DAY 6: Embrace The Process of Being Shaped
Main Scripture: Psalm 127:4 Supporting Scriptures: Isaiah 64:8, James 1:2-4, Hebrews 12:11 Empowered Insight: Psalm 127:4 NKJV Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Before an Arrow is shot from a bow, it goes through a process. That Process looks like this; ➡️ It is Cut ➡️ It is shaped ➡️ It is refined ➡️ It is aligned Once it has gone through this process, only then can it be used effectively. This is exactly how the Father works with us. In Isaiah 64:8, The Lord is the Potter and we are the clay. Clay does not shape itself. It is submitted to the hands of the Potter. So here is where many people misunderstand the process. Before an arrow is released forward, it must be pulled backward. That tension can feel like; ➡️ Delay ➡️ Frustration ➡️ Uncertainty ➡️ Pressure The key is to keep in mind that this tension is not working against you, but rather it is positioning you. James 1:2-4 says; My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. [4] But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Trails produce; ➡️ Perserverance ➡️ Maturity ➡️ Completeness So what feels like resistance is actually development. But the question I’m sure many of you have today is, WHY DOES THE PROCESS FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE? Because the process challenges; ➡️ Your timing ➡️ Your control ➡️ Your Identity The Lord is not just preparing you for what you do, but He is shaping who you are. And, who you are determines; 🔥 What you can carry 🔥 What you can sustain 🔥 What you can release Hebrews 12:11 NKJV Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. In Hebrews 12:11, it tells us that discipline is not pleasant in the moment, but it produces righteousness and peace. YOUR process is not punishment, it is REFINEMENT,