Speak Over Yourself

"As I lay me down, heaven hear me now.  I'm lost without a cause after giving it my all..." - I Look To You : Whitney Houston

Do you ever have a day where you hit a wall and you know you are done?  Where you don't have one iota of fight left in you and you just cannot see the way forward?

Those are the days where no-one can say anything to make things better for you.  Those are the days when you must speak over yourself.

Not One More Day, Lord Not One More Minute

I live with a physical condition that just sucks the strength from my body.  I get so tired I struggle to hold my head up sometimes.  

There are days when I cry out 'Father, not one more day!'  Then I am reminded that it’s not about me.  It’s not about my strength and it’s not about my limitations.

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” Gen 32 : 24-26

Those are the days when I am happy that I believe in God.  I believe in the story of Jacob who wrestled with God’s angel and refused to let go until he received his blessing.  Those are the days I fall down in prayer and refuse to let go until I have found peace.

I'm Trying to Pray But Where Are You

"Truth is I'm tired, options are few, I try to pray but where are you?" - Take Me To The King : Tamela Mann

Have you ever felt like God has abandoned you?  We are such fragile creatures, we are beset by so many things that break our spirits.  Troubled marriages, inhospitable jobs, uncontrollable children, abuse, addiction, tragedies, trauma, sickness, financial struggles and the list goes on...

I wish I could say that those who believe in God have an easier road of it but the truth is suffering is universal.  But some of us believe that there is a power bigger than ourselves, all seeing, all knowing all powerful and that this power cares for us in our fragile state.  We believe that this power hears us when we pray.  But some days we pray and He just doesn't seem to be there.

Father Can You Hear Me?

“Father can you hear me?  We need your love today.  I know that you are listening, you hear us when we pray” – Father Can You Hear Me : Tyler Perry

Sometimes we look at our problems and they seem so big, so insurmountable.  They loom above us like granite cliffs, impenetrable and unscalable. 

Sometimes we fall on our knees in front of our mountains and we pray for them to be removed but when we look up they're still there. Day after day, month after month, year after year we pray and still we look up and we see our mountains.

And sometimes we question, "Father do you hear us when we call?  Or are you even there at all?

He Is Able

"Yet I know when my eyes refuse to see, he is able; even though it seems impossible to me, he is able." - He is able : Wintley Phipps

The songwriter says, "If He chooses not to move, the way we think He should, confident He's working altogether for my good, I will stand behind His word for He is able".

I respect all religious belief systems.  I'm not much hung up on whether you call God He or She, whether you say Yahweh of Buddha or Tao.  I'm struck by this knowing that we seem to have as human beings that there is something out there.  Something that binds us together, that guides our paths, sometimes intervening to turn us around altogether, sometimes giving us that extra boost just when we need it.

I think this knowing is important in our attempts to deal with the biggest challenges that life throws at us.  When we feel most fragile it is comforting to think that something bigger than us sees what lies behind that cliff, and sees our way over it also.

Speak Over Yourself

"Sometimes you have to encourage yourself, sometimes you have to speak victory during the test; And no matter how you feel, just speak the word and you will be healed, speak over yourself, encourage yourself in the Lord" - Speak Over Yourself : Donald Lawrence

So when we hit that wall, we need to start at believing and then we need to start to speak over ourselves.  Some people will reach out to others when they are hurting, trying desperately to get some level of assurance, comfort and support.  I call those the twilight hours, for when the dark night of the soul descends, there is no reaching outward.  People pull into their own suffering and the only voice which matters is their own.

"Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and tell yourself you can make it

Remember that life and death lies in the power of your own tongue

Even if nobody tells you you can run on, you tell yourself"- Speak Over Yourself 

Sometimes the voices in our own heads can be so cruel.  Who can castigate us more cruelly than we castigate ourselves.  Who can spell out more clearly the many ways in which we are less than worthy?  Who can make us feel more unloved, abandoned and alone?

“Everything the enemy tells me, it's a lie”- Speak Over Yourself

These are the times when we must acknowledge that we are our own worst enemy, and that everything we are hearing is a lie.  We must tell ourselves that we are worthy.  We must tell ourselves that we are valued and valuable.  We must tell ourselves that there is a purpose to our suffering.  We must tell ourselves that we can make it through. Remember that life and death is in the power of your own tongue.

