I remember the lockdown went into effect in NJ on March 23, one day after my worship live-stream. I have had my own share of anger which then turned to fear and almost depression to the point where I was just over it! Just over Covid, like done!
The one thing that has kept me going is that scripture in Deuteronomy 31:7-8; actually the later part of it and in the Message version of the bible –
“Then Moses summoned Joshua. He said to him with all Israel watching, “Be strong. Take courage. You will enter the land with this people, this land that God promised their ancestors that he’d give them. You will make them the proud possessors of it. God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry.”
As a matter of fact, I have a video on my YouTube channel titled ‘God Will Never Misdirect You’. That came out of that small phase. Here’s the link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my6IR4hv8No&t=1288s
You see, I had stepped into 2020 with so many ideas, aspirations, visions, and here we were basically at a standstill! The whole thing was just so deflating that I questioned if I really did hear God on those things I thought I heard Him say to me. Did I imagine them?
Those dreams got fuzzy. The picture that I had seen for 2020 got corrupted and it took me going back to the one who gave me those dreams and visions in the first place to get clarity. I just want to encourage you, we may get to points of frustration, points where we get overwhelmed either because we’re not seeing results quick enough so we want to abandon or even question if it was truly from God.
You may find yourself right now, where I was, both confused and frustrated. But before you abandon that dream; I encourage you to look at these three powerful words.
2020 redefined these words for me at the most desperate junction of my life. These words – ‘Reset, Pivot and Pause’. We will all come to a place in our lives where we have or need to make decisions on which of them to act on. I call it the three-pronged road to some of the most important decisions of our lives. Let’s look at each:
When you hear the word pause, what do you think of? I am going to use an illustration here. Say, you’re playing a movie, and someone comes in the middle of it to ask you a question. That’s an interruption and in order to not miss something in the movie you hit pause but after the person leaves, you continue. So, a pause has continuity. It is like a comma, it is not a full stop.
A reset, on the other hand, is a restart. You get to start again, with guidance, better instruction, clarity, etc. Maybe you need to revisit your why, what, how, and when.
One of the many synonyms for pivot is turn. People find it difficult to turn and explore something else when another is not working even though the signs are clear that it won’t work. I don’t know if it is out of shame but there is no shame here. I heard someone say sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. Take it as a learning experience and go on.
For this year, I had to hit pause on some things, a reset on others, and definitely pivots where they were needed and I was able to do that because I went back to God to ask for instructions in everything whether it was ministry, career, business or family.
One of my ‘pauses’ this year was a T-Shirt and Hoodie brand business which I had wanted to start for a while now but just never felt the release to do it and so until I got that release, I had to hit a pause on that. There is something especially beautiful about stepping into something new whatever that might be, in God’s timing. As a matter, we launched today that business today November 1st so when you get a chance; please check us out here. http://bit.ly/worshipwithgladys-merch-2
It was easy for me to do and once I wrapped my head around the fact that if He gave me the vision, dream, or desire then ultimately I had to understand that He was also the one with the instructions so that whenever things got confusing or the vision got fuzzy, He would have the answer. This scripture comes to mind – Psalm 32:8-9 in the ESV
Through prayer, I discovered the season I was in. This is a season of total trust for me. That’s because I have too many things riding on God and they have to succeed. I trusted God stepping on these dreams and I absolutely have to trust that He is my first call when things get fuzzy.
Make the decision to walk with Him today and He will show you exactly what you need to do when you need to do it. That’s my life decision now because you see, me and God, we are on a ROLL!!!