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Topic: GRATE (11/19/15)
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TITLE: Bare Before Him | Previous Challenge Entry
By Danielle Rivas
11/26/15 -
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For me, this process has been rather painful.
When I first came before the Lord in prayer, he revealed that I didn't know who I was. This whole time He has longed to open my eyes to who he originally designed me to be, even before my mother's womb.
This process has been a peeling, shredding and grating of my old self, layer by layer the Lord has stripped me of all that I have been carrying around.
Things that I thought made me who I was, but in fact, took away from and detoured me from my true path.
The inner healing process requires surrender and trust to allow the Holy Spirit to work deeper.
Giving up access to the areas you weren’t even aware were there. The Lord wants to open up doors to wounds that are hindering you so that healing can come, and this requires trust.
When the Lord first started this process in me, it was simple things. For instance, I was a heavy smoker and by His grace He delivered me of that by an actual miracle.
However, after the obvious important transformations the Holy Spirit started going deeper and started revealing “the extra stuff”, my fake eyelashes, fake nails, hair extensions and my career.
Stripping me bare, a blank canvas so that I could start discovering who I really am, without all the extra stuff.
How many of us really know who we are, not by our jobs, or our titles, or our stuff, but who God originally intended for us to be?
My whole life I created my image around things from others, as do most people in the world.
The revelation I stumbled upon was that if you were to ask me what I truly enjoyed, and who I was, and what my purpose was, I wouldn't have an honest answer to give.
During this season of pruning, being broken down and rebuilt, I have realized the tendency I have to want to be like others actually stemmed from a deep desire to be someone important, to be someone that would make a difference, to be a leader.
This surprised me because I never considered myself a leader. I always followed someone else or what the world was saying was the right thing to do.
I simply had no vision for myself.
The bible say's “where there is no vision the people perish”, how true this was, I had no God vision for my life, all I had to go off of was what others fed me.
Like a block of cheese the Lord has pressed me against a grate, shredding off the old layers that have built up over 36 years and through this process I am starting to see who He had originally created, a person with a voice, with courage, determination to help change the way we walk with the Lord.
This journey has been absolutely amazing. Before my salvation, fear and anxiety ruled my life and I just wanted to hide. Just as the word said I was perishing with no vision, no hope and no saviour in my life.
Now I am a voice crying out, to all my brothers and sisters to walk in a radical love with Jesus. Encouraging the body to allow the Lord to shred off the things that hinder you and to run with perseverance towards Jesus, towards your destiny.
Just like a hidden diamond, we lie in wait for our discovery, excavation and polishing. We long to shine in the brilliance of our true self.
The process can be painful, but it is one that is so worth taking the journey on.
Beloved, if you feel as though you have been in the wilderness, or that you want a deeper, meaningful walk with the Lord, offer yourselves to the Lord and allow Him to strip you bare, so you can become the original canvas he created you to be.
The Word says His grace is sufficient and his love will get you through, it is a beautiful journey and has many surprises. Those who seek will find, and those who knock the doors will open. Dare to believe that God has a grand purpose for your life, I have and He hasn’t disappointed.
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