This week I’ve been doing a lot of re-learning, while experiencing the frailty and incompetence of my own human strength. I’m re-learning that I must daily align myself with God and his truth and ask daily for his strength to empower me.
This week has been anything but bliss, from the beginning of the week - my auto immune disease started flaring up causing me to be achey and exhausted, to an emergency room visit, to mental exhaustion I’ve seen how my own “strength” comes nowhere close to God provided strength. I’ve realized how push my mind and body farther, than the actual amount of gas I have in the tank. My selfish pride tells me to just keep going, you got this on your own. And so each day I’m find myself running on empty, unable to give to myself or to others. I get caught up in the day to day chaos, I get caught up with deadlines and grades. And I grab the easiest aid to each of those problems, which I find; fail me each time. This is how my week went - I start off the week with my body feeling sick and simply put - meh. I’m running on half a tank, throw in some school work deadlines chaos, than a mid week and emergency room visit. And each slice of chaos thrown my way, I’m depending on myself to get me through. Instead of aligning myself with God, His word all while seeking His strength. Later in the week, I finally sit down and have some much needed bible time and God speaks and say this to me- “Mikayla stop it, stop trying to have it altogether. I am already enough for you. I am your strength, let me renew you” And there I realized how easy it is to be distracted by each day to day trouble. And how we run to the easiest aid for our chaos, instead of settling down, tuning out the world and all the loud voices, and seeking his peace filled tender voice. And asking him for the renewal of strength and perseverance. Life can be messy, unpredictable, and unsteady. But God is steady, He is a rock and a solid foundation, He is faithful and He is true in the midst of all the unknown, in the midst of all the chaos his steady peaceful voice reigns even in the darkest of nights. I urge you to settle down, pray fervently, worship passionately, read his word with an endless hunger and allow him to enfold you into his presence while he renews you. Just say admit this with me right now “God, I admit I don’t have it altogether. God I need you!” - when we are incapable, He is far more capable than we could even imagine. So friends, rest in this. You do not need to have it altogether, let that pressure fall off your shoulders and allow grace to step in. What a praise that we don’t have to run on our own frail human strength, but that we have a God who provides a strength far better than all we could ask for or imagine. He has it altogether. He’s magnificently perfect, and he will meet you with his strength and perseverance. Just humble yourselves, because where you lack greatly, He is made perfect. I pray that this blog is a blessing to all who read it today. I pray that a weight would be lifted off your shoulders and that you will go spend some much needed time with God. God bless you all, Mikayla Kent- P.S read Psalm 91 below ⬇️ Psalm 91 1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
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This blog post is a little different than my past blogs, it’s pretty short, simple and to the point. But my prayer is that it would encourage all who read. The beginning steps leading to my satisfaction in Christ, was when I first fully experienced the frailty and incompetence of human love. Not that there was a particular time in my life that this happened. I think it was just a slow realization as pain and disappointment burned within. People are imperfect, we hurt each other. We don’t measure up to expectations, and set high expectations and people let us down, and we let others down. Human love is so fragile and incomplete.
But His love!! the love of God is abundantly more than all we could ask for. As of last night, I was just feeling a deep emptiness. And as I was praying these words came to mind.... “Breathe, just breathe. Breathe, through the tears, through the frustration and exhale it all. Give it to God, let him wrap you in his love. Let the love that never fails, the love that heals all wounds; the love that laid upon a cross with nails embedded into the palms of his hands and a crown of thorns bestowed upon his head. Let that love bind thy wandering heart to thee. Come child, your day may have been filled with utter restlessness and many pains but he is our refuge and strength, just breathe for the battle is the Lords. He is faithful, He is true, He is love. And He will fight for you. Breathe, just breathe – Mikayla K I am loved, I am seen, I am held. This love that heals, and seeks out to bring home the one lost sheep. This love that laid upon a cross, with nails embedded into his hands and a crown of thorns bestowed upon his head. That love is for me? even though I did nothing to deserve it? The only thing I have done is sin, sin and sin again. But he loves me, and loves me again and loves me again in the very midst of my sinning. There is no love that can come close to comparison. And why would he do that?! Because he is love! he is all together perfect. He is full of immeasurable mercy and grace to his sinful children that he rains upon us each morning. And the price has been paid. Jesus laid upon a cross and bled for me. Not because I deserved it, or preformed some wonderful act to receive this reward. But because God is love and God is merciful. So, breathe today, you’re loved; loved with abundant love. He is faithful, He is true, He is love and He will fight for you. So, whatever situation, or pain that comes to mind as you read these words. Breathe, just breathe. Lift, it up to the heavens, and let him fight for you. Psalm 91 verses 14-16 says this ““Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” I want to ask you to go listen to this beautiful song by Shane&Shane. I cry every time I hear it. This song is so humbling and beautiful. I will add the link right here - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6C3QayenfII Lastly, please be praying for all of the people who reside in the path of hurricane Florence. Many of my friends and family are in that path. Pray for protection and peace. God bless you all, may his love meet you right where you are in this very moment. I pray this is an encouragement to all who read it. -Mikayla Kent This is very hard for me to share. I’ve battled for a while with putting this blog post together…and then deleting it. It’s been a vicious cycle. But I know I must surrender this to the Lord. For the victory is His. My story is no longer my own. And I know the Lord will use it for His glory as He sees fit.
