Tag: love

Progress Is Rarely Linear

Progress Is Rarely Linear

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 3 Comments

“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law, but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” – Romans 7:20-25 NIV

Walking with Jesus can be really hard at times. While there are a lot of awesome things that come with a relationship with God, namely eternal life, freedom from the world’s grasp, and confidence in God’s love and commitment to you in all seasons, the journey is not a walk in the park. To become more like Christ requires correction, discipline, and sacrifice. The process of sanctification can be humbling. If you don’t have the right perspective of discipline and correction, your feelings can get hurt pretty quickly. For me, with my history as a perfectionist who magnified all my flaws and faults, being confronted with my sin often felt devastating. It was easy to feel like a failure and a fraud. It was hard to shake the feeling that perhaps I wasn’t as devoted to the Lord as I thought. But as I read Paul’s words in Romans 7, I was comforted by his honesty. The sinful nature that arose in me wasn’t out of my disregard for God and His law. It was, and still is, the default nature of the body I live in. Paul reminded me that despite my body doing the most, I’m not beyond deliverance, healing, and freedom through Jesus Christ our Lord. True transformation, however, requires humility, surrender, and a true desire to change. It requires God having the first and final say about who we are and all we do. It also requires us, especially in moments where our flesh has the momentary victory, to meditate on God and His commitment to us. In my life, when my flesh appears to have the upper hand, God often reminds me that He is my Father, who knows me and cares for me deeply (Psalm 139:13-16). He reminds me that, no matter what comes my way, He will never leave me nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). He reminds me of His faithfulness even when I’m faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). He reminds me that His grace and mercy are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). He reminds me that His lovingkindness abounds (Psalm 86:5). He reminds me that He is long suffering (Psalm 78:38). He reminds me that He desires to rescue His children (2 Timothy 4:18). He reminds me that, through Him, I have victory against any attack or temptation from the enemy (1 John 5:4-5). He reminds me, most importantly, that I’m but a human (Psalm 103:14). Only dust. And though I will do great things for and with Him, there will be moments, often many, where I mess up or choose wrong. My humanity is not surprising to God nor is it disqualifying. He reminds me that, in Him, I will make progress in sanctification, in faith, and in power; but, that progress is rarely linear. We may fall at times but how we get back up and run to Christ makes all the difference. One of the best examples of this is King David’s fall with Bathsheba.

“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, ‘I am pregnant.'” – 2 Samuel 11:1-5 NIV

King David. The man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). The one who fought Goliath (1 Samuel 17:41-52). The one who was committed to obeying God despite his own will (1 Samuel 24:1-7). David is loved and honored by many in the Christian faith for living a devoted life to the Lord. He didn’t play with God or about God. And yet. At the time kings were supposed to go to war (where David most likely should have been), he was at home looking at a woman lustfully. Despite inquiring and finding out that Bathsheba was married, he called for her. Despite adultery being listed as a clear sin in God’s law (Exodus 20:14), David slept with her and got her pregnant. If you read on in the story, once David found out Bathsheba was pregnant, he called for her husband, Uriah, to come home. He attempted to hide his sin by getting Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba. Uriah, loyal to the king and his fellow army men, refused, ultimately foiling David’s plan. Frustrated, David sent Uriah back to war, ordered him to be put on the frontlines, and ensured his death (2 Samuel 11:6-27).

“The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, ‘There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.’ David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.'” – 2 Samuel 12:1-14 NIV

If you read the end of 2 Samuel 11, you’ll find that there is no mention of David feeling bad or even convicted about the killing of Uriah. In fact, we only hear mention of Bathsheba’s mourning, which is no sooner followed by her becoming David’s new wife. 2 Samuel 12 begins with God sending a prophet, named Nathan, to confront David with his sin. At the realization of his grave sin and God’s perspective on it, David immediately sees himself and shows remorse. Nathan meets David’s remorse with reassurance. Nathan shares that David’s sin is already forgiven and removed by God. Despite this great mercy, David will still deal with some heavy consequences due to his disobedience and clear disrespect towards the Lord. Not only will the child Bathsheba bore to him die, but David, himself, will be plagued with violence and disruption in his own household (feel free to read the fulfillment of this prophecy in 2 Samuel 13 – 18).

Reading this more recently, I initially found David’s actions so bizarre. Like many, I felt like David was basically perfect. He was strong in his faith and truly loved God with his whole heart. While him committing adultery was problematic (obviously), his lack of remorse and almost obliviousness regarding his sin, prior to Nathan’s confrontation, really shocked me. I found his behavior so strange for someone who walked so closely with God. How could David love God the way he did and then do something so foolish? Moreover, how could he be so clueless about the extent of his actions? Though tempting to judge and find fault in David, especially when the behavior was so clearly wrong, I was quickly reminded by God that none of our walks with God are perfect. And because we are human, with a natural bent towards sin and selfishness, none of us are exempt from having a moment just like David. In fact, God humbled me when He reminded me that I, too, have been like David plenty of times in my journey with Him. No, I haven’t committed adultery. No, I haven’t committed murder. No, I didn’t skip out on war when I should have been out there. I have been, however, outside of God’s will, doing things I had no business doing. I have let temptations lead me astray. I have chosen pride and self-righteousness instead of humility and surrender when I wanted to feed my flesh. I have pushed God away to do my “own thing.” And like David, I, too, have been oblivious to how it upset or grieved God. While I was aware of my actions, as David clearly had to be, I thought it small or insignificant. I excused behavior because I was in a difficult season or needed relief. I thought it wasn’t that bad because God is gracious and would understand. Have you ever been there?

