God Didn’t Forget About Me!

My nieces taught me a dynamic life lesson. Yesterday the twins (they’ll be 6 years old in a week) were in the backyard with their two year old sister during “recess” since they are currently virtual learners. One of the twins came in the house to see when playtime was scheduled to end; followed by the other twin. Before the door fully closed, their two year old sister started freaking out. Why? Because in a split second, she thought she had been forgotten about. My vibrant, headstrong “Middle Skittle” as I like to call her, began to yell, scream and yank at the door because she assumed that she had not only been left alone but that she had also become an afterthought. In that moment she believed she had been abandoned by everyone. What she didn’t realize was that she had eyes on her from at least three different adults. My Middle Skittle isn’t big enough to open the door by herself so she depends on her sisters and the rest of us to let her in and out of the house. This moment literally lasted for a split second; all of the adults in the house were watching and able to responded appropriately. However, in your own reality, can you relate to this moment? Can you imagine the emotions she was fighting? Many of us know this experience well; it’s actually more familiar than you think.

So you’ve been praying, sowing and believing for something great and you start to see it manifest…for other people. At first it’s cool, you’re hype for them because…I mean why not be happy for others? Hating is wack-sauce for sure! Plus, if God is doing it for them, He’s clearly “in your neighborhood” (I felt quite churchy, leave me alone! lol) Then time passes and you start to see it happen for more people. You still get excited for them because if God can give FRESH manna to the Israelites in the desert and Jesus can stretch two fish and five loaves of bread to feed a multitude, SURELY He can cook up what you’ve asking Him for…right? (That’s a good place to check your temperature and your level of faith.) But as time progresses, you watch everybody go in the house (or buy a house when you’re believing God for one) and you have a moment where you realize that you’re “outside by yourself.” Many of us are like my Middle Skittle — strong, determined, faithful (this is a plug for my last blog post — make sure you read it here) and possibly still freaking out because our assurance is starting to look “questionable” through our bleak and restless eyes. Truth is, most of us know that our Father would never leave us outside, bold and unprotected but the question has become can He really see us in THIS moment? So essentially it’s not a question of can He open the door but more so will He open the door for me?

You’re getting older and marriage still hasn’t happened. You still haven’t found your niche and feel unfulfilled in your career. You have been believing God for healing but you are still overcoming aches and pain. Slowly your mind begins to wander: “Oh snap, does God really want to do this for me?” Or “Well why am I out here by myself?” and of course “🗣SOMEBODY PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR!” We’ve all been there before — well, I’ll just speak for myself: I’ve definitely been there! These are the moments where I have to grab a hold of myself and check my emotions. I’m a pretty introspective and reflective person, so these types of internal conversations have to be shut down immediately. If I don’t silence this very ignorant voice then my mind will take me on a whirlwind. This voice — these lies — belong to the bald headed, edgeless devil and I don’t have room to play with him ever. It’s my job, as a believer, to take my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and remind myself of who God says I am and what He says I can have. Just like this two year old, I am constantly being guarded, protected and thought of by someone bigger than me! Thank you Father! Because if I was my own frontline of defense, we’d all be in trouble!

I am not alone. I am not fogotten. I have to know that God is moving on my behalf and He is a good Father who wants what’s best for me. He is not fickle. God is literally looking out for my every need; past, present and future. God is strategically creating places, spaces and destiny intersections in my life that will bring Him glory; I just get the benefit. Like literally, I can’t even tell you how God has been showing me just how intentional He is about my life; which has in turn made me more intentional. Advice: Don’t freak out! Here are five things that have been helping me remind myself that God didn’t forget about me and dispel any lie that Satan throws my way:

