...when expectation meets reality...

So where do you find yourself today? I have gone through a few challenges in the past 24 hours, past week, past month...mainly how do I respond to the HS when he is changing paradigms in my life. It's been tough, but good!

I feel like I've been in a season where Yahweh has been establishing his leadership in my life. It has been a time of allowing the HS to examine my heart, motives, loves and surrendering them to Him. It has been a time of burning up the wood, hay and stubble. I Corinthians 3 reveals some of what I'm talking about. "11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

I don't know that I can communicate clearly the swell of emotions I feel in my heart...as I've said before...It's been tough, but good!

I described this to my friend Becca Potter awhile back, by saying that I feel like I've been in a season of "pregnancy" and that many times in the past I have failed to trust God at the HOW in my life. And that I felt, as I looked back, that those moments were like a "still birth". Becca presented a different perspective that surprised me when she said it. She wondered if those seasons were times that God has used to stretch me. To prepare me. Just like a woman's body changes to allow for the birth of a beautiful new baby. And in fact weren't still births at all.

And this has stayed with me...swirling just upon the surface of these hard times. And it has been a sweet reminder to me. I went on a fiery walk at midnight the other night as I was processing things with my wife, family and Abba. I was being stretched to what I felt was a breaking point. And as the walk ended about an hour later, I had a sweet revelation from the Lord. What do I want to hear from Him. What are the most important words that could rest so sweetly on my ears? I reflected on the parable of the talents. And prayed out that I may be found faithful to the Father with every aspect of my life. I want to be a wise one who will have loved Him completely! I want to find the secret treasures of His heart...the gold, silver and precious stones! I want to continue to wrestle with this "self" and allow Him to work in me, out of a place of weakness.

But most importantly...I long beyond all things to hear the words, "WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL ONE!"

That would be an awesome reality!