In God’s rebuke, we see David experience two things: mercy and discipline through consequences. We love mercy, don’t we? It’s such a blessing when God spares us from the bad things we deserve. But what about discipline? Do we thank God for the tough consequences we experience as a result of our actions? Though God spared David’s life, the consequences God laid out were thick. Loss of a child. Public shame. Familial disruption. Mess. Many of us view discipline in a negative light. We see it as punishment and God’s anger or frustration with us. Discipline can also make us feel bad. In our minds, discipline might signal failure and defeat. We may falsely believe that, because God disciplined us for something, we’ve now messed up too much and are no longer worthy of God’s love. But we’ve got discipline all wrong. God’s discipline is just another extension of His love for us. Though discipline may hurt, cause loss, or feel uncomfortable, the core of discipline is simply correction. Discipline tells us that the Father loves us too much to allow us to continue in unprofitable behavior. In David’s case, and ours too, consequences shine a light on our deep need for God and, if we let it, produce a renewed passion for progress.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” – Psalm 51:10-13 NIV

The heading to this famous psalm states that it was written by David after Nathan confronted him about his adultery with Bathsheba. After facing God’s rebuke, David asked for a pure heart and a renewed steadfast spirit. It’s clear that somewhere along David’s journey with God, he lost sight of his passion and commitment, even temporarily. David asked the Lord to restore what was lost and to help him get back on track with God. In the next verse, David then stressed his desire to be with God and in His presence at all times. He didn’t want to be left to himself. He wanted to walk with, be led by, and be restored by the Lord. David’s humility and dependence in this verse are beautiful and worth emulating in our own walks with God. We can’t live this life successfully apart from Him. After admitting his deep need for God’s presence, David then asked to be restored in the knowledge of the joy of God’s salvation and to be granted a willing spirit to live life according to the ways of the Lord. This particular verse really struck me. This verse shows that sometimes, in all our Christian living, we can forget, lose sight of, or find common the joy of God’s salvation. We can minimize the significance of God’s pursuit of us, Jesus’s death to save us, and the Holy Spirit’s commitment to lead and transform us. It’s an imperative to me, and I hope to you as well, to not think God common or get too comfortable in what you think you know as a Christian. Daily reverence, gratitude, humility, and awareness of God, and of self, are needed. The final verse shows that David’s experience isn’t something he planned to keep to himself. He committed to sharing his faults and shortcomings to warn others. And not just warn others, but show them of their deep need for the Lord so that they, too, could turn back to the God who loves, sustains, forgives, heals, and redeems (even when consequences are included). David, after this encounter with the prophet Nathan, had a renewed desire for God and for His progression under the submission of God. Though he had a significant setback, David was able to get back up and continue forward. The same can be true for us.

I felt led to share this story about David because I know, firsthand, that this walk with the Lord gets rough and tough at times. Whether we cause it ourselves or life just happens to us, we’ll have moments, even with a genuine passion for the Lord, where we’ll mess up and do something we shouldn’t have done. While I’m not condoning willful sin or brushing it all under the rug of grace, I do want to encourage you that God’s love doesn’t fail because you do (Romans 8:38-39). As you continue on this journey with Christ, whether as a new believer or someone trying to pursue a higher level with God, take courage in knowing that God isn’t surprised by you or your actions. He offers help, guidance, correction, and conviction. Never forget that He disciplines the ones He loves (Hebrews 12:6-8). Better a rebuke and a learned lesson than to be left in sin and ignorance. I pray that you’d be ever aware and ever dependent on the Lord as you walk this walk. I pray that you’d run to Him quickly when faced with temptation, difficulty, or exasperation. I pray that you’d remember that He doesn’t want your perfection and performance, but your presence and passion. I pray that you would finish strong. I pray that you’d cling to Him, trusting that He’ll take care of you like He promised. So go and pursue all that the Lord has set for you. Seek holiness. Seek righteousness. Seek justice. Seek Him.

Until next time, be ye holy…authentically ❤️.

P.S. This concludes the holiness series. Thank you so much for reading and sharing. 🙏🏾💕

 

Even In the Unknown

Even In the Unknown

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

How do you respond when God asks you to do something? Are you someone who meets His commands with quick obedience or are you someone who can confidently tell Him no? If I’m honest, for the vast majority of my walk with Christ, I was “no” leaning. On a good day, I met God’s commands with hesitancy and contemplation. On a regular day, I met His commands with a litany of reasons why I couldn’t do what He asked. While I knew, intellectually, that God was wise and that His instructions were profitable and protective, I didn’t actually believe it in my heart. I filtered every request and command from God through my feelings first. If I felt that the command was too hard for me to do in my own strength, my list of excuses to back out was ready. If I didn’t feel safe or sure, I didn’t move forward. In fact, it was only when I felt qualified enough to do something, had enough external encouragement from others, or clearly saw how an instruction could benefit me, that I obeyed. It really wasn’t obedience at all.

As we talked about last week, fear and self-perception can also be idols. When it came to walking in obedience, I often failed because I let the idol of my feelings have the final say. And while this went on for years (we thank God for His mercy, grace, and long-suffering), something shifted in me, within this last year, that caused me to no longer feel justified in my disobedience. As I got more familiar and more intentional with the Word of God, my idol suddenly came under attack. Could I still hide behind those fears and excuses when I now knew God was greater than any obstacle or opponent I faced? Could I still deny the Lord when I now truly knew how deeply He loves me? Could I still practice self-preservation when I now knew that only God could actually keep me safe? While I’m sure you already know the answer to these questions, I want to spend some time talking about how I got (and am still getting) there. I want to share more about the conviction I felt, the concerns I had, and the God who lovingly understood. I want to encourage and hopefully empower you on this walk of obedience because I know, firsthand, that it’s not always easy.

“‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” – Luke 22:42-44 NIV

Jesus is our ultimate example of living an obedient and submitted life. From putting on flesh to show us the way of His Father (Philippians 2:5-7) to sacrificing His body for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53:5), we constantly see Jesus operate from obedience. Of all the moments that showcase Jesus’s obedience and surrender, the moment that has always affected me most is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Deep in prayer and full of anguish, we see Jesus, awaiting the gruesome death planned for Him, plead with His Father for another way to bring forth salvation to His people. We see the Father express, even without words, that there is no other way. The crucifixion is the cup Jesus must drink. We see Jesus submit even though the outcome is not what He would have preferred. And from that moment forward, we never see Jesus ask the Father again. He is wholly obedient until His last breath.

