The Journey to becoming

A friend of mine has once, for whatever reason, pointed out that they often sense some aspect of loneliness in my blogs. Hold that thought.

I was having a walk recently and passed by a young man selling milk by the roadside in two cans, five liters each. I thought of his courage to stand there and be seen by everyone just as-The man who sells milk. Hold that thought.

The truth is that yes, sometimes, many times I have felt lonely. Hold that last thought, would you please.

Now lets talk about the Journey to becoming. For a long time, I have searched years on end for the will of God for my life. The purpose for which I was created. My Purpose. Through hours spent in His presence praying, reading the word, meditating, listening, God began to reveal purpose to me, one of it being the Authorship of this blog.

This awareness of purpose which God has so graciously continued to reveal to me has been everything! I now know a few things that God wants me to do. A few things that he wants me to be. A few things that He wants me to believe and live. This has meant that I can no longer continue to live for myself. Doing the things that I love doing but that grieve Him. Being the person that I love being but wandering.

I have lost friends who do not agree with this new me. Those that preferred me compromised. Those that think I am too spiritual. Those that really, should not be in my life. Yes it could be an overwhelmingly lonely place. So yes friend, you may be right, but I now know my why and this. is. priceless.

This morning as I struggled to get out of bed to do my Bible study, the reading plan lands me on the book of Matthew 26. This is the story of when Jesus was preparing for his Death. It was the sole purpose for which He had to be born and live on earth. This was His ultimate why. In a moment of feeling troubled, doubtful, and extremely sorrowful about what precedes Him, Jesus goes to Gethsemane to pray. He falls on his face and asks God to remove the cup of this predestined suffering.

This incredible story portrays Jesus as human as it shows us his struggle to accept the cost of fulfilling His purpose. It taught me few fundamental facts that I hope would help you, as you pursue the you that God is calling you to be

The journey to becoming Requires of you to be separated. Jesus Leaves his disciples at Gethsemane and takes with Him only three. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. After some distance, he leaves the three and and goes on a little further alone to pray. At this moment of great sorrow-even to death, It would have been better for him to keep his disciples close for comfort. But Jesus understands the intensity of His purpose. He separates himself so that he could hear only from God.

Our friends could have many opinions, sometimes out of love that they could talk you out of your purpose. They could want to spare you the sacrifice of being alone by keeping you company. They may tell you that your dream is too big to attain and that you should save yourself disappointment.

You would need to make a decision on which friends are beneficial. What events you attend and which ones you turn down. To take an inventory of the activities you engage in.

The crucial thing is to embrace this season. God values the sacrifice of staying separated. He uses this time to let you hear him clearly away from the noises and the pressure of the crowd and everyday life.

It is a very personal journey. After allowing yourself to be separated, and even accepting that sometimes you will need to be alone, Feelings of loneliness and a desire to reach out to your friends for comfort creep in.

Jesus after being separated and praying to know the will of God comes back to his disciples only to find them sleeping. He says to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour” We could say that He felt a need for company. He wanted to know that He was not in it alone. Jesus goes back to pray and for a second time and third time still finds His disciples sleeping. He must have taken the three with Him because he probably knew that they had the capacity to stay strong with Him. It turned out not quite so.

Sometimes loneliness may push you to go back to the things that made you feel alive in the past. Many times it turns out to be disappointing. The most important thing is to not give up but to keep going back on your knees as many times as you deviate. You will eventually gain unwavering clarity for your purpose.

Do not expect even your closest friends to always be there cheering you and supporting you. It is a very personal journey.

Only you really knows the why. After being separated and earnestly seeking God in prayer, the will of God becomes clear as day to Jesus. It becomes clear to him-only, because He goes alone to seek it. No one else could understand what he had experienced or heard from God.

Jesus knew that He would die to save the world and fulfill the prophesies, but this critical time, He goes back to God to seek His will a second and third time.

You may have spent some time in prayer seeking God’s will for your life. You could have been destined to be a certain way or live a certain life. God may have revealed or confirmed it to you through a dream, a vision, scripture or any other way He chooses how. Only you knows your why. Only you knows what you really got convicted about.

Owing your why helps you weed out the noises and any unnecessary thing that may hinder you from fulfilling your purpose. It gives you clarity and focuses your life. People may have opinions and even good advice. Good opportunities may come your way, but keeping your why in check will help you to stay in line with your purpose.

It will not always be beautiful. Before his persecution, Jesus spent his time with His disciples and the people. He was like a celebrity. Always had crowds following him, Shinning in His teachings, performing miracles and wonders. All those beautiful things. He was in the will of God. He still was in the will of God when Judas delivered him to the scribes, chief priests and elders. When the same people that followed Him and listened to him gave false witness. When they called him blasphemous. When the spit on His face. When they struck him and when they nailed him to the cross.

When pursuing your purpose, one time you may be shinning, other times things may not be showing up for you. Rejection, betrayal, loneliness, loss, even persecution may be things that will come your way.

Allow the bad days to build your character. Jesus stays silent when He could have defended himself. He restrains his disciple from using his sword on the servant of the high priest when he had the ability to appeal to God to send a legion of angels. He dies even if he was the son of God. This is humility.They say that gold is refined through fire. Your beautiful self is emerging.

We are reminded that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28) God’s will is Good and perfect (Romans 12:12) It is His will that you pursue your purpose.

God also gives us this assurance "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.That we will never be tempted beyond the grace to handle it."(1st Corinthians 10:13)

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God has good plans for you. To give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29) These good plans find us as we pursue God who in turn reveals his will to us. Jesus went through unimaginable shame and pain but today sits in Glory on the right hand of God the father. We can freely access salvation, break free from bondage, heal from diseases and addictions because Jesus died for us. This was the will of God. Jesus embraced the good and bad times of His journey to becoming.

You may not see it right now and even if it may not make sense, take the small steps in obedience. God knows why he is putting it in your heart. Why he has said it in his word or why He has revealed it to you.

The guy selling milk must have that big dream of being a successful milk distributor, though he has to start small. Become able to sell the ten liters, and after they are all sold, he would have the confidence and ability to add five more. All this can not happen as he sits and wishes. He has to have faith and couple that with action.

Obedience will unlock the full potential of the Glory that God has for you. You will have to strive hard to beat the surety of mediocrity. In a world of social media where everyone expects good vibes and positive energy, you might have to say that you are stuggling. And when you finally make it through, your struggle will encourage someone to fight through their own. Jesus was shamed in public, and when he rose from the dead, everyone got to know that He had risen and is indeed the son of God.

Choose to be authentic in your journey to becoming. Choose to be lead by the Spirit of God. Focus on the why when it gets lonely. Only you knows it for certain and it is in God’s plan. His beautiful big plan for you

God bless you as you embrace this journey to becoming

Lots of Love,

Wambui Wambugu