Trinity Angela Chanel | Living Offensively
Christian Published Author
Christian Devotionals
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״I believe God is offering a different path. A path where He can bring healing to our deep wounds. A path where He can bring freedom from strongholds. A path where He can tell us where the traps are and we can step right over them. He can provide wise strategies before we come face to face with difficult circumstances. He can teach us what spiritual weapons to use and when to use them, to not only fight battles, but win battles! And this is how we can live free to do all that God has created us for."
- Trinity Angela Chanel
Psalms 91:1-2 NLT “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Lord Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust Him.”
I love the outdoors and love to take long walks on the beach. Except, where I live, we don’t have the luxury of beaches, so walking in the park would have to suffice. When I get in my head or when I feel overwhelmed, I like to go for a walk. During a perfect fall day, sun shining, leaves falling, and wind blowing, I spent my lunch hour at our park in town where they have trails that travel into wooded areas. It tends to always bring calmness and stillness for me. I was walking and the thought prompted in my mind, “Walk closely with Me. As if you are in the shadow of my wings.” It led me to Psalms 91:1-2 NLT “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Lord Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust Him.”
When I picture resting in the shadow of somebody, I would have to be extremely close to do so. Jesus isn’t just asking us to walk with Him at the pace He has set, but He is calling us to walk closely with Him. He wants to spend time with us. In a season of four months, I had walked closely with God more than I had in the last 31 years. What does this look like? I want to tell you it is because I read my Bible more or I prayed more. Which I did do more of both, but in reality, I simply sat in the Presence of God. I invited the Holy Spirit in every area of my life. I was hurting, frustrated with how my life looked, mad at times, and just disappointed. So, I decided to go to the author of my story. I sought after Him daily because I came to the realization that I was not able to make anything happen on my own. Not one single good thing in my life is because of me, but because of my Good Father. For years, I tried and tried and tried, and I was done trying. I didn’t have anything left to give and that is exactly where God wanted me. I finally surrendered, stopped trying and trusted God to do for me what I surely could not do for myself. I came to the decision that whatever God wants to do, He has full reign in my life to do it. During that time, God began to transform my heart, softening my heart even more to love not only His people, but to begin to love myself. He began to show me who I really was, not who I used to be or who others said I was. He loved me through the pain, but He loved the pain out of me. He carried me, but also carried the weight that I carried for so long. He allowed me close enough to see who He really is. I had the opportunity to learn more about God, about His nature, about His love, and His character. When you learn to walk close to the Heavenly Father, you become the child that clings to Him at all times. Because you know standing in His shadow is the safest place for you to be.
Imagine you and Jesus are walking the path you are on. Yes, He is leading, but He is also walking in step with you. You are carrying all the worries, all the “what-ifs”, all the burdens of tomorrow, all the junk that is slowing you down. Now, imagine Jesus offering to take the backpack full of weight off your shoulders. You give it over to Him to carry for you and you are now free to walk joyfully, peacefully, and freely on the path He designed to the calling He has spoken over you. When we are waiting for something, God is not asking us to carry the load of what we are waiting for. He is asking us to hand it over to Him, allowing us to walk freely into whatever that season requires. The Holy Spirit made it clear what He was calling me to. I submitted to the calling, but I began to try to do what only the Holy Spirit can do, change me to fit that calling. I began picking up parts of my identity that didn't line up with what God was calling me to. Every day, it got heavier and heavier. I was trying so hard to change myself. I finally heard, “Allow Me to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.” It is not our job to change ourselves. Our only responsibility is to take the steps the Holy Spirit leads us to.
All we have to do is walk with Jesus. We take the steps assigned and allow God to do the rest.