Compassionate Reassignment

Compassionate Reassignment - to be reassigned to a new place or position for the sake of extending compassion.

In Acts 16:1-40 it covers Paul's obedience in compassionate reassignment, boldness to share The Good News, and his mission, as he went from city to city preaching about this man named Jesus.  I am very quick to send others to Paul's examples of obedience when they are struggling or pondering the "how" or the "why", but I have recognized that I myself am not as swift to remind myself of Paul's examples when I ask "how" or "why". 

I see Paul's obedience as an amazing testimony of what living for Christ ought to be, as Paul urgently went wherever God was to send Him, preaching The Good News despite the backlash, judgement, or harsh words that may have been spoken towards him.  He saw the greater picture that by sharing his faith and living a life of obedience he was opening doors and windows for people to curiously wonder who this Jesus is and what He is about.

Personally I fight God on a daily basis when it comes to compassionate reassignment, comfort and familiarity are all too luxurious to give up for a (in my mind at least) less than ideal situation or life style. Though this is where restoration in our trust becomes crucial, without full trust in God's goodness we miss out.

I want to share a story with you from a Youtuber that I watch often.  The lovely girl who runs the channel A Far Away Distance shared a testimony recently about graciously sharing her faith in the back row of an airplane.

She was late getting checked in and she realized she was going to get a "not so great seat" on the plane but as she shared with her mom she "wasn't disappointed because she felt as though God had someone she needed to share her faith with on this flight" she gets on the plane, sits in her seat, and anxiously awaits the person who would join her.  She sees a woman walking towards her and is worried because she sees that this woman wearing a Hijab and thinks to herself " This woman already has her beliefs, how can I share what I believe?" This woman ended up being her row "buddy", she ended up being the sweetest woman in the world, and they ended up having the most fruitful conversation about both of their religions and beliefs that was a gracious and kind experience for the both of them.  All because this young girl (in her twenties I believe) was obedient even in a situation that she was unsure of, all because she took God's Compassionate Reassignment in this airplane, and she took it with grace and trust.  (Watch her video here: Conversations on Planes about Jesus)

Obedience doesn't come easy, it is exceedingly difficult in times that are certain to bring discomfort and growth.  But this is why Paul's teachings and examples are crucial to our growth as Christians, Paul preaches a life of boldness and obedience in compassionate reassignment. I wholeheartedly believe we should all spend more time digging into the life of Paul to see the way Jesus so fearlessly wants us to live as believers and bringers of The Good News.

How can you follow Paul's example of obedience and boldness?  Is God Compassionately Reassigning you? Pray about it and read through Acts 16:1-40.  Let's see where God is wanting to send us!

Restoration

Restoration - repair, rebuild, fix. 

Have you ever gazed back at photos, videos, or memories and wished that you could be that person again?  The happy, the joy, the contentment, the direction, if only you could have that back.  To no longer feel adrift, straying down a path you know you should not be on, to be found? I have been in this season of desiring my former self, the person I was a year ago before I made decisions to trek along this lonely path that has lead to spiritual self destruction.

My own self destruction has lead to mountain sides that feel far to steep to climb. But as Jesus welcomes the prodigals son with open arms, He too welcomes me.

I strangely relate to the prodigal son, because I ran deliberately. Though we may differ in one small way - I knew what I was doing, I knew that good would not come from my actions but I was broken...really broken.  Now I realize a common theme in the girl who used to be, that theme was Jesus.  Jesus had drastically changed my life and made it good, He gave me joy in the everyday, He gave me hope, and He fueled my passions.  With Him I had purpose, without Him I am lost.

If I have cultivated anything over this past year, it is this:  even in the seasons where we are adrift, Jesus is still present. I know this because I felt Him nudge, I felt Him push, and I resisted. I ostracized myself from anything and anyone that had to do with religion, I decided I was done.  He was silently there guiding me in the rebellious path I had chosen. 

See, Jesus doesn't leave.  He stays even when we continuously leave Him, with arms open wide, full of grace, mercy, and forgiveness, He welcomes us home. 


Restoration has been my word recently as I am restoring my relationship with Christ.  But I also feel that we could all use restoration in many areas of our lives.  Restoring our joy, purpose, focus, mindset, friendships, mental health, physical bodies, it is all so necessary. 

