your faith is challenged, it will determine if it even holds up in the first place. Just because you believe in something, doesn’t mean it’s the right thing. When it really is the right thing, you will be put to the test. Many will fall into indecision and take matters into our own hands (some will get emotionally tied to it). I’ve fallen into this at times, so if I’m not talking about you, I’m talking about me.

Now, many things are happening around us. And you would question why you are in the place you’re at right now. You feel paralyzed by fear, panic, indecision, and the list goes on. Can you just stop for a moment? While you’re in that feeling of fear, panic, indecision, the devil is loving every moment of this because if you stay in it too long and no one is around you to encourage you, pray for you, you will become a casualty. You see, just because you have a strong belief in something doesn’t mean you’re immune from having it being put to the test. The devil, who is the god of this world, governs this world by fear, lies and poverty. The devil needs partners to agree with him to keep as many people in the spirit of indecision and its cousins. This is why we need agreement partners strong in faith (that’s for a blog to come shortly, so stay tuned for that). In order to prepare for what’s to come, break the spirit of indecision by yielding to the will of God because I guarantee you, if you don’t, you will waste what’s remaining of your life.

Lord, Where Are You

Hebrews 11:1 says now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Many people have heard many interpretations of that verse. For this post, we’re going to focus on having a faith in Him that will carry us when we go through a period of testing and trials in life. At the very end, I’m going to share a little of my struggle during the course of writing my novel, and I wondered where the Lord was.

If we looked at the three Hebrew boys in Daniel 3; you’ll find them at the point where they’re about to be thrown in the fire. Let’s focus closely where they tell the king that our God is able to deliver us from the fire and from the king. They were determined that God will deliver them from their trouble. You have to admit that the boys had a faith that was on point. And you have to admit that this was a trial that would cost them their lives. Because they responded to the king that they weren’t going to bow down to him, the furnace was seven times hotter. The king’s men bound them up and prepared them for the furnace, now watch this: the king’s men ended up in the fire. As a result, the three boys fell into the fire. Let’s pause for a minute. Where’s God in all of this? When we’re in the middle of a crisis, we tend to ask, Lord, where are you. Hopefully, after reading this, you won’t have to ask where He is (or encourage somebody who needs to know God is with them). The three boys weren’t initially delivered from the king or the fire. It was when they were in the fire that God walked with them. Sometimes God won’t deliver us when we’re going through a test or a trial. He will wait till we’re in it to deliver us. What we have to do is to have God’s Word in our heart and a faith that He is with us at all times. With that said, we must have a faith that He will deliver us in His time.

You might have gone through something in your life, and wondered where the Lord was. There’s a possibility that you went through it and weren’t delivered, not because He doesn’t love you or doesn’t care about you; you were chosen to make a serious impact around you. Think about this, when God walked with the three Hebrew boys, what happened? They were called out, and the king worshipped the true & living God. That’s serious. You are a survivor of something unique that can have a positive impact on someone else’s life and the devil doesn’t like you at all. If he can keep you in further torment, you won’t make an impact around you.

The devil wants you to bow down to him. And that’s typically how he’ll do it. He’ll threaten you to comply so you won’t make an impact. Now, I’m not saying that you have to willingly endure hardships. God will allow it for His purpose (though the devil wants to destroy you).

In Genesis 39, when Joseph was thrown in the pit, you’ll find it stated multiple times that the Lord was with Joseph. Potiphar’s wife lied on him (a trap from the devil). If Joseph gave in, his impact to Egypt would’ve been stifled. But Joseph did the right thing and still faced another hardship due to the lie of Potiphar’s wife. God will still with Him and was given favor in prison. God wants you to know that He’s with you in your darkest hour and that you believe He will deliver you and provide for you; but you have faith that He is will you and you are not forgotten. Have faith in His Word, His will for your life, and He will take care of you.

Now let’s pause for a moment. Think back to when you last said, Lord where are you? What was going on in your life? Was it a financial setback? Was someone trying to harm you physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually? Were you let go from your job? Did you lose your child via a miscarriage? And you needed the Lord the day before yesterday.  Of course, there are many more scenarios that I didn’t mention where you needed the Lord the day before yesterday. When you were in this scenario, you were praying, fasting, asking someone to intercede for you, or probably running away from God in anger. Does that sound accurate? Even though all of that occurred, God came through at the last minute (in our eyes, of course). What’s the message here, God knows what’s best for us and wants to have a faith in Him that He is with us no matter what we’re dealing with in life (whether good or bad).

