sifting season

in

Dictionary Definition; sift: examine (something) thoroughly so as to isolate that which is most important or useful; Greek translation, siniazo; sift: prove by trials

I think it can go without saying that most of us have been feeling a shift. Whether it is a shift in our homes, families, friends, careers... there has been a spirit getting around. A negative spirit, seeking to contaminate and destroy any plans/ breakthroughs that our Lord has ordained for us to encounter. A spirit that aims to distract us from that breakthrough that is so close. A Shift Usually Means A Sift (#copyrightTeressa) 

Countless seasons of being drained physically, mentally and emotionally and sometimes, spiritually, taking major blows but through the strength of the Holy Spirit and the grace of our Lord, I have always been able to get refocused. My mind and body and heart continued to take hard licks but spiritually, I remained empowered. 

Back in September of 2018, God was bringing up some stuff, the better word is purge, because it has not been easy and smooth. A "spiritual virus" that my flesh has grown immune of but my soul, not cleansed of. As I sought godly counsel from friends and family, things begun to come full circle. With increased difficulty and pain, I realized that I have intertwined a negative spirit into my identity. A spirit that called a specific area in my life "home" (Luke 11:24) and what I have called "part of who I am." To the point when I imagined myself being removed of everything this spirit is attached to and responsible for, I literally asked myself aloud, "Who would I be?" I saw how much of my thoughts, actions, decisions, motives, jokes and speech are stemmed from this spirit. (Initially, it was a scary thought because I don't know myself outside of this spirit).  

I know we have all felt those times where we feel like God is "breaking us down" but honestly, God doesn't do that. He doesn't "break us down", quite the contrary, He allows us to experience the consequences of our choices or permits Satan and his demons to task us (in Luke 22:31-32, Satan had to ask to sift Simon, he needed permission) but He is not the one who directly does it but rather uplifts us, builds us. Every time I heard "sift", I always thought of us as believers, "Jesus will sift the wheat from the chaff among us believers" but after reading "Jesus: One and Only” by Beth Moore, my perspective of sifting has been readjusted to what about our sifting season. We too get sifted, separating the "Teressa-stuff" from "Jesus-stuff", “Your-stuff” from “Jesus-Stuff”. Most of us, if not all, has experienced the pain of seasons where our friends were sifted out because, on a real level, that happens when you decide to follow God faithfully and your lifestyles and goals begins to differ significantly. It is sad at times, but it happens. We continue to love them from afar, but we move onward with God. But I am grateful, that similar to Peter, we have a King who prays for us and brings to us friends who prays for our faith so that it "may not fail" during this sifting season. So that we do not show ourselves to be a seed that lands on rocks but rather on good soil (Luke 8:11-15).  It is so BEAUTIFUL that we serve a God who doesn't settle with less of who He designed us to be yet chooses to forever pursue and woo us, nonstop. IMAGINE, the strength and trust in our Lord that will be so deeply rooted as a result of these intense sifting seasons. Beth Moore stated that we go through times of testing but there is ONLY ONE sifting season that stands out from the rest and truly thrusts us forward and it is the "sifting season" of Jesus who gave Himself up to the cross so He can do the ultimate sift of those who will enter the kingdom. The power behind our testimony for those in the middle of their sift...."strengthen your brothers"... will manifest the Glory and Victory of God.

I may not know what this "Teressa" may look like or be, but I know she will be Free. She will be Authentic. She will be True. She will be a Servant ready for the mission her God has set before her, ordained for her. And it is because of my love for God (or rather His love for me) that is giving me the bravery to proudly accept and be prepared for the spear pierced into my spiritual side, pouring out all that is within me that is not of Him. A Daughter, I am, forever becoming into the likeness of God.

I encourage you all, whatever season you are in, endure and press on! We have a King praying for us. Friends, praying for us. If you feel attacked in every area of your life, then you probably are... but not necessarily because you "did something wrong" but because there is some "stuff" within you that Our Lord is trying to purge you of because when you die on this planet, He wants you with Him in the next and as long as you have breath, He will not stop. Our God is so Amazing! And His Love, beyond human comprehension. 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

(Isaiah 55:8-9)