Refined | October Monthly Blog

Summary

In the month of October, God is releasing upgrades and transitioning people to their most strategic places. He is releasing grace for humility and to release areas of pride and stubbornness. He is refining us in our character and using disappointments and setbacks to grow us into the most refined versions of ourselves. It’s time to partner with Heaven and listen to what God is doing and place your “yes” on His.

Upgrades Incoming

“See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43.19

God is a master chess player.  In this season, you may see Him moving or rearranging people, relationships or roles in your life.  Transition can feel unsettling; especially if we are resistant to it or unprepared for it.  However, we need to understand that God is working things out on our behalf, even working on our issues while we sleep (Isaiah 64.4).  He knows our needs before we tell Him about them.  He knows the dreams within our hearts and He wants us to share them with Him.  This season may look like new jobs, new roles, new relationships, loss of relationships, physical moves, changes, and life restructuring.  All of these changes are for our ultimate good. God  plans to grow us, bless us and advance His kingdom through us.  That doesn’t mean the process of change  will be easy or feel good.  In transition, it is important to be open-handed about the process.  When you’re frustrated or it feels hard, choose to focus on what God IS doing rather than what you don’t see happening.  We must hone our discernment to pick up what God is doing, because He is always at work.  It’s always better to join God where He’s working than try to get Him to join what you’re doing! Good things are happening, but your perspective and  old beliefs may prevent you from seeing that.  Focus on the good that you do see and stay open-handed to however God wants to accomplish His purposes. 

God is aligning hearts and vision for His purposes, bringing like minded people together.   There is a synergy and strength in their collective efforts. He is moving His people to a more strategic location on the chess board of life.  Even though there are some goodbyes that will happen during this time, it is for everyone’s best.  God has the aerial 40,000 foot view that we may not yet be able to perceive.  When you don’t understand what is happening, spend time in His presence, asking for His perspective on the situation.  

There is an invitation for an upgrade on the way we see in the spirit.  God is releasing peace along this journey to guide you in the changes. This word is for people that are feeling the struggle of transition.  They may have been feeling their relationships change and not quite understand the big picture.  They may have felt quite tired, emotional, sad or excited recently (even all in the same day).  They may feel like there are lots of moving parts in their life right now...because there are!  Focus on the good things you see.  Hold onto the promises that God has given you, and put your faith in His goodness.  He has given you or He will give you a word that will carry you through this season.  Ask Him what the word is if you don’t already know.  Cling to that word when things feel confusing.  Upgrades are just around the corner! 

Graceful Humility

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4.6

We have all encountered pride before-whether it is in ourselves or in others.  It is ugly and it often looks like stubbornness, unwillingness to hear another viewpoint, or not being open.  Pride is often deeply rooted in fear. We can project pride and arrogance when we feel inferior or insecure.   Pride can be subtle and insidious and it may be shocking to you that you have any pride in your heart.  Pride may also manifest as stubbornness.  God spoke a sobering truth through Samuel to Saul in 1st Samuel 15.23:
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.” 

Could God mean here that stubbornness is like idolatry because at its core it is worship of self?  Pride or stubbornness elevates what we think or believe over what others think or believe or even what God is communicating to us.  Before excluding yourself from this category, have you ever discounted something God said because you didn’t want to do it?

God is uncovering some surprising places in us that pride has been hiding.  Our circumstances are allowing God to shine a light on areas of our lives that we may not have realized that we were being rigid or motivated by fear.  These hiding places may even be good or godly things: like knowledge of Scripture, confidence that you’re right, or even what you believe a Bible verse means.  God’s grace is available as He shines His healing light on places we weren’t able to see clearly before.  This word might be for you if you feel like you are quite rigid on some things.  Things in your life might have felt hard lately-like you’re facing lots of opposition, or maybe it’s been a while since you’ve surrendered to the Lord your plans, your ways. Our part is to surrender to God our hearts that they might be searched, just as David did in Psalm 139 (and throughout the Psalms). In the process of surrendering, be open if God is leading us in a new different way than we might have initially thought was best.  God can use us if we humble ourselves, but He can’t use us if we’re set in our ways and not open to feedback or correction.  

Refined

“We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. But we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope.”  
Romans 5.23

There are seasons when we feel like we heard God, we stepped out in faith and obedience and then things didn’t go smoothly or progress like we expected or wanted them to.  It can feel  confusing, frustrating, and even defeating when this happens.  However, this doesn’t necessarily mean we missed it.

There are limitless reasons why this may happen, but spiritual warfare tops the list.  During these times, it’s important to lean into God’s leading. We must stand firm when things become challenging. A trial doesn’t necessarily mean we did something wrong or that God is closing a door. Sometimes, it simply means we are facing spiritual opposition. These challenges or delays can yield good fruit in us if we allow them to.  Both James and Romans reference these types of seasons.  What fruit can these seasons yield?  Perseverance, maturity, completion, lacking nothing, character and ultimately hope.  When everything is smooth sailing we don’t have to work on our character very much, but the Bible tells us to rejoice when we face trials because they grow us

It is time for the body of Christ to step away from “microwave culture.” We must dig in deep, lean into the Presence of God, and do the deep heart work. We’re called to live a life  that’s set apart--a life of perseverance and longevity, not one where we receive everything in nanoseconds. Developing character takes time and endurance, which is vastly different from our instant “microwave culture” that wants to bypass the process of growth. 

Jesus promises us that we will have trouble, but to rest assured that we are on the winning team (John 16.13). 

God is inviting the body of Christ into a new level of maturity and character development.  He is with us in the trials, for we are never alone!  This season is  a time of applying what we’ve learned, digging in, and remaining faithful.  Memorize Scripture.  Worship. Pray without ceasing.  This word is for those that feel like they have suddenly come up against a battle (even though they’ve been obedient to God’s leading).  Stop complaining.  Be faithful.  Stand firm.  Do what is required of you to move forward while listening to God’s leading. At the end of this chapter, you will feel closer to God if you choose to draw near to Him now.  

Partnering with Heaven

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
Hebrews 1.14

Often, we can feel overwhelmed at the injustice in the world and like the things that are wrong are too big or impossible for us to do anything about. We can be paralyzed into inaction.  God is able, and prayer is  an opportunity and an invitation for us to partner with God’s will for the earth.  The Bible tells us that angels are sent to assist us, and therefore I believe in part their role is to answer our prayers.  It is always important for believers to pray.  I think it can be challenging at times to know how to pray, or to know God’s will in a certain situation.  One method of prayer when we are at a loss for how to pray is to pray in the spirit.  The Bible tells us that when we do that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.  Romans 8.26-27 tells us “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

At times like these it is important to remember that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1.37), if God is for us who can be against us (Romans 8.31) and that He’s sent angels to help us and carry out His will (Hebrews 1.14).  As God is revealing things to us and giving us eyes to see and ears to hear we must cling to our knowledge of Him and His ways.  What is His good, pleasing and perfect will in each situation?  How is He leading us to pray about what He’s shown us?  God is not hopeless about any situation, so if we are feeling hopeless, we need to spend time in His presence until we feel peace again.  This word is for people that have felt like their prayers were not powerful or like they were too overwhelmed to even know how to pray.  God wants to fill them with fresh hope, anticipation, and expectancy as God partners with them in prayer.   As situations arise in your lives, be intentional about seeking the Lord or praying in the Spirit if you don’t know how to pray.  Pray regularly over situations and people in your  lives that need it.  

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Blog written by Anne E. Ballard