I have made such a sweet life for myself here in Fayetteville. Well, scratch that, I don’t deserve any credit. It was actually the good Lord who introduced me to beautiful Fayetteville falls (the trees you guys I mean come ON), razorback football, warm & welcoming coffee shops, & friends who have radically changed my life. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend the past four years.
God did a 180 on my life when I moved here. For the first time, I saw what life is like completely surrendered to Him. I have experienced the fullness of His grace & mercy & a joy unlike any I have ever known. I was introduced to many trials that I got through on His strength & His strength alone & these trials brought me through valleys that made the mountaintops so much sweeter.
He placed me in a community that taught me how to love others like Jesus would. He gave me pals that radically challenged me, fully accepted me, & helped me up when I fell flat on my face (which I did a lot, both emotionally & physically HA). Through them, I have learned the power of accountability, prayer, grace & a friendship built on the sturdiest foundation of all, Jesus Christ.
Safe to say I have made myself quite comfortable here & honestly I am terrified of leaving. There I said it. I’m currently in the throws of an in-between season. I’m wrapping up my college career all the while preparing for my next adventure. I am wrestling with wanting to boldly follow His will for my life, but dreading watching the door to these sweet four years close behind me.
Can I be completely honest with you? I think that the root of all of this apprehension of the future is the fear that God will somehow change. That maybe He’ll stop leading, stop providing, stop loving. Like His faithfulness is somehow contingent on wherever my location is on Earth. I know this is absolutely ridiculous & such an irrational fear, but it’s real & it’s been slowly creeping into my thoughts since August.
BUT then of course God radically interceded & turned my heart away from the fear, that Satan undoubtedly caused, & shifted it back onto Him. Through the study Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer He introduced me to Ephesians 2:4-7
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
We are seated with Him in the heavenly places. GUYS. Through victory in Christ, we are seated with Him in the heavenly places!!!
Jesus’ sacrifice defeated death. It defeated Satan. And it defeated fear.
And we are seated right next to Him.
If these words are true then we have the ability to head into each new season with joy & confidence. Our fears have no power over us because no matter where we are in this world, or what season we are heading into, we will never loose our spot next to Christ. We are already victorious over our former lives & we are already victorious over Satan’s schemes to bring paralyzing fear into our present. We have the ability to “bring that victory of heaven into our experience on Earth” (Priscilla Shirer).
Romans 8:9 says, “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.”
Change is scary; I don’t want to minimize that. Our flesh is so tempted to stay in the comfort of our present circumstances, but goodness God has so much more in store for us!!!
He has new seasons that will bring a greater trust in His plan. Seasons of trials that will bring beautiful growth. Seasons that will yield to more joy, more strength, & a new closeness with Him.
My flesh will move through cities & countries, through different seasons with different people, but my spirit stays firmly seated next to the Father allowing me the ability to to love & cherish my past while boldly walking in victory amidst the change.
How beautiful it is, knowing that we get to confidently walk through this life seated next to the creator of the universe.
Christ has victory over the enemy, over my anxiety, over my fears, & ultimately over my LIFE.
Because of this I can mourn the closing of a season while joyfully expecting the one I’m stepping into. God is what made these last four years incredible, so who am I to think He won’t faithfully guide me through the next four?
I pray comfort over you today. I pray that you realize the power you have in Christ & the ability you have to boldly walk with confidence & peace. I pray that whatever change you’re going through, big or small, you throw your fears & anxieties on the One you’re seated next to because He is good, steadfast, & never changing.