As I promised, here’s what I went through. During the time of writing my novel, I faced something that almost took my life and I wondered where God was at a desperate time of need. Late last year, I experienced the breakup of a friendship. To me it was devastating and I really wanted a relationship with her. I felt that my life was over and I seriously contemplated ending my life. I asked God almost every night, where was He and to take these feelings from me. I was literally left alone (with the exception of very few friends who really prayed for me), for people were abandoning me leaving me to deal with this on my own (and some probably didn’t want to pray for me). I struggled with that for about 4 months until the time I submitted my novel to my editor. The novel wasn’t the cause for me feeling that way, it was the relationship going wrong. I felt like everything was my fault (and granted, people inside & outside the church were saying it was my fault and that I need to deal with it). God showed me that He was with me through it all and it showed during the writing of the novel. If you have a copy of my novel, look at the acknowledgments and you’ll find that was very personal to me. If I had given up, like the devil wanted me to, you all wouldn’t have a novel (and believe me, the devil would’ve been ecstatic if had not been released). I thank you all for receiving my novel so graciously, and most importantly, I give God praise for the strength and being with me through writing it. With that, I want to thank my editor and copyeditor for being my friends through it. You two had to hear me my cries the most (apart from the Lord, of course).

In closing, when we ask the Lord, where is He; remember He said in His Word, that He will never leave us no forsake us. It may not seem like He’s there when we want Him to be, but He’s always there. He’ll show up in His time when we’re in a difficult situation. Most cases, it’s to build our faithfulness in Him, and for us to strengthen someone else after we’ve made it through. Now I have to thank God because He has really strengthened me after releasing my novel. Someone else can say that they have been strengthened by Him after gone through something traumatic. Don’t let the devil lie to you saying that He’s forgotten about you. But remember, we have choices to make and we must learn to make Godly choices under pressure. Even if we make unrighteous choices, we repent and He will still be with us. Now the question we really should be asking is not where God is; but asking where we are. Most of the time, we’re hiding like Adam & Eve from the Lord. He wants us to run to Him (whether we sin or not). Let’s stop our hiding and find refuge in a God who loves us, who is with us and wants us to be faithful to Him alone.

The Power of Relationships

Many people say that people are in our lives for a reason, season, or a lifetime. If we carry this attitude in our relationships with people, we can miss a lot of blessings. It can also breed selfishness. Why do I say this? If we have a spirit of love towards everyone, we don’t have to spend all of our time focused on how long a person is in our life. Most people classify people like that is because they have a motive of their own. This is not to condemn anyone; we should always have a spirit of love and generosity towards people. No matter how long a person stays in your life, treasure the time with them and don’t cut them off unless you really need to regulate or terminate the relationship (especially if they’re taking you down a path that’s contrary to Scripture). Sadly, we terminate relationship because of trivial things (I could write the numerous trivial things, but it’s not relevant to this post) and our own selfishness. Think about it, Jesus didn’t cut Judas out of His life. Judas cut himself off by betraying Him and taking his own life. Jesus really wanted Judas to repent and He still showed compassion towards him.

If the truth be told, the Kingdom of God is centered on relationships. Yes, He is the Lord of the Harvest but we need to understand that our breakthrough, our increase, our open and closed doors are hinged on someone. Many times we miss that blessing because we don’t want to get along with people or we’re judging them because they appear different than you. Some of us are holding on to Bitterness, Unforgiveness, and Grudges (what I call the BUG syndrome), which is a great hindrance to our blessings. What we need to understand is that the one who annoys you totally can be the very one who has your breakthrough. This is why we need to follow God’s lead and not our own! Let’s look at Luke 6:38, it says “Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall MEN give into your bosom.” Notice that it didn’t say shall God. I need to say this: sometimes we miss a blessing because of pride. Someone reading this post needs to swallow their pride and ask for help or prayer, or not look down on people because they don’t have a title. Some of those people you look down on could actually have your blessing. Remember pride goes before destruction. That selfish spirit of “I can do it by myself” or “I’m to have all the answers” needs to go! In summary of this paragraph, there will be people who mistreat you. Don’t think for one minute that it’s not God. They could be, but we need to learn to get along with others and relate to people (now I’m not saying to kiss up to people – many of you know me and how I feel about that). Always remember, the righteous will never be forsaken!

Another problem is that we’re trying to determine our blessings on our own terms. Most blessings come when we are united with other brothers and sisters as we’re helping each other with our God-given assignments. And to think, God gave us all of the resources we need. He didn’t drop anything from the sky. A little side-note: there will some people who will be complacent and not put their hands to the plow when it comes to their assignment, while still praying for a blessing from God. He can do all things, but He won’t do your assignment for you. As I just mentioned, He has given us the resources so we can complete our respective assignment. My assignment affects you, and your assignment affects me and they both make us better and more effective to the world.

In closing: relationships are critical. Always treat people with respect and with God’s love. Philippians 2:3-4 says this: Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own.