1. Check your heart — What is allowing you to feel like you have been left out of the equation? What is going on inside of you that has made you feel like God is leaving you out when He loves you and has a DOPE plan for your life? Is it a lack of faith? Fear? Anxiety? Unforgiveness? Strife? Failure to follow through for God given instructions on your part? (Uh ohhh, I’m in somebody’s business…mine, I’m always in my own business first 🥴) A struggling prayer life? The lack of a balanced diet of the word and worship? Real talk, I always have to get to the root of things so I can address it and learn from it. God wants to bless us, plain and simple! My Pastor always reminds us that salvation isn’t just fireproof insurance (because who wants to go to hell? Not I!) but that we have a dope benefits package as well! The thing is seeking God FIRST (Matt 6:33) is a mandate. God’s will is perfect and it reminds us to stay in relationship with Him, no matter the circumstance. So ask yourself: “Why do I feel like this?”or “What, on my end, could be keeping me from opening this door?” (Proverbs 4:20 — 24)
2. Write it down — Whenever I need to remember something, I write it down; literally or digitally. Whether that means putting something in my calendar, placing something on a sticky note or putting it in my notes in my phone (which is literally where I started writing this blog post.) When you want to see something pop off in your life, being bold enough to write it down can be an extremely sobering moment. The act of writing literally means to make an impression on something or to produce. Not only that but add details! Ask God to help you see it the way He did when He gave you the idea. (Habakkuk 2:2)
3. Find the promise in the word and read it often — God is always speaking and the main way He speaks to us is through His unchanging word. The Bible is a real, living and breathing documentation of the very promises that God says we qualify for, through redemption. Like I said earlier, God has a plan for you and it is a beautiful one. If your desire can be backed by the word of God, let alone a distinct promise from God; then it means that this is literally something Jesus Christ gave us access to when He took up the cross and laid down His life. If I have access to it, that means that it’s mine as long as I’m living a life that is lined up with God’s will for my life. This is also important because it’s not just about knowing the promise I have access to but understanding the details associated with how I gain and maintain that promise. (2 Corinthians 1:20, Jeremiah 29:11)
4. Confess it — Confession goes a long way! I mean, I’ve literally built my brand around the significance of speaking things into existence by faith. We are literally kept by the words that come out of our mouths. Our entire world is shaped by our confessions. Either you will be justified or condemned by what comes out of your mouth. Think about it like this: “Anything you say, can and will be used against you in the court of law.” Or “Be a man/woman of your word.” We operate in a culture that we know but still deny that words have power. When you schedule an appointment, you’re giving someone your word that you will be there. You are making a statement to express your commitment. When we use our words and speak things into the atmosphere, we believe them (or at least want somebody else to believe them.) Sounds like faith in a sense. I believe that when I use my words, what I say is what I can and will have. My confession is my acknowledgement that my words hold weight which means my mouth is a powerful tool in shaping what I want to see come to pass. Your confession, your attitude and your protection has everything to do with the vision for your life and your destiny. Your world is framed by the power you use or deny in your mouth. When God filled the earth in Genesis, it literally started with what He confessed. When we accept Christ, it starts with a confession. Get and keep your confession on point; trust me, your life will never be the same.(Genesis 1:3, Roman 10:9 — 10)
5. Prepare for it and watch for it — I was going to put “wait” but God specifically told watch and this was the rational He shared with me— “Because if you say wait, to some that implies that there isn’t anything for you to do during this time period. Watch and pray.” Jesus told the disciples to both watch and pray, so that they wouldn’t get distracted. Praying isn’t just telling God what you want but its about reverencing Him, speaking His word back to Him, building up your faith and keeping you on point like a pencil. When you spend time in prayer, like legit prayer, you start seeing the world differently. (Matt 26:41)

So in conclusion: We got this! The Father who has started a good work in us is surely going to complete it! Sometimes #TheBloodiestSeasonEver can be a lonely walk but I promise you, if you get out of your feelings long enough, you will realize that God hasn’t left you. His eyes are on you. And more than likely, He’s also left you with some support here on earth too. The moment the twins realized they left their sister they ran back to save her. Accountability and covenant are important in moments like this. Make sure you have both (I think my next blog might be about those two topics actually, but don’t quote me!) This is just a part of being faithful! Don’t worry, God didn’t forget about you! Trust Him; trust His love and trust His timing. Oh and remember, Satan is a liar, PERIOD’T! Keep your hands clean and don’t forget to adjust your crown!