When I reflect on this, I’m filled with immense gratitude. Jesus’s obedience literally saved my life. He put aside His fears, His will, and His comfort to ensure that all of us had a way to be made right with the Father. With us in mind, He gave up His life to ensure we could have one. There are no words to articulate how beautiful Jesus’s moment of obedience truly was. And yet, Jesus’s submission is also deeply convicting. God has never asked me to do what Jesus did. No matter how scary a command of God might have felt or how frustrating it was when asked to give up something I loved, I have never had to lay down my life for the entire world. God has never put the weight of all our sins on my back to carry. Though we are called to take up our cross (Matthew 16:24), I have not had to do so while also being whipped, mocked, and tortured like Jesus was. His sacrifice was beyond compare yet, for us, He agreed. If Jesus could follow through on something so great, so terrifying, and so consequential, why was I stuck on obedience at such a small level? I soon realized that Jesus was operating from a fundamental truth that would take some time for me to understand and wholeheartedly believe.

“If God is holy, then He can’t sin. If God can’t sin, then He can’t sin against you. If He can’t sin against you, shouldn’t that make Him the most trustworthy being there is?” – Jackie Hill Perry

Being, Himself, one with the Father, Jesus knew the character of His Father very well (John 10:30). He knew that His Father was righteous, just, and full of love. He knew His Father delighted in Him and would reward Him for all He had done while on earth. Jesus was rooted in the goodness of His Father despite all the difficulty He had to deal with. Unlike Jesus, with a background of performance, shame, and lacking biblical foundation, I wasn’t always super confident in God. Though the Bible may have had stories that shared His faithfulness, I didn’t always believe they were applicable to me. I wasn’t certain that God was truly safe or trustworthy. I wasn’t convinced that His instruction or command would lead to something positive. I operated in a lot of fear and self-reliance when it came to the Lord because I feared that God wouldn’t come through. I was afraid of trying and failing and reaping harsh consequences. I was afraid of experiencing His anger, disappointment, or even disgust. Unlike Jesus, I didn’t have joy set before me (Hebrews 12:2). I didn’t see how my obedience could be beneficial to others. I only focused on myself. I couldn’t see anything beyond hypothetical failure, mounting fear, and my inadequacies.

For a variety of reasons, ranging from original sin to difficult life circumstances, there appears to be a natural human bent towards not trusting God. Many of us, if not all, experience moments where we’re just not sure if God is as good as He says or if He’ll actually do what He promises. Sometimes we’re not sure if obedience is worth it. We’re not always sure if God, Himself, is worth it. The above quote, however, forces us to really consider the God who calls us to obedience. This quote highlights the fundamental truth that I believe Jesus knew to be true when He prayed in that garden: God is holy. As we recall, God calls us to be holy because He is holy (Leviticus 20:26). And if He’s holy, we must then know, and come to believe, that God’s holiness makes Him perfect. God’s holiness doesn’t give Him the ability to sin. God’s holiness doesn’t give Him the ability to lie. God’s holiness doesn’t give Him the ability to act deceitfully or with malice towards His own. This God, our God, holy and pure, is the One who requires our obedience. It is this God, our God, who calls us to do something beyond our natural ability because it’s an opportunity to see His hand and love, through the Holy Spirit, at work. It is this God, our God, who calls us to lay down that sin or idol because it’s an opportunity to find true fulfillment, joy, and healing in His presence. It is this God, our God, that calls for forgiveness because it’s an opportunity for freedom and healing. It is this God, our God.

When I think about Jesus submitting to His Father and accepting the cup of death, I see that He clearly knew all would be right in the end. Though Jesus would have to deal with hard and horrible circumstances that we can’t even begin to fully understand or grasp, He knew victory from sin and death was right around the corner. He knew that the restored relationship between Creator and creation was right around the corner. He knew that His status as King, sitting at the right hand of the Father, was right around the corner. And while that’s wonderful for Jesus, many of us, myself included, don’t always have that same assurance right away. When God tells us to put ourselves out there, we often don’t know how others will receive us. When God tells us to give up something that brought us joy and happiness, we often don’t know whether God can really fill that void. When God calls us to bear our cross, we often don’t know whether we’ll be able to stand under the weight. And, in truth, those feelings of uncertainty are the absolute worst. Obedience can be really difficult, scary, and uncomfortable. I do not want to minimize or ignore that. And I don’t believe God wants to disregard that either. He knows that we are flesh. He knows all about the weaknesses, fears, concerns, and wounds that make us question Him (Psalm 139: 1-16). He’s not going to beat you up for that. He operates in patience and bestows wisdom, encouragement, and power to help you through it. I’m a witness. But, it’s on us to want to believe He is who He says He is. If we desire to know Him more fully, He will be made known to us (Luke 11:9-13).

For all that’s unknown, there’s one thing we know for sure–we belong to Him. And if we belong to Him, He will take care of us (Isaiah 46:4). He will be faithful to keep us and present us as faultless (Jude 1:24-25). He will be present with us no matter the circumstance (Joshua 1:9). So, with every call for obedience, I encourage you to think on these things. Think on His holiness. Think on His inability to sin against you. Think on His role and responsibility as your Father. Think on His promise to be with you wherever you go. Even in the midst of fear, discomfort, and difficulty, we can still trust our lives and our surrender to the God who is holy, pure, good, and committed to us. Give Him your yes…even in the unknown. He will take care of you.

Until next time, be ye holy…authentically ❤️

Trust God With Everything

Trust God With Everything

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 1 Comment

“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.'” – Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Many of us, whether we’ve grown up in the Christian faith or not, have heard of the Ten Commandments. Of the ten, the commandment related to idolatry always stood out to me because it felt very “Bible days” specific. It didn’t feel relevant to me. I had no crafted image in my home nor was I laid prostrate on the floor praying to some golden image at an altar. I was chilling. I went to church. I confessed Jesus. I couldn’t have idols in my life. And like me, I’d venture to say many of you probably feel the same. That feeling, however, is often deceitful. Idolatry is still present in many of our lives because it doesn’t look how we expect it to. While we expect some crafted image, idols can often be the family we have, the material things we love, and the feelings we possess. Many of us, me included, unfortunately operate in idolatry often. We put our various affections above God, be it our relationships, finances, or even fears/self-perceptions, and let it have the final say. Our yielding and obedience, then, follow the way of the idol. If not confronted by God, in His mercy, to address and remove the idol, we risk living lives less than God’s standard. We risk limiting or even completely missing the power, victory, and freedom that God ultimately wants to give us.

“Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.” – Isaiah 45:20b NIV

For me, idolatry started pretty early. Growing up, a certain celebrity (if you know you know lol) was my idol. I knew everything about her. I studied every move. I spent my money (or my parents’ money) on things she was a part of. I looked to her as the ideal of beauty and success. Whatever she said was Bible as far as I was concerned. As an adolescent, I didn’t really understand or see the severity of the issue. Being a big fan was fun. It was exciting. It was fulfilling and fruitful. It made me happy. It produced, in my mind, good things. When I got to college however, I felt my first bout of conviction. In God’s mercy, He made me question this idol’s role in my life. Why did I need this person to feel happy or excited about life? Why did I critique myself because I didn’t look like her or have her talent? Why did I know everything about her but didn’t know much about myself? Why could I spend all my time engulfed in her world but couldn’t give myself, let alone God, that same effort? The red flags multiplied to a point that I realized I needed to back away. But with over ten years wrapped up in that idol, during that time, the transition was not smooth. I went back and forth for a long time. I grieved. Despite the instruction not to, I still found myself listening to and watching that idol’s work. I was sad. It felt unfair. The process of tearing down the idol was messy, but I eventually got there. And though letting go of that particular idol was successful, it wasn’t long before I picked up another one.

The cycle of dropping and picking up idols has followed me up until present day. It was just three weeks ago that God confronted me about another celebrity I admired. And within this past year, more generally, God has highlighted social media distraction as another preferred idol of mine. For me, it’s not necessarily that these celebrities are bad or that wanting to scroll on social media is inherently sinful; rather, it speaks to the larger issue that God wanted to address: escapism. In my life, I’ve used idols to run away from myself. I’ve gotten engulfed in other people’s worlds because I wasn’t content in my own. It was easier to root for the success of my “faves” than it was to do the hard work to find my own success and satisfaction. God made clear to me that I chose to busy myself in other things or with other people because I didn’t trust Him to handle me or help me through my struggles with discontentment. I felt more comfortable running away than sitting with Him. I was looking to those idols to save me from myself, and it wasn’t working. And while I recognize that many of you aren’t dealing with celebrity fandom or mindless scrolling as your idols of choice, the issue still affects many of us. What are the things you consume yourself with because they make you feel good, give you power or worth, or even provide the comfort your heart really needs? Have any of those things taken the place of God in your life? Do you think God is even able to meet those needs for you? Do you even want Him to? Honesty is key here. I had to be honest and admit that I didn’t think God could fix the problems I had. I had to be honest and say that I loved spending time with those idols more than I did spending time with Him. God’s confrontation was an invitation to see myself and my need for Him. God’s confrontation provided an opportunity for God to show me who He is and who He has always been.

“The holiest people are people that just trust God with everything.”1 – Jackie Hill Perry

Since committing to reading the entire Bible in a year, which I started this January, God has intentionally highlighted His trustworthiness to me. At the same time, He’s pinpointed the areas where I lack belief and trust in Him despite the Bible I know. Last year, I wrote about fighting the devil’s facts with God’s truth. I’ve realized that it’s not just about fighting against what the devil has said about me, but it’s also what he’s said about God. As discussed in my last post, I’ve battled with performance and perfectionism since what feels like the beginning of time. It was from these places that I crafted my view of God. Like parents, like teachers, and like friends, I believed that God was pleased when all was well and annoyed or disappointed when I fell short. Why would God want to deal with me? How could He even help me? I felt beyond repair, beyond love. The sadness was high, the shame was high. Of course it seemed better to go somewhere else and trust something else. But as I read through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and onward, one theme was consistent — God’s goodness. The Israelites failed and God stayed committed to them. The Israelites turned away from God and God called them back home. The Israelites sinned and God provided atonement. The Israelites lost hope and God comforted them. As I saw these examples reinforced over and over again, something shifted. If I could identify with the ratchetness of the Israelites, then I could receive the love, help, and comfort that God gave them too. If God met their needs and fulfilled His promises to them, then I could believe He’d do it for me too. If the Israelites trusted God with their lives (even if they struggled along the way), so could I (struggle and all). 

Idolatry is such an important topic to me because it really has the power to destroy you if you let it. With its seemingly harmless nature, it easily slides into your life, your thinking, and your heart. It allures you with quick fixes, power, acceptance, love, and comfort. It tells you that it’s safe and worthy of your trust. It plants seeds of doubt towards God. It causes you to think the ways of the world aren’t really that bad. It causes you to falsely assume that you know and can handle it all. And even if you can’t, it tells you that God can’t do a better job. It’s a liar and a fraud. Unfortunately, I was deceived for years. I gave my youth to an idol that didn’t actually help me. I left her more broken and lost than when I found her. I’ve given so much of my time to the idol of distraction with nothing to show for it. Though idolatry might have affected me in ways that you may not relate to, at the core, no matter what your idols may be, idolatry gives you a false and unfulfilling substitute for God. That bank account you set your focus on can be wiped out with a few emergencies. That relationship you chase can’t heal the heart wounds you’re running away from. That job you give all your energy to can still fire you at the drop of a hat. Those kids you pour your entire being into will one day grow up and move out of the house. The idol can’t love you, sustain you, free you, care for you, or save you. Only God can do that.

The process of completely removing idols has been difficult for me. Idols have always felt comforting and numbing for me. They also often work a lot quicker than God seems to (though their “benefits” are short lived). Believe me when I tell you that I understand your hesitancy to drop that “thing” for God. In the thick of hardship and pain, the last thing you want to do is pray to God and wonder if He hears you or even cares. The last thing you want to do is stop entertaining that person that makes you escape from the depression you’re in, if only for a few moments. The last thing you want to do is give up that leadership position or that status at your organization when it was the thing that made you feel purposeful and worth something in this life. I understand. And yet, I really want to challenge you to try God out. I want to challenge you to run to Him first. In moments of temptation, sadness, or cries for comfort, I want you to talk to God first. Let out your frustration to Him before you vent to a friend or binge that TV series to escape your reality. I challenge you to find a Bible passage to read for a few minutes to focus your mind on something higher. I challenge you to give God a chance. I want you to leave space for Him to answer you, show you that He can handle your situation, and reaffirm how deep His love is for you. And maybe it won’t “work” the first time. There have been plenty of times I’ve gone to God, didn’t feel anything after, and watched hours of YouTube instead to numb my emotions. I get it. But I implore you to keep seeking Him. Continue to be open and expectant. Find scripture about what God did or promised and call Him out on it. Ask to experience the fulfillment of His Word in your life. He will show you. He will reveal Himself. He will bring that comfort and support. He will give peace even if the situation you’re in doesn’t change all at once. He will do what He said. I know this because the Word says He doesn’t lie nor does His Word return to Him void (Numbers 23:19). I know this because He’s done it for me.

