Theme:   All I Want for Christmas Is for God to Hurry Up

This eDevotional was written by a volunteer from Timberlake Church. 

READ:  James 1:2-4

THINK:  The weekend message by Pastor Ben quickly took me back to where I was ten years ago in my walk with Christ and what I persevered in the process.  I was at a point where God was definitely trying to get my attention.  He did it in one of those shocking ways that stripped me of my pride and exposed what I put as my highest priority.  Unfortunately it wasn’t my family or God, it was my job. 

Before I hit this roadblock in my life, I believed I was limitless in my ability to make things work out.  I had received lots of kudos and awards for my work accomplishments. I was also spiraling out of control.  I tried studying the Bible more, praying harder and working harder.  I didn’t understand why God seemed to not be responding and was uncooperative in making my job situation any better.

It wasn’t until I was forced to give God control over my job (through a humbling situation) that I was able to see how truly broken I was and take personal responsibility.  God took me down a journey that transformed me from the inside out.  What is so ironic—and humorous in hindsight—is that although my boss demoted me for my lack of people skills, God has ‘promoted’ me and abundantly used me in this area.  He has taken me out of my analytical walk to one of faith and obedience from my heart.

Ten years later, I am grateful for that experience and still sold out for Jesus.  My identity is no longer wrapped up in what I do, but is now based on who I am.  How does transformation like that happen?  In my case, I was blessed to have people in my life who pointed me in the direction of a ministry called Celebrate Recovery.  Celebrate Recovery is a biblical 12-step program based on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10).  At first I attended for my compulsive work habits, but I soon came to realize that these principles were needed in all areas of my life.  It was about embracing a lifestyle change that put Jesus first in my heart, mind and soul. It was about the character building that I needed to become more like Christ.  Lastly, it was allowing Him to turn my failure into victory.

While being in the delay can be very difficult, test your faith and bring up many doubts, you can rest assured that God is waiting for you to take the next step toward Him.  He promises there will be fruit on the other side as the James wrote: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

DO: If you are in a period in your life when you’ve realized that trying harder and praying harder isn’t working, there is great news for you.  Timberlake is starting a Celebrate Recovery program in 2012.  For more information about this new ministry, fill out the confidential online form at http://www.timberlakechurch.com/celebrate-recovery/.  It may be just the next right step that God is calling you to.

PRAY:  Heavenly Father, I pray that in periods of delay in my life that you would gently get my attention, refine my desires, give me strength and allow me to choose faithfulness.  I pray that You would turn my failure into victory for You. Amen.