Photo Credit: Stuart Miles/freedigitalphoto.net
I set out to climb this sky high ladder with an unstoppable vigor and excitement! As I approached the top, the reality of the height I’d climbed set in and I needed help. Looking to the ground was a big mistake, I wrestled with an apparent fear of heights but found relief at the sight of three of my friends below. I cried, “Help, Help, Help me” to no avail. Either I was being ignored or they were ignorant to my pleas.
They gazed upon my ascent, but one by one they looked away and walked off. Grappled with fear I pulled my cell phone out and dialed 911, no matter how many times I tried the phone wouldn’t work. I accepted that I must conquer this feat alone, I’d reached a pinnacle point in my life and only needed to cross over…
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NASB
Nothing lasts forever, whether it brings pleasure or misery…it’s only for a time.
It was all a dream. God showed me what would take place. That was a very lonely period in my life, the forewarning took away the initial shock, but one by one each of my friends walked away, although it seemed I lost I actually won. I gained an innumerable amount of God birthed benefits and the moment I “crossed over” every fear God spoke simply saying “elevation.”
It is impossible to prepare for these times, instead we must trust in God and blindly follow Him. This is true faith.
Time for Purification & Testing
Separation brings testing and the testing develops our character, by allowing any imperfections to be exposed. Upon victoriously exiting the isolation, we unlock our abilities and have increased success in our missions.
Jesus was lead by the Spirit of God into the wilderness, where He fasted for 40 days/nights. During this time, the devil came to tempt Him, Jesus successfully used God’s word to combat this attack and was obedient to the Holy Scriptures. After this period, God sent angels to attend Him. (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13)
Jesus passed the test and His character confirmed Him as trustworthy! After these things happened, Jesus went forth in the power and authority of a God performing miracles, teaching, and piece by piece, person by person building God’s kingdom on earth.
Time for Renewal & Refreshing
Jesus knew when to get away. In the book of Matthew chapter 14 He actually withdrew Himself twice. On the first occasion, Jesus heard about His cousin John’s beheading and briefly left to pray, after returning from prayer Jesus was moved with compassion healing many and miraculously feeding 5,000 (Matthew 14:1-21). The second instance in this passage is in Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus ended this busy day by sending the disciples ahead by boat, dismissing the crowd and retreating to converse with God again through prayer. Afterward, He walked on water!
Let a paradigm shift take place in your mind, being alone isn’t a terrible thing!
Before Christ was arrested and crucified He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and even His future followers. (John 17:1-26) Afterward, He went to Garden of Gethsemane, accompanied by Peter, James and John, instructing them to stay behind while He went further alone to pray. This prayer was different from those He’d prayed earlier, Jesus laid His anguish before God. The gospels of Matthew and Mark say Jesus prayed three times while there, the book of Luke adds that He sweated blood. (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46)
Close encounters with God bring times of refreshing and renewal, the privacy allows God to refuel us and reveal things we are otherwise “too busy” to notice.
Allow God to transform your mind through prayer.
Final Admonitions
Don’t despise seasons of separation, rather embrace them along with the opportunity it truly presents. Embrace the change, because that fresh encounter with God will bring growth and empowerment in your life!
Though a door has closed, there is a door of promotion ahead. Keys open doors, the key to opening this door is at your disposal. Your resistance or acceptance of this change will determine the outcome.
Don’t let YOU stop YOU from reaching God’s greatness in YOU!
Don’t stay in Ichabod, where His Glory and His Presence have departed. Don’t stay where He has left, rather be lead by His Spirit and go forth into your purpose.
Scripture References
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you.13 But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, so that you may rejoice and be glad also in the revelation of His glory.
1 Peter 4:12-13 MEV
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7 MEV
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 MEV
1 Comment
MaShani · at
Great encouragement!!!