Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey my command.� John
14:15
Yesterday, we were sitting around the dinner table having a
conversation about this verse. Our squad leaders have been visiting this past
week joined us. Joel told us about what he had been learning the past two days
which were really challenging for him. God was calling him to love him and obey
his command.
As I sat there and listened to what it looked like for Joel
to obey, I asked God myself what it was that I put before him, what in my life
I need to get rid of in order to obey. It’s always a dangerous question when we
ask something like this, but before I could take it back He answered., “Your
piercings, take them out, all of them.
American Breakfast one morning before church with pancakes, bacon, and eggs!
What?! That was completely random. I love my piercings. I’ve
worked so hard for them over the years. Which sounds silly, I know, but I
really love them so much. It’s almost like they make me who I am.
We left dinner with that conversation fresh on our minds to
enter into listening prayer. And again, I asked God what I put before him, what
I needed to give up so I could go deeper. And he answered again,
“First, I love you, no matter what.
My grace is sufficient for you. I want your love in return, that’s all. Everything
before me in your life has to go, I promise for more to come. Your piercings; you
spent money on them and you pride yourself in them, but why do you want them?
For attention, you crave other people’s attention, not mine.�
I watched a sermon by Heidi Baker yesterday. It’s called, ‘Believe
God for Your Life.’ She is a woman possessed with the Holy Spirit, literally. Just
watching her preach you can tell there is something else inside that is controlling
her speech and actions. She actually prays that she would be possessed, because
that’s what she wants in her life. She is so full of joy, a different kind of
joy that I have ever seen. She preaches about always saying “Yes� to God,
always.
And after God told me again, I knew I had to obey. I can’t
put others in front of God; I can’t put their comments, opinions or attention
in the way of God anymore. Which, I do that so much in my life, my piercings
would have little to do with the craving, but it is one step in the direction.
In order for my 5 ear piercings, gauges, and nose ring to come out,
God was going to have to take them out. Three of them couldn’t come out without
going to a shop, so if God wanted them out, I told him he was going to have to
do it.
After sharing with my team, they were so encouraging and
excited for me. I cried because I didn’t want to do it at all. For some reason
I was so attached to these earthly things, it was obvious I needed to obey. So we started with the ones that needed
pliers. With Lizi barely touching it, a ball fell in between my legs. And I
screamed, “Nooooo!�
A day at the park, playing on the dangerous, not American approved, playground.
First it was my ears, then my nose, then my gauges. And they’re
gone.
Honestly, I can’t tell you I have freedom. I can’t tell you
that I am not seeking others attention now that those are all gone. I can’t
tell you I feel so great that I did what God asked me to do. Because I don’t
feel like that, at all.
I am still upset that I had to take them out, all of
them. I still hear the lies that I didn’t have to and I could have kept that
one or that one. I woke up this morning, thinking about that first, asking God
the question of why, listening to the lies.
But after listening to him this morning here’s what I do believe: God asked me to take out my piercings,
all of them, and I did. I obeyed him and I trust him. I trust that this is a
step in saying yes to my Father daily.
God is not in Heaven disappointed in me that I feel this
way. He isn’t feeding me those lies that I shouldn’t have done this, no. He is
proud of me because I simply obeyed him. Yes, there was hesitation, but I
obeyed him. I said, “Yes� to God.
And there is more that I have to say yes to. He isn’t
finished and I am not finished giving it away so I can grow deeper.
So, here I am now, without my nose ring, without my ear
piercings and gauges. I am still beautiful. I am still unique.
I am beautiful. I am unique. God is proud of me.
