Nothing You Go Through Will Be Wasted

I was awoken from a dream on September 27th, and God spoke to me. In the dream, I received an overwhelming peace that everything that I went through in my life. I am 22 years old and I have been transparent in my walk with Christ in an earlier blog. (My Testimony). Check it out! Rejection has been a stronghold in my life. I was adopted at two months old, I lost both of my parents. My biological father, Winfred C. Handy at the tender age of five and my stepfather at nineteen. I have identity issues, rejection, and daddy issues. I am a first-generation student and claiming that I will be a first-generation lawyer.  

I have overcome battles and I am learning to stand in that. I have gone through seasons in my life in which I thought I was insignificant but God revealed to me that everything is coming together for a greater purpose. In this dream, I felt immense peace and clarity. Sometimes we wake up feeling all kinds of emotions, pity, anger, or depression. You MAY be a Christian and going through this. Yes, it is possible. Christian have bad days. Our emotions are fickle. We have hope and faith in God but sometimes we get stuck in routine and life continually beats us down. We began to feel purposeless and that our situation MAY never CHANGE! That is a lie sent from the ENEMY because he wants you to lose faith in God. In Jeremiah, shows us from the very beginning God placed purpose inside of us before we were born "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV).  

Recently, I listed to a sermon by Pastor Joel Osteen and the message was "Nothing You Go Through Will Be Wasted." As I combine the sermon to my dream it aligns perfectly. He expounded on the difference between a victor and a victim mentality and our attitude is vital when we are going through a difficult season. You may be going through one of the toughest, most difficult times of your life and you may feel like you are overlooked and at a disadvantage when compared to others. A woman he mentioned had a hard life growing up and easily could have had a victim mentality. As a little girl, the woman lost her father at the age of six (similar to me) and her mother was eventually put on dialysis due to health concerns. So she had to grow up quickly and take care of her family. At 12 years old, she had to grocery shop, balance the bills, and get her brother ready for school. Most would look at her situation as a disadvantage but she was a victor. Today, she has finished college and has a great life. This story resonated with me so much because I lost my father at a young age. Looking at her story, I don't even want to complain about the minor tasks that I am facing because I cannot even imagine having her portion at 12 years old. Joshua 1:5 states "No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail or forsake you.  

When we are going through hard times we may feel God is distant and like a failure but GOD will never forsake us. Before I get into what that means, I feel that it is important to clearly define fail and forsake. 

1. Fail (KJV): to become deficient; to be insufficient; to cease to be abundant for supply  

2. Forsake (KJV):  

• To quit or leave entirely; to desert; to abandon or depart from  

• To renounce or reject  

In this current season, I am learning how to cling to the promises of God. I sometimes feel like a failure or that God has somehow left me because I am not seeing those promises in my timing but GOD never changes and I am learning that. I am a senior in college and I have been looking for a job for a month and a half and I haven't received a lot of callbacks so I am in a financial bine. But GOD will provide all my basic needs. I may not have all that I want, but surely I have all that I need! In the book of Matthew, we see this word forsaken. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of all the nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 NASB).  

You may be hurting from the death of a loved one, a tragic event, a relationship or looking at your circumstances. Even after all of this you may be saying "Nikia, I get all of that but I don't know my purpose, I don't know what God is speaking to me." Trust that God is keeping you. I would say to you that Jesus died for all of humanity and he has you in mind, in the midst of what you are going through. In fact, "Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't and doesn't wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to get ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway." (Romans 5:6-8 MSG)  

Prayer: Say this prayer with me.  

Lord, I have been distracted and destroyed. My soul has been cast down because I am focused on my circumstances and not you. Deal with me with every unfair and stronghold in mt life. Help me to find peace. Reveal my purpose and spiritual gifts. Teach me to see like you Lord. My life is full of purpose, I will reach my destiny in due time. In Jesus Name, Amen!