The definition of process is, "a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end."
We live in a world that wants immediate results without walking through the process. Things and events in life need to undergo a process. We live in a world that wants the end result without taking the steps that are needed to achieve the end to it's most genuine outcome. So many people would rather have a sloppy end if it means not having to walk through the process but Jesus wants more for us. He wants us to have the end result of a diamond and not the end result of a pebble.
"Look, I have refined you, but not like silver; I have purified you in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10
So many times we get discouraged with ourselves because we forgive but that relationship isn't back to normal in a snap. Our hearts have forgiven but the mess is still there. Sometimes people confuse forgiveness with purification. The process starts with forgiveness but if it ends there then the mess was never cleaned up and we are bound to slip and fall on what was spilled on the ground.
So many times we get discouraged because we finally know what we want to do with our lives but that degree doesn't just magically appear in our hands. The process starts with deciding what career we want to have but if it ends there then we just stay stagnant in the hopes and dreams we have for ourselves only to never actually live in them.
So many times we get discouraged because we finally want to quit that addiction that binds us and holds us down but those longings and temptations are still there. The process starts with wanting to quit an addiction but if it ends there then you are only left with a desire to quit as you still partake in that addiction.
So many times we get discouraged because these things we desire don't just fall right into our lap. We think if we forgive, if we have a dream, if we want to live right that it will just happen. The truth is, everything in life is a process. A process that sometimes we choose to not go through because we allow fear to take root and then we give up.
"When you cross deep rivers, I will be with you, and you won’t drown. When you walk through fire, you won’t be burned or scorched by the flames." Isaiah 43:2
The good news is that when we decide we want to start the process, we have a best friend who is willing to walk through the fire with us. He is willing to walk through the heartache that comes with the process of true forgiveness, He is willing to walk through the ups and downs of seeing a dream come to pass, He is willing to walk through the battles of temptation as we let go of an addiction and a chaotic lifestyle. The process is hard but we have a Heavenly Father ready and willing to start the process with us! He is ready to remove those chains that bind us down to brokenness, fear, loneliness, struggle, temptation, and sin.
"I sleep and wake up refreshed because You,Lord, protected me. Ten thousand enemies attack from every side, but I am not afraid." Psalm 3:2-6
He will be there through the process. Seek Him for the patience and strength needed for this journey of process. Start the process and know that He is walking right beside you.
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