The Pause

* This year ( 2015 ) I will be posting the lessons I have learned as I’ve journeyed through Genesis. This is Post #1 based on Genesis Chapter 1. ——————— Creation was seven days of awesome. Seven days filled with beautiful rest preceded by spectacular jaw dropping solar systems being spoken into existence. Seven days filled with light and darkness separating and mountains and seas finding their way through the vastness of a brand new earth. Oh to have been there the moment He said, “let there be light.” I read through the first five days in awe of God and I wished I could have seen with my eyes the awesomeness and then I came to a screeching halt midway through day six.

     God: ²⁴ Earth, generate life! Produce a vast variety of living creatures—domesticated animals, small   creeping creatures, and wild animals that roam the earth. It happened just as God said. ²⁵ God made    earth-creatures in a vast variety of species: wild  animals, domesticated animals of all sizes, and small  creeping creatures, each able to reproduce its own kind. God saw that His new creation was beautiful and good.      And God paused.   Genesis 1:24 ( the voice )

To this point every day or every part of creation God created was completed with an, “it is good” and began with a command! But on day six before He created humanity He paused. There was a conversation that was had. Before He formed the dust, before He breathed life into Adam, He paused. Have you ever felt like God put your life on pause? Like you were moving pretty quickly and you were seeing growth and movement in your life and then life came to a stop? When I read this chapter on that particular day that’s exactly how I felt. My life had been moving at a pretty epic pace and then before I knew it I was stuck in traffic and there was no movement. In that moment I knew God was trying to tell me something profound. So like many times before, with tears burning down my face because I totally had the wrong make up on for this moment, I whispered,     ME: “Lord, why did you pause? What’s the big  deal?” And in that Holy moment He lovingly replied,     THE LORD: “Uh…keep reading. You haven’t even finished the chapter.”     ME: “Hold up? What!?!” I wish I could insert that emoji that makes that “surprise, you have got be kidding me!” face right here! Yep, God has jokes and He talks to me all sassy. It’s all good. I respect it. Any ways, I jumped right back into the chapter and immediately realized that after God created Adam God entrusted Adam with three things. Three MAJOR things.

1. God gave Adam authority
2. God gave Adam a directive
3. God gave Adam seed & fruit

As the chapter came to a close I felt the Lord impress upon my heart the following revelation.

Many times we desire authority and vision, and  fruit but before He entrusts us with those things   He pauses. It is in that pause, or development that our character is built and molded. It’s in   the pause where He teaches us to be patient. If  we can’t patiently wait for our promise then He can’t entrust us with it.

AUTHORITY

If you are praying for God to give you authority over strong holds or over the things in your life that seem to weigh you down you first have to spend time in His presence. The pause is the perfect place to learn how to abide in His presence. If you don’t learn to abide in His presence you’ll live your life trying to adapt to the worlds systems. But authority has NOTHING to do with position and everything to do with God’s presence! Authority is not something that is achieved by tasks, authority is imparted, and the only one that can do that is GOD.

DIRECTIVE

If you are looking for God to give you a directive or vision for the next season, that is found in the nitty-gritty of prayer and fasting. When you’re relationship with God is fresh and current you’ll have the discernment to know which doors to walk through. And the truth of the matter is not every door that is available or open is meant to be walked through. Most opportunities are meant to be reminders of how faithful God is and how much favor He has on your life. The pause teaches you how to differentiate between them.

SEEDS & FRUIT

My Pastor, Kerri Weems once told me that, “Seeds are meant to die and be reborn.” They were never meant for us to pocket, they were meant to be surrendeed. The same thing goes for fruit. It’s meant to be shared, given away. Have you ever seen a fruit tree with fruit that is old and was never picked? It’s actually pretty gross. Or have you every picked a fruit that was not ready? The pause teaches us how to steward the seeds, fruits and blessings God has given us to advance His Kingdom. If we don’t embrace the pause and learn how to wield our gifts we will utilize these tools to advance our kingdom instead. So my friend, if you find yourself in the pause, be excited. God is working out good things so he can bless you with great things. Be patient, the best is yet to come.     #InTheBeginning xo Chari]]>