My final ask is that you’ll watch the video I’ve linked below from Jackie Hill Perry on this topic. I encourage you to take inventory of the idols in your life, get to the heart of the issue, find scripture that addresses those deep needs, and go to God with His Word. I pray that you’ll give Him a chance to show Himself strong in this area of your life. I pray that you’ll be gracious with yourself in this process. It’s hard out here but you’re not alone. I’m here with you, and most importantly, God is here with you. He’ll never leave nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Until next time, be ye holy…authentically. ❤️

1 https://youtu.be/3jk_WwdZhO0?si=NwE2PRkK9C4D_BDK

I Am Well Pleased

I Am Well Pleased

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I’ve battled with self-acceptance for as long as I can remember.  Since a child, I remember always having a problem with myself. I remember being ridiculed for being too chubby and too soft (not tough or strong). For being too shy. For being too studious and serious. As an adult, though I received less outward criticism, I mastered the art of criticizing myself. I wasn’t attractive enough. I wasn’t cool or interesting enough. I wasn’t assertive enough. I wasn’t confident enough in my decision making. And on and on it went. From childhood to present day, I felt like there was always some issue or problem that needed to be fixed. I wasn’t liked enough as is. I wasn’t chosen as is. I wasn’t happy as is. I wasn’t good enough as is.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” – Genesis 1:27,31 NIV

In Genesis 1, on the sixth day, God created man. Man was, and still is, made in the image of God. Like God, man is creative, capable of giving and receiving love, holds authority and dominion, and brings forth life. Man was created just a little lower than the angels and held up as valuable in the Lord’s eyes (Hebrews 2:7-8). God’s own breath was breathed into the nostrils of man, and he became a living being. Before man ever displayed the characteristics of God or completed work for the Lord, on that sixth day, God called man good.

To be called good by God is the foundation of acceptance. God fashioned Adam and didn’t feel the need to give the man any alterations. Nothing was wrong with his body or his personality. Nothing was wrong with his intelligence or his relationship with God. He was perfect. In fact, not once in Genesis 1 or 2 do we see Adam have issue with himself. He was in communion with God and content with the work set before him. He never questioned himself, or God, and never seemed to show displeasure with himself or his circumstances. It wasn’t until God made mention that Adam needed a helper that anything being “not good” ever surfaced (Genesis 2:18). And even then, Adam was not made aware of it. The addition of Eve, in Genesis 2, had nothing to do with a flaw in Adam. Eve entered the garden, with perfect crafting, to enhance the purpose and power of man on the earth. She aided in the fulfillment of those characteristics God gave us. Her introduction only reaffirmed the truth: man was good. It was from that foundation of acceptance that both Adam and Eve could live at their greatest potential. They were perfect for each other and perfect for God. They were content and they had rest. It was holiness.

Unlike Adam and Eve, I wasn’t rooted in God’s acceptance of me. I didn’t grow up aware of or even seeking God’s perspective. Faced with internal and external criticism, I dealt with my self-acceptance issues through performance and people pleasing. Not knowing God declared me good, I looked to everyone else to accept and affirm me. My confidence and sense of wholeness was based entirely around someone else’s opinion of me. As a result, I often shape shifted to please other people’s preferences or stressed myself out to perform at my very best level. I took on likes and interests that I probably, on my own, would not have taken on. I tried to fit a certain look to be cool or capture attention that I might not have gravitated to otherwise. I stressed so hard over my academics because it was there that I got the most applause and celebration. I worked for acceptance instead of working from acceptance. I fought to be what everyone wanted and ended up still missing the mark. I tired myself out and had nothing to show for it. I wasn’t content. I wasn’t at rest. I still wasn’t good enough.

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'” – Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Like Adam, Jesus operated from the foundation of the Father’s acceptance. Though God Himself, Jesus humbled Himself and took on lowly flesh to dwell among us. Having flesh like us, it’s possible that Jesus could have had the temptation to look elsewhere for validation and approval. But before Jesus ever performed one miracle or announced that He was the Messiah, His Father let everyone know that Jesus brought Him immense pleasure. Operating from this foundation of acceptance, Jesus was never swayed by public opinion or ridicule. Many times, in the Gospels, we see Jesus unphased by the opinions of the world. He had no problem confronting the Pharisees about their hypocrisy, without fear of their rebuke or punishment (Matthew 23:13-39). He let lies about His character roll off His shoulders because He knew exactly who He was (Matthew 11:18-19). He had no problem teaching and affirming God’s way, instead of the way of the flesh, even when it wasn’t popular or easily digestible by His followers (Matthew 18:21-35). Even as He was nailed to the cross, He still knew His place as Son (Luke 23:35-46).

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” – Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Like Adam and Jesus, we, too, have been deeply affirmed by the Father. Before we even accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, God loved us and made a way to restore relationship with Him through the death of Jesus (John 3:16-17). To be an image bearer, which we all are, is enough for His love. But when we accept Christ, we become children of God. As children, not only are we loved, but we are adopted and chosen as His own. With adoption comes right standing with God. With adoption comes eternal life. With adoption comes inheritance of victory, power, and eternal reward. This is the foundation of acceptance and love we have to stand on. It is from this foundation that we must learn to fight back against criticism (self-inflicted or otherwise) and poor self-esteem. While it is easy to see our flaws and feel unworthy of love, God has already made His position towards us clear. When the devil tells you how bad you are, you can hold up your status as a child of God. When people criticize your looks, personality, or gifts, you can counter with the truth that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-18).

