There's a shift...

Happy new year my lovies! I hope you had an amazing, joyful and restful festive season and blessed start to the new year.

I love the beginning of a new year. It always feels like we are given another chance to sort of start over on a clean slate and do life again. Of course the troubles of the previous year do not just vanish like that at midnight crossing over into the new year; but it always feels like we're resetting and we get a chance to start over.

Gone are the "good ol'days" were I'd spend new years eve roaming around the streets of East London or Cape Town with my friends and cousins. Growth happened I guess. I now find being at home, on my couch with my journal, phone and TV on more rewarding and satisfying than being out and about on news years eve. I enjoy the peace that comes with it and find fulfilment in entering the new year sober minded and in good health! This year was like no other for me. 

I was home alone, journaling, planning and preparing for the new year. And like previous years, I decided to go on a 21 day period of fasting and praying just to reset and allow God to speak to me about His plans for me for the new year. It was during this period where I couldn't shake the sense that God is going to shift things around this new year. Not just in my personal life but for most people and the World at large. I sensed that there's this big shift in the spiritual realms that we are yet to experience this year (I'm not being overly spiritual at all here, but this is the best way I could explain it!👀). God didn't reveal to me what it is exactly that is going to shift in my life specifically, but I know He has already started shifting my heart's posture and my mindset towards my career. Let's pause a bit here before I continue. I searched for the word "shift" on Google and a bunch of definitions came up. This simple yet fitting one stood out to me "change gear in a vehicle." 

So there's a change. There is a gear. And there is a vehicle. If you are a manual vehicle driver (I'm not😂) you will know that you frequently change the gears of your vehicle based on the road you're driving on and a whole lot of other stuff. Steep hills require you to change the gear. In order for the vehicle to move forward after stopping at the traffic light you need to change from one gear to another. This made me think of my own personal life, specifically areas which I deemed to be on "standstill" where there was little to no movement. My career is an example. It's a story for another day. But my "vehicle" was my career and there are some gears that needed to be changed in order for this career vehicle to move forward. The changing of gears could have looked like me finding employment elsewhere, or starting my own business or studying for a new qualification or advancing my skills in the career I'm already in. What I'm trying to relay here is that, there was a need for a shift in my career. It was time I changed the gears.  

I had been asking God to reveal His plans for me career-wise and make it plain to me. I didn't care to seat and listen to what He had to say though. I did what most of us would do: searched for answers from friends, the internet and family, and perhaps even strangers that cared to listen (guilty!).  I consulted God, yes, but did I care to wait and hear what He thought about my situation? Nope! I did not. I ignored my source. My Creator! How absurd is that?? I ignored the one person that actually knew me more than I know myself. It took a good three years to finally come back to my senses and hear out what God had to say. Here's the thing: we are in the world but not of the world. We are sons and daughters of God and our lives should be yielded to Him, including our careers. We must understand that we are vessels and God is looking for willing vessels (emphasis on willing because He is not forceful) to use on this earth, including in our workplaces. We are here to serve God and His Kingdom, even in our workplaces. So I yielded to His plans for me. He gave me the desires of my heart. Desires that I never thought I'd desire for my life. But He did. I now desire what He desires for me. He placed those desires in my heart and now our desires align because I yielded to Him. Psalm 37:4 puts it nicely: "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." So God shifted my heart's posture and aligned it with the plans that He has set apart for me. I yielded and begun seeing a change in my attitude and mindset. 

I also started noticing how, all of a sudden, God is strategically placing me in uncomfortable situations to deal with certain areas in my life where growth is needed. You know how we sometimes ask God to help us in certain areas of our lives where growth is needed? I call these prayers "bold prayers''. It's those prayers that you pray with the hopes that God will respond gently and kindly and in a way that is suitable, convenient and pleasing to you but still produce the results you seek. Oh but our God?? He will downright respond to your prayers in His very own way that is not at all gentle, kind and comfortable at times. He is not a mean God at all. He just understands that there is no growth in comfortability and convenience and so He will place us in the fire but the nice thing is that He is there in that fire with us. Anyways, just to get back to my needed growth, God revealed to me how much I needed to grow in those areas in preparation for the next season of my life. It's uncomfortable and not convenient, but it is needed for my own good and future.  

Apart from how God has started shifting in my personal life, I noticed that there's some evidence of this shift in the world in general. It's as if there's an alignment that I cannot fully comprehend and express in words. It's as if what was said and done in the spirit is now manifesting here on earth; like an agreement of sorts. It's like there's a global shift going on. I am excited. I am expectant. I am trusting God's plan to prevail!

Lastly, I have an increased desire to partner up with the Holy Spirit this new year. He wants us to be in constant communion and fellowship with Him. I didn't realize how much of a de-service it is to not fellowship with Holy Spirit. He dwells in me and I had been ignoring Him and only remembered Him when faced with 'bigger' problems. Ridiculous I tell you! He wants to be our friend but we are not giving Him the time of day at all. But somehow, ever since I actively decided to grow in faith this year, I noticed that I needed to befriend Holy Spirit. He is my Guide, my Provider and Comforter and so much more! I need to experience Him in all his characters. I'm starting to rely on Him more now. And you know what I've noticed? There's peace that comes with casting all your worries and burdens on Him. We do not need to walk around with our backs bent as a result of our burdens and stubbornness. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you" (Psalm 55:22). You sure will experience the peace that surpasses all understanding, that only God can provide (Philippians 4:7). It is also important to remember that Holy Spirit is not only there to help us in difficult times and when we are stressed and worried. He also wants to be a part of our seasons of joy and happiness and wants to commune with us even in those seasons. He wants us to do life with him, sharing the good, the bad and the ugly. Do not conceal anything from Him; trust me, He can take it!

Praying that this year brings you closer to your Creator and Heavenly Father and praying that you experience abundant blessings that He has for you this year. Lean closer to Him and experience His fullness and unconditional love. Remember that you are His Wildflower!

Be blessed guys.

Grace