When you get in alignment with who God created you to be, you don’t have to force your way into places.

When you start living up to your fullest potential and tap into all your Creator put inside of you, you don’t have to beg for anyone to recognize you.

When you understand who you are and who’s you are, and begin operating from that place of wholeness, you can stop chasing everything else.

No more forcing. No more begging. No more chasing. Here in the fullness who who God says you are, the things you had given up on changing begin to change. The things you once prayed for, you realize you wake up to today. With everything that fell apart, you see the beauty in what God was doing in the process. And this is where God always wanted you to be.

What have you been trying to force? I bet you’re exhausted aren’t you? I also bet you’re frustrated. God doesn’t force himself on anyone, so why are we? Why are we trying so darn hard to pry that door open so we can get our foot in? Seriously girl, why that door? If it’s not opening, maybe it’s not supposed to open. Maybe your foot has no business in it.

Imagine while you’re beating on this door that just won’t open, God has a better door down the hallway already opened for you. But you know what happens … we spend all our energy on forcing, then we have no energy left to just move on. We lay down and give up here. We give up on the very dreams and desires God put within us because all this forcing on the wrong door has caused us to lose hope.

WRONG DOOR SIS … MOVE ON.

Emphasis on move. You don’t get to just sulk here in the hallway of disappointment and expect the open door to magically appear. You must move on. Walk away from what you’ve been trying to force and receive peace knowing there’s more for you ahead. Then get yourself in position to actually receive it by moving on.

How many times have we sat outside the door that just wouldn’t open, begging God to make it happen? And God, in all of his mercy and grace, with the knowledge of all there ever was and ever will be, says ‘no my girl, this door isn’t meant for you, but I have one that is.’ May we have the courage to move on towards that which we do not understand, covered in that grace and mercy from the Almighty, so we can step into the goodness God has planned for us.

I don’t need to force this. You don’t need to force this. You’ve got the crazy eyes with the ugly veins popping out in your forehead … it’s time to step back now.

Faith says I can move on even when I don’t understand why. Faith says I can trust there’s more for me ahead. Faith says God will take care of that which I cannot and he doesn’t need me playing God over him.

I will admit, I sometimes play God with God. I like to tell him how things should work out. I like to make a plan for him to follow. I like to show him a suggested timeline of unfolding events and next steps. Oh I can fancy it up all I want and use a sweet voice, but in reality all I’m doing is forcing. And guess how that all works out? Tragic face plant. Epic disaster. Mega mess.

James 4: 2-3 “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

This is us over here trying to force our way in, force things to happen, force our plan to work. It doesn’t. And guess why … because our motives are wrong. You want what you want because you think it will make you happy, but God didn’t create you to find happiness in these things. That’s why it never lasts. That’s why the more you have, the less fulfilled you feel. That’s why all this stuff still doesn’t make you happy. That’s why the job you always wanted ends up being a disappointment because it was never designed to bring you joy. That’s why relationships grow stressed and lose their sparkle, because you thought they would complete you but they don’t have that ability.

“You desire but do not have, so you kill.” Wait, you didn’t kill anyone did you? So this isn’t talking about you. Oh but wait, I realize I have been guilty of killing. I’ve killed so much of my potential with excuses of why it couldn’t work for me. I’ve killed so many of my God given dreams with the negative stories of worthlessness I tell myself. I’ve killed … and it’s happened inside of me. It happens every time I don’t get what I want. A little piece of me just dies. Now God is trying to show me it’s about my motives.

Why do you want what you want? Why are you trying to force your way through that door? Why are you insistent that this thing work? Has it taken the place of your God? Has it become the source of your happiness? Have you twisted where your peace and joy come from?

Where have you been begging? Where have you been chasing? Honey, you’re a child of the King, a real life Princess. You don’t have to try and chase God’s blessings. If you’re continually seeking to follow Him, his blessings will surround you. It’s when you run off trying to chase other things that you find yourself without blessings. Get yourself back to the throne!

We don’t have to beg, force or chase. All we have to do is pray, work, and have faith. (and yes, that’s a coffee mug!)

Pray about it. Seek God in everything. Surrender the outcome fully to him. As you do, you will receive the strength to take your next step and move on when it’s time to move on. Yes, there’s work for you to do, and you’re fully equipped to do it. Get going! And never lose faith. Faith that God will make things happen at just the right time. Faith that the right door will be there for you. Faith that the answer is already yes and amen. Faith that his good plans for you have not been cancelled, and he will always show you the path back when you’ve wandered away. Faith that if you get your motives right, he will give you everything you ask.

Lord, check my motives. I surrender it all to you. I only want what you want, and I want it exactly when you want it. Help me to stop killing my own potential. Help me to protect the dreams you’ve placed within me from the lies the enemy throws at me.

My desire is to become exactly who you created me to be. My dream is to step fully into the life you have available for me.

This is wholeness. This is where God has been calling us. This is where God can give all the yeses and throw some doors off their hinges!