Embrace the Process!

In my prayer time the other day, I was praying and asking God to help me with some issues that I have repeatedly fallen prey to. I asked Him to help me because my flesh has gotten so weak in this area, even when I know what's right, I still do wrong. I thought to myself...wouldn't life be easy if God could just zap me and make me do the right thing...like all the time? I'm sure we all wish it were that simple...but then God revealed and exposed the microwave mentality of this generation. Think about all of the T.V. infomercials we see..."Lose 700 lbs in 3 minutes! Satisfaction guaranteed!" (and of course I'm exaggerating, but you get me). Think about how much cheaper and convenient it is to eat the wrong food (fast food) versus taking the time to prepare healthy home-cooked food. Think about all of the "get rich quick" schemes that we see on T.V. that promise you can become a billionaire by the end of a month. Seriously? None of these gimmicks have ever proven beneficial, or legit for that matter. God told me that because we've (I've) become lazy and comfortable in this "microwave mentality" we'll (I'll) never see the results or the benefits we truly desire. There is no quick way around anything that's worth having or becoming. My spiritual father tells us all the time that for everything in life, there's a faith process to bring it to pass. Keyword: Process

God told me that as long as I tried to get around the process, I would grow dissatisfied, I would continue wasting time, making it all the more difficult for my flesh to perform and endure the process. Just as there are no legit quick fixes in the natural, there are no quick fixes in spiritual matters either. It takes diligence, commitment, purpose, determination and dependence on the Spirit of God to overcome the flesh. It's wonderful to have a desire to do the right thing. It's wonderful to have a heart that desires to please God and walk upright before Him in thoughts and actions. But until that desire births a willingness to go through the process, that's all it will ever be...a desire. The perfect scriptural illustration of this notion is in Romans when Paul talks about the war between his flesh and his spirit.

Romans 7: 18-19 (Amplified)

18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. (I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.)

19 For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am (ever) doing.

Although Paul desired to do the right thing, he constantly did the wrong thing... Another example of good desires and intentions is when Jesus was in the garden with the disciples and He asked them to stay awake and pray.

Matthew 26: 40-41 (The Answer Bible)

40 Then Jesus went back to His followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "You men could not stay awake with me for one hour?"

41 Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak."

**I especially like the Message translation of this passage**

Matthew 26:40-41 (Message Bible)

40 When He came back to His disciples, He found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Can't you stick it out with me a single hour?"

41 Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."

The Message translation conveys that although the spirit was eager and desired to stay awake and pray, the flesh was lazy!

I was having one of many "life" conversations with my mom earlier this evening and we were talking about where I am right now and where I desire to be. Honestly, where I am right now is a direct product of the decisions I've made. Because I haven't always made the right decisions to feed my spirit man in that weak area, my flesh dominates all the time...EVEN THOUGH I DESIRE TO DO THE RIGHT THING...you see me? Until that desire manifests itself with corresponding action, I'll continue to allow my flesh to reign. I used the Word allow because when I became a new creature in Christ Jesus, I became free from the bondage of sin. I don't owe my flesh anything. However, I have allowed my flesh to reign by not taking the proper spiritual action.

So how do I take the proper steps to overcome my flesh? Well, first of all, let me just thank God for giving me His Word and His Spirit! It always leads me to truth! It always leads me to freedom! Praise God! Ok, back to the steps...First, I must accept the fact that in order for me to manifest my desire, I must acknowledge and accept that it is not going to happen overnight. I will have to go through the process. Period. End of discussion. There is absolutely no getting around that! Secondly, I am going to have to take some practical steps to get my spirit man back in the dominant position. God has led me to fast. (He may lead you to do something else, however, he has led me to fast in order to deny and crucify my flesh and spend time meditating and focusing on His word) Take time reading the word DAILY. Find scriptures concerning your weakness and meditate on them on a daily basis. Pray God's will for your life in that area (by using the scriptures you're meditating on). I am not telling you to read the whole Bible today either. Take baby steps and increase as His spirit leads you to. Take it one day at a time. Thirdly, rely on the Holy Spirit. That's what He's there for... to comfort you, to guide and direct you and remind you of God's Word. One thing I've learned today is that God does not require us to be perfect. He just requires our honesty and openness with Him. He knows all things anyway. But when we come to Him in truth and sincerity and we depend on Him, He takes pleasure in moving on our behalf!

If you desire to lose weight, accept that there's a process that will bring about a healthy and conducive lifestyle so that you can lose the weight AND maintain it. Mentally prepare yourself to endure the process, because the benefits will be life-changing! If you desire financial increase, accept that there's a sowing and reaping process to bring it to past. The get-rich-quick schemes are not fail proof! Trust me...they lied to you! Seek God's word about sowing and reaping and I promise you the benefits will be life-changing!

If you're like me and you desire to please God with your heart, thoughts and actions, accept that there's a process to developing your spirit man. Embrace the process. Start today! Take it one day at a time, studying and meditating on the word of God, renewing your mind. Your actions will manifest what is stronger (your flesh or your spirit). Depend and rely on God in your weakness. He will meet you where you are, but you have to take some corresponding action.

As I end this note, I'm reminded of my high school days in the marching band. My freshman year, I played alto saxophone. ( I was such a geek too! Lol!) Anyway, I remember I had the ugliest, weirdest, decrepit looking saxophone you could imagine. I named it "Old Rusty". It was silver, well not really silver. It looked like scrap metal with buttons on it. Anyway, I was determined to learn how to play that thing to the best of my God-given ability. I would take Old Rusty home and practice everyday. Eventually, my grandmother felt sorry for me and she purchased a new saxophone I later named "Sweet Lily" (by the way Sweet Lily was a beauty!) I would constantly play chromatic scales and I'd rehearse the songs we learned in band class. Everyday, I would practice on it when I got home from school. And honestly, I didn't practice for hours and hours a day. I would practice for maybe 30 mins to an hour at the most, but each and every day I practiced. I taught myself different tricks to strengthen my embouchure, stabilize my breathing to control my notes better and techniques that made my musical ability stand out. My freshman year, I won an award for "Most Improved" band student. My junior and senior year, I switched over to the brass family and decided to play Baritone for Marching band. But I continued to play Alto saxophone for the concert band. I continued to practice and develop my skill and my senior year I was voted "Top Instrumental" Senior Superlative by my fellow senior marching band members. Of course I was honored, but it took hard work and diligence. It did not happen overnight. I had to go through the process.

I encourage you to embrace the process! and more importantly TRUST the process! Know that it will develop long-lasting benefits that will prove solid under pressure. Start today!

God Bless,

Queen