2018: The wait continues...

As we come to the end of a calendar year, it’s normal to reflect, and as a believer it’s natural to seek the Lord for a word. Many times we desire a new year to mean something new for us, but as one of my dear sisters stated recently in an Instagram post, “our God works in seasons...not years...”

This post is not a word for everybody, I am simply sharing what the Lord has spoken concerning my life (and perhaps there is something you can take from it). 2018 does appear to be a year of release for some, a year where those who have faithfully served the Lord in the wilderness will begin to step into the promises He has spoken over their lives...

However, for me, 2018 is a year of more waiting.

12 months

Do you know, it has taken me the WHOLE of 2017 to FULLY recognise where I am in my process and accept it. 12 months! I actually can’t believe it. This explains so much; why I’ve had so many internal difficulties this year, and why I have wanted and expected Abba to say more or give me more instructions than He has, but also why He hasn’t.

Since September 2015, I have been in what I call the Public Exclusion phase. This phase is equivalent to Jesus in the grave, Joseph in prison, Moses in Midian. It is a phase where from the outside looking in your life lacks lustre and it would seem that all your choices of obedience to God have led to nowhere. However, this phase is also equivalent to the cocoon; it is the final training ground before the Lord releases you, it is the final place of transformation before you emerge as a butterfly.

Faithful with a few

I believe 2018 is a year of stewardship for me. Yes, this has already begun, but I believe there is more of an intent with regards to stewardship attached to my next year. You know how Joseph was given an administrative role whilst in prison (Genesis 41:21-23), and how Moses was a faithful shepherd over his father-in-law’s flock (Exodus 3)? Well, this is the kind of faithfulness I see Abba wants me to apply to my season.

Although I have known I’ve been in Exclusion for the past 2 years, I have spent this past year in particular standing at the prison door waiting for the guard to let me out (figuratively speaking)... However, what I didn’t realise was that although some aspects of my responsibilities during this phase were already in place, others required this year to unfold before I would discover what they were. In other words, I was thinking it was time to come out of prison, when actually, we were just getting warmed up!

Now that these roles have now been uncovered, I can finally ACKNOWLEDGE, ACCEPT and APPRECIATE where I am, and be faithful with all that He has given me charge over in this season. Yes, this may not be my final destination, but I know Abba wants me to serve as faithfully as if it were.

Clarity of purpose

Though I have been really slow to listen and heed what Abba has been telling me this WHOLE year, one thing is for certain, I have come to understand the call of God for my life with the most clarity I’ve ever had. As the Holy Ghost has uncovered and refined my 3-part mandate, my desire to be the transformed vessel He needs has continued to grow.

Although I have whinged for the majority of this year, looking forward into 2018, I couldn’t be more grateful for the fact that He has me where He does. Mature sons don’t complain; therefore, my complaining was only evidence that the Lord still has more work to do in me. But one thing I can now say for sure, is that I am resolved to leave behind such childish things in 2018.

New Years Resolution

So as some move forward and step into “bigger and better”, I will rejoice with them but choose to be content with my portion.

2018 for me is not a year of bigger and better, but a year of small and faithful stewardship.🙌🏿🤸🏾‍♀️🙏🏿