Defining Moments
Inside each and everyone of us, God has placed a unique and specific purpose to fulfill, but it is up to us to be intentional in making it come to pass.
It’s not uncommon that while serving God and pursuing our dreams we face opposition and difficult trials arise.
But as I once heard Michael Fernandez say, “God never calls us to do easy things but great things that scare us to the point that we wonder if what is being asked of us can really be done. This is why we have this thing called faith.”
Faith allows us to stand firm in the middle of the storm, remain full of joy while we suffer, and move forward confidently knowing God goes before us.
In my life personally, I’ve had to overcome numerous events and situations where I wanted to throw in the towel and give up. But thankfully I’ve been able to rely on my faith in God and the support of those nearest me to continue ahead. And as I look back at different experiences I’ve encountered, I now understand that those difficult moments, although they felt unpleasant, I believe were actual key defining moments in my life.
And today, I simply want to share with you 3 thoughts/lessons that I’ve learned while passing through various defining moments.
1. Defining Moments remind us of our need to daily depend on God.
Like any other relationship that we have whether it is with a family member or friend, our relationship with God must be fed daily and consistently in order to mature and remain strong. Imagine if we connected with God, through prayer or His Word, as often as we connected our cell phone to charge. I truly believe our relationship with Him would be on another level. The truth is like we needed Him yesterday, we also need him today, and tomorrow isn’t any different. To persevere and make any type of positive impact in this world, we need His help daily.
2. Defining Moments reveal us for who we really are.
Just like until when an orange is squeezed can we enjoy its fresh juice; or when we push down on a pen, does the ink flow out leaving a mark on the paper; when we are passing through defining moments that’s when it truly show what’s in the inside of us and allows us to leave our mark. We can say one thing when everything is good, but when certain things don’t go your way, are we the same person? Lets be authentic, lets be transparent, lets display to those around us Godly characteristics that catch their attention and makes them say, “There’s something different about him/her.”
3. Defining Moments teach us another aspect of who God is and lets us get to know Him in a new way.
We can’t experience His healing power if we are never sick. Nor can we feel what it feels to be comforted if we never have a broken heart. If you and I are honest with ourselves and think back for specific moments of when we have felt and seen God perform the greatest miracles in our lives, it probably would have to be while we were passing through difficult moments. I used to run from problems, I used to think they were the end of me, but we when I realized that they are opportunities for me to get to know God in a way I haven’t before, I now run to them. For where trouble is, God is there (Psalm 46:1). And if it wasn’t for those difficult moments I would have never said new prayers, and seen God in numerous facets.
Maybe you’re passing through a tough moment in your life right now and you have lost hope in others, your dreams, or even God. Remember that God says to you in Isaiah 41:10...
Dear (your name here) ,
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Mark it on your calendar today, that you will no longer avoid, hide, or see difficult moments as negative opposition but as a defining moment, a purposeful opportunity to depend on God, define who God is in your life, and tell this world He is faithful.
