God is not trying to trip you up! There may be stones in your path. Stones that trip and stones that trap. Stones too big for you. But, remember the goal of these stones is not to trip you up but to have you look forward with faith. Some of your best accomplishments in life may come from your worst failures. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! There are people in this world who would gladly trade places with you in a heartbeat. Be careful how you murmur and complain about the things that show up to challenge and strengthen you.
This year for me has created the biggest growth spurt that I’ve ever had personally, financially, and spiritually based solely on the stones that I felt was put in front of me to trip me up. Because I decided to draw closer to God and surrender control, He showed me a person inside that I didn’t know existed. I was like most people who love the Lord. I thought my time and effort spent in praying, meditating, and studying was enough. I was able to discern God’s voice and move about my life with confidence and structure. But what I didn’t know was, deep down inside was a woman who was afraid to truly allow her spiritual side to be seen by too many folk. In my writing and my speaking I chose my words carefully in order to not sound so “religious.” When giving advice and ministering to others, most of the time I would preface my words with, “I’m not a religious person, but I’m spiritual.” I used to think that statement would draw people in more quickly and excuse me from accountability to God for what I said or did. Over this past year I’ve come to realize that authenticity is the key to good communication, whether it’s religious, spiritual, or neither. I can honestly say that my financial, spiritual, and social growth this year has been because I stopped playing small and decided to give God all the credit for my life no matter what setting I found myself. I didn’t just reserve God for Sunday; I carried Him with me wherever I went all week long. I encourage you in this season of life, when we need God more than ever, to please consider the possibility that God is not trying to trip you up! Your stones are there to remind you to look down sometimes at the ones less fortunate than you. It’s so easy to blindly walk through our lives with our heads in the air because all is well. Take your stones today and build a fort of love that shows the world the real you and not your representative.