I hope that if you soak up anything from my vulnerability that it would be this:  You are never too far gone, Jesus will not ever close the doors on you, you can always come home, and you are always loved.

The Life Of Moses

Lately I have been reading a devotional on The Life Of Moses, his life is one that is very widely taught/known when you've grown up in a Christian home. I know about the burning bush, I know about the plagues, I know about Moses parting the seas, these are all things that are commonly known when you grew up in church and regularly attended Sunday School.

But what I didn't know is how relate-able Moses' life is to me today as an adult. 

Over the past three days I've learned that like with the "Burning Bush" story, God doesn't always sit and scream our name until we pay attention.  Sometimes He puts a tug in our hearts and regularly places that thing in our lives/path until we choose to pay attention.  Once we do, He speaks.

Or like when God tells Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let God's people go and things only get harder for the Israelites. Things turned drastically from the Israelites hearing that God had not forgotten them and was going to deliver them from slavery, to everything getting 10/10 harder and them wondering why God would allow their slavery to get worse.  Sometimes God allows things to get worse only to show that there is no future in our own slavery, and that looks different for each of us. There is freedom in surrender.

How about when God sends the ten plagues to Egypt and destroy everything they've built?  See this one spoke to me.  God allows our idols to be destroyed, He takes the false power we thought we had, He pulls the rug out from under us, to show that He is the One and Only God.  He is the only thing that should be on the pedestal of our hearts, sometimes we don't see that because we have people, addictions, things, grudges,and egos that take the place in our hearts where He should be.

I'm finding with each devotional that I relate more and more to Moses.  When God speaks to Moses through the burning bush and tell Moses that he is going to deliver God's people from slavery, Moses is filled with doubt, worries, and questions.  That is me a lot of the time when I feel God is leading me somewhere scary or uncomfortable.  I have every excuse in the book, every doubt in the world, to get out of it.  "But God I'm not built for that." "I'm bad with words" (Moses used that one too) "I don't think I can be away from my family" "Are you sure I'm the right person for this?" God calms these quietly and is quick to remind that in my weakness, is His strength.  He created me, and He equips me for whatever He sets in my path.

I think that there are many lessons to be learned through Moses' life and I'm taking it all in.  I feel as though God hand picked this devotional for my life and specifically for what I am going through currently.

I hope this inspires or reaches some of you.
With love,
Alyssa

Walk On Water

In the Bible there is a story of how Jesus called out to Peter and told Him to step out of the boat, to trust Jesus. Peter steps out in obedience and begins to walk, but when the wind hits his face He begins to doubt, he starts to sink and calls out "Lord, save me!" and Jesus reaches out His hand to rescue Him.

I listened to a sermon tonight where this particular story was explained in a new way.  God speaks direction into our lives and asks that we obediently follow Him, to stay close, to trust Him, to not doubt.  And what is so beautiful of this particular story is that as Peter was sinking and he said "Lord, save me!" Jesus reached out immediately and saved him. Immediately.  Jesus said "You of little faith."  "Why do you doubt?" as He reached in and saved Peter before He sank, not when He had sunk, but as He was sinking.  

Jesus was able to reach out immediately and save Peter because Peter was close enough to be caught in His grip.  Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation church says "The problem with most of us is that we wont stay close enough for God to get us in His grip."  If God calls us to step out of the boat, to walk on the water, to come to Him, He isn't going to let us sink.  He knows what is before as us because He directs our steps.  We have no reason to doubt Jesus because He already knows what obstacles lie ahead, this isn't a surprise to Him.  

When we doubt and take steps backward I can't help but think that God says "What are you doing? Don't you see I called you to this because I know...I know what is good for you, I know the bumps along the way, I know you can walk on water because I said you can. What are you doing, just trust me."  When we stay close to God and follow Him closely we will not sink, we will not perish, we will always be in His grip, safely tucked away. 

This week I am asking myself what is my "Walk On Water" request from The Lord.  Where is He asking me to trust, not doubt, that He is in control and He will save me if I begin to sink.  What is your "Walk On Water" request from the Lord? 

Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church: When Anxiety Attacks