This is why we need to be led by His Spirit (walking and living by faith) and not be moved by what we see in front of us!

Author Spotlight (Sheri Henry-Harrigan)

This week, the author spotlight is on Sheri Henry-Harrigan.

Sheri Henry-Harrigan  is an author and publisher for her company Diamond Studded Publications which was founded in 2012. She has one short story and two flash fiction titles published under the pen name MzSheriBaby. They are Tales of the Broken Hearted, Tangled Desires and Da Streetz Don't Luv Me Like She Do. She is currently working on 4 projects including her first screen play. Sheri also is a promoter. She promotes authors works via social media. 

She is a wife and the mother of a two year old son. She is currently a student at John Jay college of Criminal Justice in New York, New York expected to graduate in 2013. She resides in New York City. 

Getting Down To Kingdom Business

I’m learning as I get older that a real friend is one who will take time out of their busy schedule to pray for you and your concerns (especially if it's Kingdom business and concerns the heart of God - which is a person's eternal soul). If you believe that He's not willing that any should perish, then we should have the same fervor and pray for these lost souls. There's a harvest out there, get from the walls of your church, your "they're cutting into MY blessing," and reach out to them.

It's a tragedy when we don't go out to the world and help somebody else. We ridicule abused victims, those who aren't living large like the leaders. It's all about "self gratification and how many numbers we can get into a church." We forsake their soul in the process. You can call me a cynic, but it's the truth whether you want to admit it or not. Where's the evangelism? I'm willing to believe a friend of mine when he says this: pastors are so introverted into their own church that they never reached out and refused to even try. There is no unity in reaching out to lost souls. How can a pastor walk out of a church when we bring up the idea of reaching out to souls who are hurting, abused, dying and lost? What kind of an example is this? We have the power of God in us; it's time for us to stop keeping it to ourselves. We all need help and encouragement. No one person is immune from attacks, and I don't care how spiritual you are. (I know, it looks like I'm doing my blog now). Anyway, we need leaders who are on fire for the Lord, focused on His will and not trying to hoard talents for the church, sapping resources for that church. We are to share it with everyone. There should be NO lack in the church. Again, the harvest is plentiful. I say no more. If I have to go it alone, then I will. But we're going to have a lot of blood on our hands if we don't change. This spirit of, egocentrism, holier than thou, ignorance, and competition for self-aggrandizement needs to go. We can say we love God, but turn around and say "forget those who need prayer, I'm better than them anyway." This ignorance is sending people to hell first class! One reason (and there are plenty more) why the church isn’t being effective is because we’re too busying quarreling over who the next president is going be versus seeking and saving the lost. Another reason is we’re arguing over petty things. Example: One is considered “anti” if you argue with someone or disagree in the slightest when it comes to church. Think about this: if you are professing to be a church for Christ, why is talking about Jesus in your church so taboo? Why is a man (living or dead) exalted higher than Jesus in your church?

I believe with all of my heart that someone needs a divine revelation of the reality of heaven is AND a divine revelation of the reality of hell is. The world needs us to perform if we are calling ourselves Christians. Someone is coveting our prayers. If you want to be richly blessed, bless someone else.

His Hand Is On You

It’s my prayer that you are reading this and you’re feeling well today. If not, take comfort in this post. If you’re like me, you’ve gone through something traumatic in your life (and probably still are) where you feel that your life was sifted from you and/or has caused you to put your life on hold. As a result, you are either living in fear or indecision. You can overcome by praising God for the fact that you're still alive, and you are here with a God-given purpose. What was supposed to sift you out or caused you to put your life on hold didn't kill you, so that means God has His hands on you even though you wonder why you had to go through. Feel free to ask Him why, He loves you. There are probably a lot more questions going through your mind, and it’s totally understandable. I dedicate this blog post to anyone who has gone through a traumatic past and is still trying to get through it (or has gotten through it).

I want to extend my hand to you in friendship and in love. I understand that you might have felt alone at times wanting to give up in life. That was my life (and I’ll put this out and say I struggle with it too). Your past may not be my past, but mine was traumatic and I’m sure yours was too. That’s one thing we have in common. Just know that we’re on this road to recovery together and He has His hands on you.

I know there are going to be some people who read this and ridicule me; I’m cool with that (considering I’m used to it). The one thing remains though, I’m still alive and so are you. They tried to kill us, but we’re still here. We have scars, but we’re still here. I hope you were able to at least smile or cry tears of joy. Believe me when I say, it’s OK to cry. Sometimes you have to on this road to recovery.