A few months ago, I listened to a sermon by Pastor Stephanie Ike-Okafor (highly recommend!) on the call to holiness. She shared many gems, but there was one in particular that stood out to me — “Holiness is wholeness.” She described wholeness as full dependence on God. Our worth, satisfaction, pleasure, and will belong to and are rooted in God. Self-acceptance in light of God’s deep pleasure in us, then, is holiness. And while that sounds great, and it IS great, if you’re anything like me, with the history that I have, the work of self-acceptance can feel almost impossible. To see yourself as valuable to God when you’ve not been told that in the natural feels unrealistic. To love yourself, knowing all the flaws and faults you genuinely possess, sounds ridiculous. And yet, for all that we are, God called us good. He meets our warped self-image, our very real issues, and unhealed trauma with grace, mercy, empathy, forgiveness, love, and acceptance. And sure, there might be some reconstruction that has to take place. Perhaps you do need to take better care of your temple or work on that attitude you have, but, in God’s eyes, still, you are good.

If you at all battle with this, I implore you to pray intentionally for God’s help. Ask Him to help you to accept His unconditional love. Ask Him to give you the strength to fight back, with His Word and truth, against condemnation and shame. Ask Him to help you see yourself and love yourself the way He does. Ask Him to bring godly community into your life to encourage you and speak life over you. Ask Him to help you find a therapist to process your trauma with, if needed. Ask Him to help you believe Him when your flesh wants to write Him off. Ask Him. Loving ourselves, because God first loved us, is crucial to us living a life marked by holiness. It provides the foundation from which we jump out and shine our light into this world. Today’s world so desperately needs our light. We can’t afford to have minds tainted with the lies of culture (Ephesians 4:23-24). We can’t afford to sit in poor self-esteem when people need to see God’s glory through the good things God called us to do (1 Peter 2:12). We can’t afford to submit to man’s limitations for us when God has things in mind that we can’t even fathom (Ephesians 3:20-21). It’s important, then, that we stay committed to the process of self-acceptance, no matter how many ups and downs we experience along the way. The more we reflect on what God has said about us, the stronger the resolve to believe it will be. We are loved, valued, and worthy in God. God, quite literally, can’t love us more than He already does. It is from that foundation that we must show up in this world. Go forth boldly.

Until next time, be ye holy…authentically. ❤️

Still.

Still.

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 2 Comments

Have you ever been over yourself? Tired of bad habits. Tired of failing. Tired of doubting. Tired of falling for the same lies. Tired of telling the same lies. Tired of starting and stopping. Tired of sinning and apologizing. Just tired. If you have, what did you do about it? Did you sulk? Did you avoid? Did you hide? If you’re anything like me, you probably had the inclination to feel unworthy. That feeling of unworthiness always led me to stay stuck in sin. If I wasn’t worthy of God’s righteousness, I might as well accept my fate and stay in this box of less than. Can you relate? It took some time, years even, before I realized that the exhaustion I felt was not a death sentence. That exhaustion, instead, was His invitation to see how much I mattered to Him.

““But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. “But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!” – Nehemiah‬ ‭9:16-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Many of us struggle with who God is and how He functions. We often think He’s either the most kind or the most unjust, depending on what side of the fence we happen to be on at any given time. That polarization, however, often negates the core of who He is: love. It is His love that convicts and challenges as well as encourages and preserves. It is His love that exalts us as well as humbles us. It is His love that sees our sin, blatant and unrestricted, and still pursues us. Still protects us. Still guides us. Still loves us. As I read Nehemiah, I felt myself get emotional. Like the Israelites, I could pinpoint the various times I chose an idol over God. I could see the times I took His blessings and favor for granted. I could see my attitude and stubbornness. I could also pinpoint God’s hand. I could recall the times God made sure I was taken care of and protected even when I didn’t appreciate it. I could see that even in my failings, He still wanted me.

It was a God given sensitivity to His kindness that brought about a conviction that led to repentance. How could I continually turn from someone who so desperately wanted me to be His? Though I was a nobody, to Him, I meant everything. It was that realization that grew a desire in me to take Him more seriously. I wanted to be as committed to Him as He was to me. Does any of this sound like you? Are you someone who feels like you’ve fallen too far to even be worthy of God’s kindness? If so, don’t worry. None of us are worthy. Thankfully, because of our belief in Jesus and the gift He gave to all of us, we all have another chance to press in and let Him have our hearts, desires, and lives. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the depth of His love. Don’t forfeit the chance to see His transformative power in your life.  He’s willing. Will you respond to His pursuit? 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9 NIV

If you’ve lost your step with God or you’re battling with sins and habits that feel too hard to break, my prayer is that you’ll begin to see yourself the way God sees you. Especially in this Christmas season, where we focus on the birth and purpose of Jesus, my heart wants so badly for you to see how deeply loved you are, even in your messiness. You have a purposeful and prosperous life ahead of you. Know, however, that you can’t live the fullness of that life hiding and shrinking away from God. He sees you. He knows you. He wants you. Return to Him, just as you are, and let Him make you new (Psalm 51: 10-12) .

He loves you STILL, twentysomethings ❤️

Weary Me. Loving Him.

Weary Me. Loving Him.

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 2 Comments

Weary Me

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Many of us know this verse well. It’s all about honoring God, doing our best, and trusting Him to see us through. We know it. We hear it. We believe it. What happens, however, when that verse doesn’t quite feel like enough? When it’s been just one too many days? When your last nerve has been stepped on just one too many times? When you’re unable to hold back the tears any longer? When accepting defeat almost feels relieving? Anything but this place. Anything but this state of being. What do you do when weariness seems inevitable?

I’ve dealt with this many of times: trying to push pass negative feelings but failing, wondering if complacency is really that bad, even entertaining lies that tell me God’s promises aren’t really for me. I allow myself to lose hope and confidence. I question myself and my circumstance. I wonder, for a moment, if God really knows what He’s doing. Why on earth would God tell us not to give up when He knew how hard it’d be not to?

Loving Him

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The more I learn about Christ, usually though the various trials and storms I face, the more I realize how chill He is. The juxtaposition of my frantic and exhausted spirit with His calming and all-knowing spirit is striking. I fight and push and try and fail all while He rests, looks on, and waits for me to turn to Him. As I scold myself, wishing I could hold on better, keep my attitude more in check, or even choose gratitude more often than tantrums, He sits there patiently until I wear myself out. When I get just weary enough to turn my attention back on Him, it’s there that I’m taught, once again, about His long-lasting love.

