The Woman: 7 Ways To Be Considerate When God Considers YOU



A few months ago I spent some time going through the book of Job. Life began to feel overwhelming and I began to doubt every single thing that God has spoken to me. I started feeling like I was going through life with a "business as usual" approach and I do not have that type of personality. I believe in purpose and pursuing it; discovering life and all it entails along the journey. However, I no longer felt that "umph" anymore. So I began to re-read the book of Job. I knew the story: great man, tested greatly, lost everything, but worshiped God anyway. For where I felt I was in my spiritual walk, I thought it would be a great refresher to get me going. Before I could get good into the story again, I slammed on the brakes at verse 8: "Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you CONSIDERED my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

Hold up God…
How many times have you had a "hold up God" moment? 

When you look up the word considered, it’s not something you do lackadaisically. It’s not hasty or unorganized; it’s nothing like when you toss on a hat and run to Wal-mart your local grocery store without any regard for your appearance. NO. 
Considered is a methodical way of handling a situation. It is when you think through, create an itinerary and make sure your team is on one accord before you carry out your plan of action.

As the story continues God gives the enemy power to do whatever he wants to Job because God is SO confident in Job’s position as a man with a heart for God.

In this season I’m in, I started feeling like God asked this same question but not just with ME; many of my friends/family seem to be walking in a season of "being considered." After a few messages from my sister this week, I woke up this morning and I felt the Holy Spirit whisper this title: how will you be considerate when God considers you? Immediately I started speaking key phrases that I rely on [DAILY] in this season which keeps me focused on His face and His heart for what He’s doing in my life. My heart began to ache for so many who are walking through a difficult season who aren’t sure if God sees them anymore.

Here’s how YOU can be considerate [understanding, attentive, respectful] of your (difficult) season when God considers you:


1. Count it all Joy (James 1:2)

I know, I know. Who in the world wants to be joyful when you are in a wintry season getting everything and everyone yanked from you. The NIV says, "CONSIDER it pure joy, […] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance [grit, determination, diligence]". I start with this phrase first because our natural reaction is curse God, flip tables (not in the temple type of way) and act a complete fool. Some of us become so tainted by our difficult seasons we want to make life difficult for everyone else [Misery loves company].


But James says to embrace these moments because through your stretching, you will be able to face your next season of consideration with ease or at least keep the table upright. ;)

2. Confidence is KEY (Jeremiah 1: 6-8)

One of my spiritual mentors would always tell me to read the book of Jeremiah. She saw something in me that reminded her of him and after finally taking heed to her nudging I started reading it. Not only does God call Jeremiah to be "set a part" [meaning you can’t do what everyone else is doing] but He tells him he will be a prophet to the NATIONS. Jeremiah is like hold up God, "Alas, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am too young." What God has planted in my heart and purposed for me, I get overwhelmed thinking about it because it’s bigger than my mind can organize and try to execute. Immediately I will begin to discount myself and start throwing out all of the reasons WHY I should not be considered: age, lack of skills/education, fear of speaking (so you know God is going to position you to speak right?), height, looks, how much money I make (or lack thereof). We can ALL contribute to the "I am too____" statement to avoid getting "involved" in something we don’t see ourselves being successful the way WE perceive success. But God goes on to tell Jeremiah, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you." One of my favorite worship songs Everlasting God says, "I will remain confident in this, I will see, the goodness of the Lord." We have to be confident in what God has spoken, preparing for when the season changes.



3. Address your MESS (Hebrews 12:1)

A few (Nine) years ago I wrote a piece (poem) that spoke to being honest with who I am and how I have hid behind my fake (happy) emotions for so many years.


In all honesty I wasn’t happy and I was tired of pretending to appear happy. I began to look at my fake happy self as the girl behind the makeup. The woman who was so "made up" even those close to her didn’t realize her true emotional state.

I discovered through that experience that holding on to the junk that weighs us down is not only exhausting but it’s unhealthy. I decided to change the name of my blog to Behind the Makeup and started using the tagline "remove the makeup" as a way to empower other women. When I started reading the bible (like really reading) back in 2007 I fell in love with the book of Hebrews. There so much wisdom and so many amazing stories but the verse in Hebrews 12 really changed me: 


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses [people cheering us on], let us throw off everything that hinders [lay aside the weight] and the sin that so easily entangles [that JUNK that keeps you overwhelmed]. And let us run with perseverance [grit, determination, diligence] the race marked out for us."


Throwback on a Wednesday
What emotions have you feeling weighed down? Who are the people adding more strife than love to your life? What are those secret sins that you depend on to numb those emotions? All of that is WEIGHT! It’s your JUNK, your MESS that you continue to ignore thinking it will just go away but it won’t. This verse says listen, since we are being encouraged and cheered on by those who have already gone down this road/faced this season/overcame that addiction/ended that relationship, let us let go of anything that doesn’t align with what God declares for us: peace, love, joy, kindness, faithfulness etc. [Galatians 5:22] and RUN in this race marked out for US (not your neighbors race but your race). Before we can run with perseverance the first thing we are instructed to do is to THROW OFF everything that HINDERS. This season you’re in is giving you time to address your mess. Job had to go through his time of consideration to realize that he didn’t need those "so called friends" he had because God wanted him (and us) to be more focused on what He was teaching in that season so that WE can "not grow weary and lose heart" (v3); we have a race to finish!

