Last week, I had a job interview.

(The day before the job interview, I had a nasty tummy bug.)

Sweaty and tired, I turned up for my job interview on a bleak Thursday morning feeling… Weak.

I began that day with very little energy and no paid work.

Miraculously and by God’s grace, I ended that day with zero energy and two job offers!

A double portion. Two answers to prayer. Next steps…

For me this is part two of a season shift I have been feeling within (talked about the first part here.)

But, this is what I want to talk about today: Though I have seen God’s blessing and kindness in this past week, I have also felt:

• Insecurity rise up,
• Imposter syndrome making me doubt,
• Anxiety take over the schedule,
• Fear of missing out, as I move forward,
• And temptation to fret and worry.

Mid-week, I saw a video of an American worship pastor called Jenn Johnson on Instagram.

(You might know her from songs such as “Goodness of God” or “Holy Forever” – if not, give those a listen!)

Jenn talked about a song she wrote called “God I Look to You.”

She wrote this song in her car, when she had three little kids and she was feeling overwhelmed… Sounds relatable!

Originally she wrote the song lyrics “God I look to you, I am overwhelmed.”

But then she heard God say something like: “If you sing that, you will stay in the overwhelm. Instead prophesy your way out of it.”

Jenn listened to God and the song lyrics are:

“God I look to you, I won’t be overwhelmed. Give me vision to see things like you do. God I look to you, you’re where my help comes from. Give me wisdom, you know just what to do,”

I have always loved this song, but hearing this story I could not help feel as if God was talking directly to me.

In this spiritual season shift, I must hold onto God.

With Him, I will not be overwhelmed.

He will hold my hand, guide my path, lead me beyond what I can see.

Settling for Less

If you read my blog, you will know I have been writing my way through the book of Joshua.

In Joshua, chapter 9 – we see a story all about deception.

Josh is leading God’s people and he is overtaking kingdoms, claiming their land for God’s plans and purposes.

As a result, kings are scared of Joshua. They recognise that

1. God is with this guy – and…
2. they don’t stand a change against God.

Nevertheless, these people do not surrender to God.

A bunch of people, called the Gibeonites, decide to deceive Joshua. They trick Josh and his army into thinking that they are poor and hungry travellers.

Joshua makes a peace treaty with the Gibeonites, believing their lies. Here is how the Bible puts it:

So the men [of Israel] took some of their own provisions [and offered them in friendship], and [foolishly] did not ask for the counsel of the Lord.Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant (treaty) with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation [of Israel] swore an oath to them.

Joshua 9: 14 – 15, AMP.

I think that sometimes you and I make peace with lies; We settle for things that God never intended us to settle for.

Insecurity is one of those things.

• It is so normal for me to dislike my appearance.
• It is so normal for me to believe that I can’t get it right (whatever “it” may be, that day.)
• It is so normal for me to worry about what others are thinking.

I sense God saying: It is time for insecurity to leave Beth. Exit time. New normal awaits.

When I was praying with my friend this morning, I had a picture in my mind’s eye of a woman in the wind. She was so tempted to be swept up in whatever was popular.

• Tempted to get swept up in spending too much money and finding comfort in food, fashion and festivities.
• Tempted to join December overload and overwhelm.
• Tempted to people please and do whatever makes her feel accepted by people.

All she had to do was resist the pull.

Resist the pull.

Don’t get caught up in it.

Stand firm.

Resisting the pull looks asking for the counsel of the Lord. (The thing Josh and his boys did not do.)

It looks like making God King, Lord and Master of your life – in every big and little decision.

Staying Heaven-Focused

I think of Peter – Jesus’ friend and disciple. I love reading about Peter, I find him so relatable – He acts before He thinks.

One day, Jesus asks Peter: “Who do you say I am?”

And Peter says: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus tells Peter that he is right.

Bingo.

You got it, Pete!

And with that revelation, Jesus begins to prophesy over Peter:

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16: 18, NIV.

He is saying:

“Pete, you know who I am – stand, then, in my authority. Take these kingdom keys, you have access to heaven – stay heaven-focused, my friend.”

He gives Peter a name that means “rock”.

Peter does not walk away from this conversation, forever free from adversity.

Having read the gospels, I am certain that Pete felt insecure, overwhelmed and afraid, at times.

• He denied Jesus,
• Watched Him die on a cross,
• Met resurrected Jesus,
• Experienced Jesus’ forgiveness,
• Saw the Holy Spirit fall like tongues of fire,
• Watched thousands find salvation in Christ
• Healed many in Jesus name,
• Suffered immensely for Jesus’ name,
• Was killed as a martyr.

I am sure there were times when Pete really had to hold on to Jesus’s promise that the gates of Hades would not be overcome. I am sure there were times when Pete was tempted to freak out and instead had to stay focused on heaven.

Resisting the Real-Time Pull

As I write this, it is 5th December – we are prepping for Christmas in England. I have struggled to feel festive, until today.

While I walked through Liverpool city centre, I watched crowds of people shopping. I saw signs that got rid of the “Christ” bit in “Christmas”.

I missed a beautiful friend of mine. One who loved Christmas.

And right in the middle of those crowds, I remembered that Jesus came as a tiny baby in a very messy and dark world.

He came for those who had a longing a gingerbread latte could not solve.

He came for those of us that really can’t muster any kind of “festive feelings,” in our own strength, this year.

His birth was announced to smelly, stinky shepherds, who would not have been able to see their own hand in front of their face. Vulnerable men sat in pitch black fields. Waiting in darkness.

Jesus injected a thrill of hope into the lives of the lost and broken.

Heaven came down.

And if we just resist the pull of the crowd…

The pull to insecurity.

The pull to manmade comfort.

The pull to what is popular.

We will find ourselves strengthened and led by Jesus alone.

Stay heaven-focused my friend.

Stay close to God’s loving counsel.