I Just Can't Give Up Now

"I just can't give up now, come too far from where I started.  Nobody told me the road would be easy and I don't believe He brought me this far to leave me" - I just can't give up now : Mary Mary

We must tell ourselves that no matter what we just cannot give up now. We can look around us at the many who struggle daily to eat, to feed their children.  Those who shiver in the cold unable to find adequate shelter.  Those who live in captivity and war.  We must look at those who have no hands or eyes or feet but they just keep going.

In my book I speak about Malala Yousafzai and Ramona Pierson, two remarkable women who have triumphed in the face of insurmountable obstacles.  But they are just two of many who just refused to give up.  What is your struggle compared to theirs?  If they can make it, so can you.

Let Go And Let God

“As soon as I stop worrying, worrying how the story ends, when I let go and I let God have his way. That’s when things start happening” – Let Go : DeWayne Woods

New age spiritualists say "We live in a benevolent universe". So maybe it's hard for you to believe in a He, called God.  Perhaps it's easier for you to say 'the universe supports my best interest'.  The important thing is that you believe in something that is bigger than this fragile frame which we call ourselves.  It is important to believe that whatever it is that is out there is friendly to you and supportive of you.

When you learn to surrender your battle, to simply let go and say “have your way”, then you are on your way to peace.

It Is Well With My Soul

"When sorrow like sea billows roll, whatever my lot thou has taught me to say, It is well with my soul" - Horatio Spafford

Perhaps the circumstances of your life have wounded you so much you find it hard to believe that anything or anyone cares about you. Look around you.   It's not just you.  God is not picking on you.  There's nothing that is so broken about you that you were singled out to suffer.

"It is in the quiet crucible of your personal, private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born and God's greatest gifts are given" - Wintley Phipps

Suffering has a way of refining us, of polishing away the narrow-mindedness, the selfishness, the arrogance and pride.  Suffering has a way of pulling from us tolerance, compassion, empathy.  Suffering has a way of teaching wisdom and building strength.

Perhaps if we begin to accept that whatever challenges present themselves in our lives are just messengers calling us to a higher purpose, just stepping stones leading to the next level, just weights that help us build our muscles; Perhaps if we learn to surrender to our lessons and look at our challenges as blessings;  Perhaps then we get to the point where we can say, "whatever my lot thou has taught me to say, It is well with my soul"

Go Get Your Blessing

"When you pray, don't tell God how big your problems are; Tell your problems how big your God is" - unknown

When you have made peace with your trial then it is time to move forward.  You've carried your crucible, now it is time to step out and go get your blessing.  

Your blessing may come in the form of helping others, it may come in teaching, it may come in just being more loving and compassionate in your interactions.  It may come in the form of the payoff that you have worked for and prayed for.

In this moment we may have no idea how our blessing will come to us.  Whatever the form you must believe that behind every cloud there is a silver lining, behind every challenge, your blessing awaits. So just start walking, even if you have no idea where you're going. Just start walking.

Go get your blessing and don’t stop until you receive it.  

“I almost let go, I felt I couldn’t take life anymore, my problems had me bound, depression weighed me down, but God held me close, so I wouldn’t let go” – I Almost Gave Up: Kurt Carr

Believe that there is a God who will hold you close when you need Him to.  And don't ever let go.

Inspiration Links

* I am in no way affiliated with the sites that I link to here.  The messages presented are in alignment with the thoughts presented in this post and they have inspired me, I hope that they will inspire you too.

"Today on my first day as an adult, on behalf of the world's children, I demand of leaders we must invest in books instead of bullets," – Malala Yousazai

 Malala Yousafzai  : Shot in the head for demanding the right to an education

Ramona Pierson : Shattered but not broken

I almost gave up : Kurt Carr

Speak Over Yourself  : Donald Lawrence and the TriState Singers

I look to you  : Whitney Houston

Author’s note

This post is inspired by Chapter 10 of my book Embracing Prosperity By Changing Your Mind.  In this chapter I look at various ways to claim the good in your life.  Gospel music is a powerful comforter and motivator.  Prayer is even more powerful.  I hope to persuade you that you can overcome anything that life throws at you by simply changing your mind.  

    

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I bless you, I bless your journey and I am so happy to be a part of it.  May this be the year that you begin to find ways to scale your mountains.