4. Double Dog Dare (Psalm 91:7; 13)

I’ve shared this before but my first job out of college was as a live in counselor with mild to moderate behavior adolescents. That meant I lived in the woods for 3-4 days a week with teenagers who were labeled "troubled." The teenagers weren’t the issue (for me), it was sleeping in a cabin in the woods without electricity. I had never been camping (the living room at my aunt’s house doesn’t count I’m sure) so I had this fear rise up from a place I didn’t realize was such a big deal. I opened my bible and discovered Psalm 91.

When you are in a tough season not just emotionally but maybe you are walking in unfamiliar territory and you are wondering, why in the WORLD did God plant you in this crazy [school, job, group] you have to be able to speak with authority over those people/places/things that WILL try you.


Are you prepared to double dog dare (which is the ULTIMATE I wish you would) the enemy when he tries to get you to curse God: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you […] You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent."


In order to stand firm when God considers you, you have to be attentive, ready to stand firm and go toe to toe with the enemy, using the WORD of God.

This entire passage gets me AMPED (slang for revved up lol). It energizes me and makes me yell out to the enemy, "I double dog dare you to try me because I tread on the lion and cobra and ten thousand may fall at my right hand but NONE WILL COME NEAR ME." Bow! (More slang for I just TOLD you off without using a curse word LOL)

5. REST (Matt 11:28)

Okay, so once you’ve finished being excited about the trials you face (remember NOT to flip the table and pray instead), being confident that what God is doing is for your purpose; to strengthen your faith and dependence on him, tossing every person/place/thing that doesn’t push you closer to God out the window and giving the enemy a good "I wish you would" stare down, you need to REST! Every night around 9 pm (after every ONE is fed, bathed and in the bed) I whisper to myself, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Although I’m not burdened I am TIRED/sleepy/drained/exhausted by the very end of the day. Aside from using everything in me to fight this spiritual battle with he who slithers on the earth, I have two busy boys and I’m a full time working mother. My honey has a really tough schedule so I’m literally running like a wild woman when I get off of work. I’m a schedule driven person so when I miss that 7:30pm bedtime for my boys I have a small come undone. I depend on God to grace me with every minute of my day because I cannot do it without Him. He didn’t say, "I will think about giving you rest" or "Depending on how you acted today then I might give you rest." He says, COME TO ME […] and I WILL give you rest. Exhale at his feet and leave your worry there.

6. Tell your story (Psalm 107:2)

You think this is just happening for you? So that you can dust yourself off at the end of this season and say whew glad that’s over!? No way! As I often have to tell myself, THIS AIN’T ABOUT YOU! Someone’s deliverance is contingent upon what you receive in this season. You have to GET what He’s trying to teach you! Not just so you can walk in authority in your purpose but also so that you can empower someone else into theirs. We all are on the heels of an amazing encounter that will serve as a God said encounter for someone else, LED by the sharing of our story! This verse says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe." If you have walked out of ANYTHING beyond your own explanation and abilities then you are on assignment to help someone else through their season. Through your sharing you will discover Him in a more beautiful light and it is in that moment you will experience the joy you wanted to discredit when you were wanting to flip a table.

7. Press On (Philippians 3:14)

Sometimes I don’t want to get out of the bed. A tough season will have you hiding under covers hoping that when you pull them back life will be restored, relationships will be mended, jobs will be blowing up your phone, your bank account will never be negative again, the repossession companies will forget your name AND your address, bill collectors will delete you from their database; You will be the person you were before life SLAPPED the taste out of your mouth.

Listen, I don’t write from a place of possibility, I have BEEN there and in some instances I am STILL there. I know how you feel but get yourself out of that bed and press.

Press because you have small humans (children) who are DEPENDING on you to get yourself together.

Press because you CARE about the people IMPACTED by your presence versus the ones who pray for your absence.

Press because you haven’t seen the righteous forsaken or His seed begging for bread.

Press because you know so and so’s story and how they came out victorious AND you know believe that can happen for you.

Press because you know what He has spoken to you in your quiet time and you know He doesn’t make any mistakes.

Press because YOU have been PURPOSED for this season. If you weren’t God wouldn’t have CONSIDERED you!


Some days there’s only a corner of pressing left in me and I suck everything out of that little corner to get me going and before I know it I’ve made it through another day. I write from a place of standing firm on what I’ve seen, what I’ve heard, what I’ve experienced.

I press because there is a generation behind me depending on me to be obedient and to see me overcome! I’m not perfect. I haven’t arrived but I’m focused more on my greater coming than I am what I’m having to endure to get there.

I found this verse (v12-14) in college and it has been my life scripture ever since: "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Wishing you an amazing season of revelation, peace and growth!
Remember seasons change so keep pressing!
#pressOn

All my love,
Caneeka

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