I know there are times when we’ve tried to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, know that we can’t do this alone. We need each other on a horizontal level (and say I need help), and we need to say to God that we need help. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, discern who to ask for help (because not everybody will have your best interest at heart). The unique thing about us considering we’ve survived what we did, is that we have sympathy for others (which is lacking in this world today). Everyone today is so selfish and out for themselves. And to add insult to injury, there are those who haven’t gone through what you did, and they tell you either to “get over it,” or “so what if I didn’t go through what you did; you need to grow up.” As a result, you end up feeling like a second-class citizen. I understand there are those who have good intentions, but they will never understand what you feel if they haven’t lived through what you had to.

A word of encouragement: if you make it out before me, help me out; and I’ll do the same vice versa. We’re in this together.

I don’t know who has heard this, but I’m sure an evil spirit will tell you that Jesus was raped (which He was), but He didn’t say a word, so that means you shouldn’t say a word now that you made it out (or you should’ve allowed it to continue without saying a word). This is totally misinterpreting the Scripture. Your voice needs to be heard. If more voices are raised, we can truly change the world to wrong the rights. If we abused victims are accountable, the abusers, the people who neglected us need to be accountable. There must be a balance, wouldn’t you agree? For many of you, your stories have touched me deeply and I want to say right here and right now that I love you and that I will always have your back. If you need an ear (in most cases, many of us know the answers to some of the questions in our mind and just need to get what’s in our heart and spirit out), just let me know and I’ll listen.

One lingering question you might have, why did I go through what I did? Well, we may not know the answer right now. But I am willing to believe that you’re still alive to either share your testimony to someone who’s about to go through what you did (or is trying to find a way out of their pain), or you are to write a book, and the list goes on. I don’t know who that is for along with this. You may have a ministry to teenagers, or a ministry geared to men (if you’re a man) or women (if you’re a woman). And the fact you’re still here to share your story is proof that He has His hands on you. I hope right now you can raise your hands towards heaven and say thank you Jesus for allowing me to stand here today.

I know what you went through has caused you to either live in fear or wanting to not pursue your childhood dreams. You might even feel that your life is on hold. I understand totally. Because you’re still here and on the road to recovery, take a moment to find out what is your greatest passion in life and what is your greatest talent (meaning: you know deep down inside you’re good at it? Once you find that out, pursue it and God will bless you (because His hand is on you). Acknowledge Him as you’re on that path.  I also know that your healing isn’t an overnight thing, it’s a process. God understands and will heal you in due time. Meanwhile, pursue your unique calling from Him, because the world needs your gift (and it’s not your body, OK). Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

In closing: shake off your fears and don’t be afraid to live. It’s my prayer that this post encourages you. Feel free to comment (if you want to remain anonymous, please do so). Your destiny from God is waiting for you. Don’t worry about failing. You will fall down, just get up and know that His hand is on you.

Author Spotlight (Tamika L. Sims)

It's been a while since I've done an author spotlight and I still intend to keep this going. I'd like to turn your attention to an author who wrote a powerful book in my opinion entitled "The Plus Factor." If this book doesn't move you, I don't know what will. Hopefully, I will be able to write a book with her to be released late next year. Anyway, the author spotlight for this week is my sister & fellow author Tamika L. Sims.

Tamika Sims, a South Carolina native, survived a physically, emotionally, and sexually abusive relationship of eight years. Tamika used the pain and suffering endured to write the book The Plus Factor an autobiographical account of her journey from tragedy to triumph. Tamika currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for the DH White Center for Women and The Abigail Project whose mission is to empower, educate, and equip.

She believes strongly in volunteerism, civic engagement, and serving in her local community. Tamika has received trainings in the following subjects and more: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children, and Domestic Violence in the Faith Community.

Tamika received the Bachelor's of Science Degree in Information Technology from South University - Columbia.

She enjoys writing, reading, music, singing, and is a self-proclaimed coffee lover! Family and friends are most important to her and she devotes a substantial amount of her time to develop sustaining relationships with them.

Tamika is inspired by the writings of Eleanor Roosevelt, one of her favorite quotations is, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." 

Synopsis of her book "The Plus Factor:"

The Plus Factor is an autobiographical account of my journey from tragedy to triumph. It describes in vivid detail my life as the victim in my former abusive relationship. I invite the reader to come along and experience the highs and the lows with me throughout my experience and travel with me on my road to healing and rediscovering me. I also provide the reader with an in-depth look into the mind of a batterer, the criminal justice system and how domestic violence impacts the faith community. My abuser was a licensed and ordained deacon in my former church. Therefore, I address the church’s discipline, or lack thereof, or batterers.

Connect with Tamika online:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tamika-L-Sims/369073336479885

www.awriter-spen.blogspot.com

www.goodreads.com/tamikalsims

www.amazon.com/tamikalsims