Through It All - Joena San Diego

Chapter I - "It's Time To Go"

💐 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

There is a reason why you're no longer at peace for the past few weeks. There is a reason why no matter how hard you try, it's no longer working out. There is a purpose why you have to go through this pain and there's no way that it wull be put to waste. Beloved, it's time to go.

I know that it's easier said than done beacause it takes a whole lot of courage to let go of things you once fought hard for. How is it possible to set free from something you carefully built your life around? How can you let go of someone you hold on to so dearly? Here's the security that God is giving us: what's coming is far greater than anything we leave behind.

Phase 1: A Decision To Make

You may hear and feel everything there is to be heard and go through, but at the end of the day, no matter how many times you receive encouragements and confirmations, you need to make a decision. You have to choose. Are you still staying in a place where God's peace and presence can no longer be found or are you going to say yes exploring the unknown with Him?

This time you can't ask someone else to decide for you. You can't depend on the people you love and ask them where they want you to be. This is your life and this is one of the most beautiful gifts God is giving you --- the freedom to choose Him no matter how long it takes you and no matter how far you are from home.

And whether you are ready to decide or not, God will still be faithful. His love will remain even if there will come a time when your heart and thoughts will be filled with doubts and unbelief. You will be lost, but you will never lose His love for you. He is your constant that stays with you until the end. There will be days you will deliberately choose not to look at Him. There will be battles left and right. You will blame His name for the shaking and the breaking.

You will wander off, and you will do everything to hide away from His presence, but He will remain as your Father. He will wait and when the time comes that everything is said and done, He will come for you. Forgiveness will overflow, and you will be reminded of who you truly are --- you are loved.

All this will bring you to a moment of surrender and your once blinded eyes will finally see how the Lord used those big horrifying waves to bring you back to where you will be safe. There was never a moment He gave up on you. So you'll learn to trust Him with all your heart as you discover that apart from Him, we are nothing. The world might be able to give us all the pride of our flesh but nothing compares to having a clean slate where there is no shame and guilt but only mercy and grace.

Ready or not, you will find yourself surrendering. But this time, it's no longer out of fear but out of joy. There is new hope arising, new faith that is flourishing, and trust that is strongly building. It took you a while but there's no such thing as too late in God's kingdom. You have finally come to a decision and that couldn't be any better than singing, "Hallelujah to the King of all kings! Blessed are those who trust in Him."

Phase 2: Grieving

Sometimes making a decision will throughly break your heart, but it will give healing and peace to your soul. So when you find yourself in breaking moments, it's okay. Don't pretend that it doesn't hurt. You're allowed to be weak and vulnerable. Strenght is found in wet sheets where honest tears were shed, "God, I call upon Your name. Save me from this pain."