The Setting: World Race Training Camp teaching session, everyone sitting in folding chairs
The Command: Stand on your chair and make declarations about who God says you are
Part 1: Stand on your chair. No problem!
For some reason I've always had this tendency to stand or climb on things. Not sure when the habit was formed, but there's just something about having your feet off the ground that makes you feel empowered. Maybe it's the sense of rebellion you get because you've never been allowed to stand on furniture before or maybe it's the rush of freedom you get from being bigger than yourself. For lack of a better example it's like that "Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch" moment where you know you look ridiculous, but you don't care.
Some of you are probably thinking "Really? You get all of that from standing on a plastic chair two feet off the ground?" My response is "yes and no." "Yes," because it doesn't take much to entertain me, but "no" because the actual act of standing on a chair isn't so much as important as what you say and feel when you're on the chair.
Apparently even climbing the field goal post during high school soccer practice was freeing
Part 2: Declare who God says you are. Problem.
The idea of speaking phrases like "I'm beautifully made" or "My past does not have control over who I am today" doesn't come naturally for me. Have you ever been in church when, as a congregation, you are asked to speak out names for prayer requests or yell out words that describe God? Well, I tend to be the one whispering my responses, and when I say "whisper" I mean barely audible even to myself. It's my way of participating, but doing it in a way that draws the least bit of attention to myself because what if I fumble my words or say the wrong thing?
This fear of exposure flows into my private prayer life as well. Of course, when I'm alone I am more apt to pray out loud, but usually it's for others. I have no problem, in the quiet of my room, lifting up the people around me with spoken truths, but when it comes time to reflect on my life my voice gets softer. Maybe if I don't say it too loudly then He won't force me to confront the things that are weighing me down. Maybe if I just pray the standard "please forgive me of my sins" then He won't force me to acknowledge the person He has made me to be.
After a few seconds of standing silently on my chair in the crowded room that was filled with voices declaring truths over themselves, I finally felt free to do the same. Softly at first, and then slowly they progressed into full blown audible declarations. I like to think of it as taking Holy Spirit filled baby steps.
Although it is fun to stand on chairs, it was not the chair that gave me the ability to outwardly declare my worth. It was my Father filling me with the Holy Spirit who spoke these truths through me. Since being home I've realized that, chair or no chair, this is an activity that needs to be part of everyone's daily walk with Christ.
So…on this "chair," I continue to declare that:
I am His beloved daughter, beautifully made in His image
He has given me a voice that will reach the hearts of the lost
I will not fear failure because He is holding me up
My foundation and strength comes not from myself, but from Him
God has purposefully, carefully and lovingly formed B Squad to declare truth to the nations