His love.

It’s His love that calls me righteous, even when I feel like I don’t deserve it (Philippians 3.9). It’s His love that prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies (Psalm 23:5). It’s His love that keeps a hedge of protection around me (Psalm 91). It’s His love that encourages me (Deuteronomy 31:8). It’s His love that convicts me, molding me into the person He saw while I was still in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13; 15-16). It’s His love that provides an abundance of mercy and goodness to follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6). It’s His love that empathizes and understands me when no one else does (Hebrews 4:15-16). It’s His love that never fails to provide comfort (Psalm 119:76). He brings His promises to mind, challenging me to remember that last time He rescued me, favored me, and covered me (Hebrews 8:10). If He did it before, isn’t He faithful enough to do it again?

This post is a plea, for all of us, to breathe. To remember that we aren’t doing this life alone. We have a Heavenly Father more than willing to help us, guide us, direct us, and mature us. Will we let Him? Will we learn the patience, the discipline, and the humility necessary to become our best selves? Will we accept the promises of God even when they don’t seem yet applicable to our lives? Will we choose to believe God loves us, even in the depths of our sins and mistakes?

My prayer is that each and every one of you know that you’re okay. Know that no amount of weariness can separate you from the love and promises of God (Romans 8:38). Know that no matter how hard the trial may be, it serves to produce the endurance and patience needed for your elevation (James 1:2-4). Know that no matter how far it may seem, God’s promises are still yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). Know that though you stumble, doubt, and sometimes even fall, the righteous (which you are in Him) do indeed get back up (Proverbs 24:16).

Take your eyes off of yourself and place them on Him, twenty somethings ❤️

CHALLENGE: Take a verse from this post or in your own study and meditate on it for a week. Aim to memorize it, if you can. What does it say about Him? What does it say about you? Write it down and revisit it often. You can’t trust God, like He wants you to, until You learn who He is and how He feels about you. See who He is and test Him on it.

The Roaring Lion

The Roaring Lion

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 2 Comments

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8

 

Spiritual attacks are the worst! Here you are, minding your business, when suddenly, you’re thrown into an unexpected battle. Immediately, you feel unsteady. Before you can regain your footing, the devil jumps in your face, reeling off a list of your most terrible qualities, your unworthiness to receive all that God has promised to you, and your human inability to actually be successful in your journey of abiding. You attempt to fight back, reciting your scriptures, praying about it, or sometimes ignoring him all at once. While you make some headway, you admit to yourself that you’re already a little bruised. Your feelings got hurt, your confidence took a punch, and you’re looking at God like what did I do to deserve this?

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19

I was in the middle of this just last weekend. The battle left me feeling  upset, frustrated, sad, and mentally exhausted. Despite those feelings, an overpowering need to rest prevailed. God told me, clear as day, that I needed to chill out. I needed to sit down. I needed to stop talking back to the devil. Specifically, He told me to use my energy to give Him praise. He reminded me to say thank you. He urged me to think on thoughts that were true.

His love for me.
His patience with me.
His grace towards me.
The peace He had given to me.

I was reminded, as I shifted focus, that I didn’t have to go back and forth with the devil. The devil wasn’t worth my time. The devil was already under my feet. Furthermore, no matter what the devil tried to say about me, to hurt me or put me down, God already told me that I was His. I was His child. I was His baby. The devil could read me for filth and STILL, God loved me. “Relax.” He said. “You’ve already won.”

“It’s about progression, not perfection.” – Pastor Michael Todd

In moments like this, when you’re under attack, no matter the circumstance, it’s important to take a step back and observe. What’s really going on? Is the attack rooted in God’s truth or in the devil’s condemnation? You’ll find, oftentimes, that if all you’re hearing is how horrible, how unqualified, or how insignificant you are, that’s not God. That’s not God’s truth for you. Do you still need correction and discipline, humbling and guidance? Surely! God won’t give that to you by beating you up, however. Abiding is about the journey, it’s about the slow but steady change towards being all God purposed and planned for you to be. If you feel anything else, immediately step away and understand what exactly is going on. Lean into God. Don’t overact and throw yourself a pity party. Remember the promises He made to you. Know that the devil is mad that you’re moving forward in God’s plan and He’s desperately trying every trick in the book to keep you down and defeated. He’s hoping to make you forget who you are and Whose you are. Laugh in his face and keep on walking. The devil can’t kill you when you know your power.

You’ve already won, twenty somethings.

Meditate on this:

“The lion may roar but I see his leash, so I keep moving forward!” – Pastor Steven Furtick

 

Mind Your Business

Mind Your Business

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

“Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.” – Ecclesiastes 4:4

There is nothing that defines adulthood quite like working. For me, just starting almost a year ago, adulting really began to settle in as soon as I started punching the clock. While working has been a great experience, with a lot of professional and personal growth, there’s one thing that really annoys me about it: its spirits of competition and envy.
As someone who has battled deeply with comparing myself to everyone else and feeling like I never measured up, I believe I’m sensitive to these spirits now. I can spot them a mile away in myself and in others around me. I’m hoping that this post can shed some light and help provide you with a new perspective on how to overcome this battle within yourself and how to ignore it from others. This is a how to guide on minding your business!

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:16-17

I think one of the biggest lies we all accept is that we have to prove ourselves. It starts from childhood. We have to get the best grades and hang with the coolest kids. As we get older, that turns into having the best car, going to the best college, and making the most money. We are constantly trying to meet these standards to assert our importance and value. While there may be nothing inherently wrong with attaining these things, the problem lies in your motive behind it. What/who are you doing it for? Why are you striving for it? God didn’t tell you that you were worthy or shined bright because of what you did or attained. You shine and you slay because of Him and His spirit within you. The first step in minding your business is realizing that this life and its standards are problematic. I’m not telling you to be lazy and complacent. I hope that you continue to grow and prosper. That being said, please pay attention to your reasons why. The world is passing away and all that work and struggle to outshine someone else won’t matter in the end.

“Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; For why should he be esteemed?” – Isaiah 2:22

Other people can really shake you if you let them. Speaking for myself, when I was younger and heavily trapped in the spirits of comparison and envy, I was miserable and literally sick at times. It was hard for me to feel like I mattered and had value because I wasn’t like “them”, doing what “they” were doing. I thought that I would fall by the wayside, never seen, never heard, and never cared about. Even now, I feel those spirits try to creep back up in me. Thankfully, it doesn’t have the same effect on me anymore (shout out to the pruning process). Whereas before I was terrified that I would be forgotten and deemed unimportant, now I know that I matter regardless of whether or not someone affirms my value. I am God’s child and I’m here because He has found me valuable. He has given me a specific destiny to walk out. He has given me certain tasks to complete. I am in the mindset now that what’s happening in the world can’t and shouldn’t affect me. God’s hand is on me so what am I tripping for? Whether it is you dealing with envy or someone else is envious of you, remind yourself that we are all on our own paths. God’s purpose for us is unique. You can never be them and they can never be you. The sooner you release the fear associated with not measuring up, the easier it’ll be to mind your business and stay in peace.

“If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.” – Deuteronomy 28:1

My hope for this post is to have you begin to see yourself as already of greatest importance and value. The spirits of competition and envy, rooted in our feelings of inadequacy, have no place in you as a child of God. If you didn’t have purpose and power, you wouldn’t still be here. I encourage you, in the workplace, at school, or wherever else, to shine on. Continue to operate in the gifts that God has given you, constantly learning and growing along the way. Do this for God. Honor Him with your knowledge, your skills, and your attitude. In the middle of all the competition for the promotion, accolades, praises, or anything else, don’t be bothered. Be still and know that God already has you in His hands and will elevate you in ways that baffle others around you. Stay the course and God will show out on your behalf. Watch Him work!

Mind your business, twentysomethings.

Great Is Your Mercy, Great Is Your Grace

Great Is Your Mercy, Great Is Your Grace

by Nikki Rich Writes ♥ 1 Comment

I recently received the biggest and most important revelation of my life thus far: God loves me. I know that this revelation, at first read, may seem dull, but please hear me out. While it IS basic, it’s also something many of us don’t fully take in and accept. It’s the foundation that everyone of us should stand on. I realized that before now, I wasn’t standing on it at all. I was, at best, using it as a churchy thing to say. It wasn’t that I didn’t know God loved me, it was that I didn’t believe it. It’s only in this past week that God really brought it to the forefront and made me examine myself and Him. It is only now that I’m seeing that revelation as something more than just knowledge, but as power.

Let’s take it back to our favorite twenty-something topic: adulting. In the fullness of our adulting experiences, we are all extremely stretched. We have classes to pass and we have bills to pay. We have bosses to impress and we have children to keep alive. Simply, adulting is stressful. It seems to be full of work with minimal play. We are constantly performing and constantly working towards perfection. As adults, we are marked, many times, by our ability to excel, to get it all right. If we possibly fall short, in any area, we risk eviction, getting fired, even losing the beauty of our Instagram highlight reel (that’s another topic for another day lol). The point I’m trying to make is that we are conditioned to perform. Very rarely are we graced to stumble, let alone fall. For me, that mentality was applied not only to adulting but to God. I was a class act performer. I went to church. I read my scriptures. I encouraged others. I prayed to be used by Him. While all these things were done with sincerity and good intention, I wasn’t doing it out of pure love. My desire was to get the gold star. I wanted to win the Oscar, I wanted His approval.

This realization was the latest lesson of my pruning process. I pretty much got slapped in the face when God let me know that I was doing everything under the sun except seeing Him. He told me, simply, that He wasn’t like the people on this earth. I didn’t have to impress Him. I didn’t have to perform. He already knew me. He already loved me unconditionally. Even at my worst, He wanted me.
As a performer, this sounded good but was quite the challenge to accept ( it’s still a challenge at times, honestly). It sounds awesome for God to love me just as I am, to purpose me for greater, and to have nothing separate me from His love. I couldn’t understand how exactly that worked in real life though. I wanted to perform, badly. I had many questions such as: “How can I show you that I love you? What fast do I need to do? What scriptures do I need to read to prove that I’m serious about You?” My questions were met with silence, unsurprisingly. To be honest, even now it strikes a nerve. I don’t like not knowing. I don’t like not having an action plan.

Funny enough, He wants me (and all of us) to get to that point. He wants me not knowing what to do or how to act, in my own strength. Being in that state leaves us dependent, seeking Him out for everything. Experience has shown me, time and time again, that when I depend on my performance, my will, and my logic, I fall short every time. While that may work beautifully in the “real world”, God has no time for my games. As well intentioned as my performance was, it wasn’t His way. I needed to surrender to Him. I needed to listen and to obey, pushing my own feelings aside. I couldn’t play church or just say the right kind of prayer hoping all would be okay. I had to drop it all, get real, and let Him in everywhere and in everything.

I’m not writing this as someone who has now figured it out. I am writing as someone still perched in the process. I’m still confused at times and still fighting my flesh all the time. I have not been given all the answers during this process. In fact, this is a step by step, day by day sort of situation. But step by step, God is revealing. He is assuring me that He loves me, right here. He is sending me scriptures that show me how he views me, how he uses people like me. He is putting revelation in my heart about His purpose for me. He is letting me know that with Him, I’m unstoppable. Having to now walk this out, I find myself completely shook. I’m constantly wondering why He loves me so much, to the point that He’s willing to take it back to this basic but fundamental promise. The answer, I’m getting time and time again is because, simply, I’m His child and we have destiny to do. The same is true for you.

I just encourage you to relax. We have so many demands and opportunities to perform both in the natural and the spiritual. I pray that you wait to see what God says and where He tells you to go. Our own will is fruitless, but His will leads to abundance, opportunity, healing, and freedom. Sit in the revelation that He loves you. Not only does He love you, but He wants the best for you. Because you’re His child, He will hold you up, keep you from falling, and remind you of all His promises for your life. Grace and mercy follow us because He loves us.

Surrender your thoughts, your plans, and your desire to perform. Let Him complete His perfect work in you. You will not fail. You will not fall. His power will be all over you. For when you are weak, then you are strong! (2 Corinthians 12:10)

He loves you, twentysomethings!

“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Check out this skit to drive the message home: