wordless groans

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." - Romans 8:26 NIV

Has your circumstances ever been so tough on you that when you go to God to pray, you're left speechless? You can't describe the way you're feeling and all you're left with in that moment is your tears? Have you ever felt like you couldn't pray or talk to God the way you wanted to and it discouraged you? As if you thought that God could only hear you one-way, which is from your voice? 

"Wordless Groans" are so profound to God and some of us may feel that it is a hinderance because we think talking "all the time" is the way for God to clearly hear us. Our minds are stuck on a one-way communication. Because he is God, his way of hearing us is far beyond our knowledge of how we think he is suppose to hear us. God hears your thoughts, your heart, and even your tears are words to him. You are in a place where God completely understands you when you are restrained to pour out your heart to him. You are in the same place I was in too, honey. 

I can recall quiet times I would have with the Lord and it would bother me when I was not able to talk to him the way I wanted to, my circumstances was so heavy on my heart that I didn't know where to begin, so that I could start to cast all my cares and worries onto him. I got discouraged but immediately God reminded me that the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf when we don't know what to pray for. We are weak, but he is strong. We are lost, but we found ourselves in him. 

I praised God, with tears in my eyes, for knowing that you don't have to always verbally speak for him to understand you, for him to work on your behalf, and for him to be with you. Because he will never leave nor forsake you, know that he will never misunderstand you. He created you. Everything you're going through was pre-planned and already recorded in his books before you were born. (Psalm 139:16)

The best way to pour your heart out to God when words fail is to write them out. Journaling is a way to connect with God deeper than you could imagine. When longing for God's voice, God wants us to open our minds about how we can hear him and how he can hear us. Writing out your prayers is enough for God to answer them. You may wonder, "Okay God, I wrote out my prayers to you, how do I know that you heard them?." Honey, God is faithful to hear whatever you direct to him, if your mind and heart is intentionally set on to talk to him, that catches his attention. You always got his attention, he always desires to speak to you and wants to help you. 

Your circumstances are a "brush off the shoulder" "piece of cake" to God. So when you write out your prayers, believe that he heard you, learn to trust God with his timing with answering them. I knew that since "God takes care of everything I have no control over" why would I constantly meditate on my circumstances? The enemy thinks he is clever with making you believe that God can't hear you. Liar. You can sit here right now, reading this, and know that your thoughts are heard by the Lord. 

Never get discouraged if you try to talk to him and it isn't working, it's okay, Thank God for his Holy Spirit interceding for you. Thank him for being the Father that cares for you and everything that hurts, bothers, and overwhelms you. God wants you to believe that he can hear you. To sit there in silence, waiting expectantly, is enough for God to hear your heart clearly calling out to him. 

The next time, you're restrained to speak, be at peace with knowing that God still hears you either way. Right now, you may be unable to speak, it's okay, trust that you will be able to one day and your words will be flowing nonstop, but until then, still sit in his presence and rest gently. God is so perfect in all of his ways, and always remember that God hears more than you can imagine. 

Broken: On the Inside

Are you letting your outward beauty cover for your inner character? 

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourself instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:3 NLT 

Our outward beauty is the norm to cover for our inner character, it is the dismissal to our inner struggles that eventually pro-longs us really getting to know who we truly are within. 

Where am I going with this? Let's tackle some things first. 

1.  The use of make-up. As women, we love make-up, it enhances our beauty, (for it is its job to do so) it makes us feel just as confident as we should be without it. But please understand that make-up was never designed to be a void-filler. It simply cannot, and will not take the place that only Jesus Christ was destined to do. I get it, you're ashamed to see the truth, admit the struggles, yes, you hate that your attitude isn't as pretty as your make-up, but you have to face that reality. You have to admit that you've been hiding from yourself and from God. If you ever dreaded putting on make-up base on the feelings inside of you, that's the Holy Spirit, encouraging you to no longer ignore that. Listen. 

If you use make-up to make up feel confident because naturally you don't, feel wanted, or to fulfill a specific intention that surely isn't God's best for you? I encourage you to: 

• Fast from make-up. Put it in another room, so that you won't be tempted to wear any. 
• Spend time in God's word, allowing him to reassure you where your true beauty comes from. 
• Take some time to learn how to embrace your natural looks, encouraging yourself in the mirror, saying things like "You're beautiful!" "You don't need make-up to make you feel beautiful!" 

2. Clothing. As women, we love to look a certain way, and most times we would wear specific clothing that would boost our confidence, and set the mood for that day. Don't get me wrong, it is not a problem looking fabulous when you want to, especially if you're a confident women who know who you are and whose you are. But here's the problem. If you've ever dressed a certain way for the attention of a boy? Or from friends who has peer pressured you? Then, there is something on the inside that God wants heal and help reassure you with too. In 1 Timothy 3:9-10, it states "And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do."  God's definition of his daughter's appearances is modesty. We cannot easily lose sight of God's well pleased appearance of us by trying to keep our closet tight and up-to-date for the intentions to please someone other than him. Sis, you do not have to uncover yourself for men who God didn't even want you to make it pass "hello" with. You do not have to feel peer pressure to buy expensive clothing to blend in. You are just fine honey, and I pray you're okay with it. If not:

•  Ask God to help heal your heart from depression of trying to over-dress to impress. 
• Ask God to help you start honoring him with your body, dressing in a way that is pleasing to him and not caring what others may think or feel. 
• Ask God to give you wisdom, helping you clean out your closet, getting rid of clothes that were a distracting and attracting men that God didn't send. (sidenote: Be encouraged to know that the man God has for you won't lust after your appearance, but will be attracted by the things you do as you're devoted to God, he will see fruit that helps him to seek forth marriage with you because of the God in you." (For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do")
• Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and because you're a Daughter of the King, I pray that you no longer seek for attention nor approval from anyone. 

So, back to my question: Are you letting your outward beauty cover for your inner character? 

 All materialistic things such as make-up, jewelry and even our clothes and shoes has become our main focus because we just don't want to face the reality of our "Broken: On the Inside." Is it because we've got so accustomed to the latest of what the world has to offer? I've learned that the more we are influenced by the world's expectations, the more we seek to be immune to the system, totally abandoning our inner character. Our inner character is far more important to God than our outward appearance. Yes, God gives us specific instructions on how to honor him with our appearance (as previously stated before) but God is looking at your heart. He works from the inside out, not the other way around. He sees that your heart is broken, and you're constantly dismissing your brokenness. He doesn't want to leave you in that position, but the more we lack in being transparent with him, the more we pro-long Jesus interceding for our healing. I promise you, everything on the outside will follow as is, because of what's on the inside. Your inner character is so important to him because it reflects your outward appearance. Beautiful appearances doesn't cure bad attitudes. What's on the inside of you will show, clear as day. 

God is in the business of working on his children always, especially if they are called according to his purpose. When he desires to show you who you truly are in Christ, he first exposes who you tried to be. And as he shows you that, be transparent enough to admit that those were your heart's intentions. Now God has something to work with, and is willing to show you your true inner character as it then, will reflect your outward appearance.  If you're in this position, be encouraged because that is the work of the Lord, doing some major surgery that is all for your good. 

So today, I pray for you. I pray that you ask God to give you the wisdom and the ability to discern who you've tried to be verse who God has called you to be, that you let God heal you in areas that you daily dismiss, that you are reminded that who you truly are comes from within, and that you no longer carry that brokenness that only Jesus can heal. Trust God for your inner and outward.