I think you and I both can agree at one time or another we have placed our identity, worth, and value in something imperfect and unreliable. We have laid these things down upon an unsteady foundation. And that’s a dangerous thing. I have carried insecurity, comparison and jealously around with me like an accessory. They have followed me for years, leaving their print on my relationships. And frankly it has been ugly. From a very young age competition stirred in my heart. I have two sisters, one who is younger than me, and one who is older than me. With my oldest sister, we shared many things from hobbies to friends to music to favorite movies. For my part, I felt this need to be better…that I had to be better to be worthy. In our friendships, for example, if a friend was to compliment her or invite her to do something, I then assumed that meant I was unimportant and grew bitter. And that was my thought process for many years. Then came the bullying and things got worse. Already having a wrecked identity, the words of my bullies took an even heavier toll on my heart. They would say nasty cruel things to me such as “you’re ugly & worthless, to “your better off dead”. I believed those lies and carried them around with me for years. And that was a bad beating to my already wrecked self-image. So, let’s review, at this point I still don’t know where my identity is truly found, I’m filled with lies, jealously and comparison. These things are boiling inside of me, and naturally it took a toll in my friendships. A lot of my friendships were very unhealthy. I relied on my friends to give me worth and make me feel loved and wanted. If they didn’t appreciate something I did I once again considered myself "nothing.” If they didn’t seem to show any sympathy for my problems than I was unimportant to them and therefore worthless. If they didn’t lift me up with encouraging words than I was left feeling empty and low. This was a never-ending pattern, I would sometimes see a need for a change but didn’t know where to turn. And frankly I was so used to this way of living and thinking, it was comfortable for me. It was not until this summer, that I was truly awakened the destruction that my ship-wrecked identity had caused. As some of you know I had the incredible opportunity of joining my Aunt Stephanne as she lead her church to the country of Ecuador. On this trip, I learned many things and took away many lessons I continue to incorporate into my day to day life. But the biggest blessing I walked away with was the taste of freedom. One day on the trip my precious Aunt Stephanne pulled me away to have a conversation. A few weeks earlier God laid on her heart to discuss this with me but she was waiting for the perfect opportunity, such as the opportunity where I was in another country and couldn’t run away from her and what she had to say. I laughed so hard when she told me that. She gracefully shared truth and encouragement with me by reminding me of who I am as a daughter of Jesus. And it was eye opening. It was such an incredible moment shared with someone so special to me. For the first time, my heart was broken and sickened by the pattern I was living in. I was completely awakened to my sin. I was aware of how I was disrespecting myself and my God. And from that day on, I have pursued his truth, I have sought to find out who I am in Christ. And it gives me chills to think of the freedom that has been active my life since that day. Since I’ve started seeking his truth, I’ve started to find where my true identity is found. And there I found my sweet Jesus, and I’ve seen new pieces of him. I’ve seen new layers of His character, and how He loves me. I’ve seen the kind of savior He is. And I’m truly in awe. The relationships with my friends and family are so much healthier because I’m starting to learn how to depend on God to fill my cup, to meet my desires, and to give me worth. I’m able to recognize Gods fingerprints on who I am. I’m seeing the details and the handiwork of who He has created me to be and all the little pieces that make me Mikayla Ann Kent. I’m also able to recognize His fingerprints on others’ lives and I’m finally able to rejoice with them in their successes and talents. I’m able to encourage them to see themselves through the eyes of their creator. And if that doesn’t just speak of how powerful our God is I don’t know what will! I urge you to evaluate your life, where is your identity found? Moms and dads this isn’t just for teenagers. you may have an Identity crisis you need to check. And that’s okay! even though you’re older and more experienced in life, you don’t have to be ashamed. It is so easy to place our worth and identity into day to day things. Maybe you still don’t know where your worth and identity is truly found! I encourage you to be willing to humble yourself and seek His truth. It’s human nature to desire to be seen, wanted and loved. But my friends we are already seen, wanted and loved. Stop looking high or low, to left or to the right. Look into the captivating eyes of Jesus. Seek His truth, find out who He says you are! Oh the precious freedom that comes from seeking Him and His truth. I can honestly say I’m so joyful knowing who I am. It’s still a process, it is painful coming face to face with something that you hid and carried with you for so long. But we have to realize as followers of Christ it is vital to know where our identity and worth is found! we also have to realize we already have the freedom and victory, we have to choose daily to live that out. We have to choose daily to seek His truth How do I find my identity in him? well first I’d encourage you to confess to him the destructive pattern you have been living in. Ask him to reveal his truth to you. Just pray and ask for healing from past wounds, though the afflictions of others may have cut deep; his love runs deeper. Secondly I’d encourage you to get out a an empty notebook, and devote those pages to copy down verses specially focused on our identity, worth, value in Jesus. Lastly, talk to someone you trust and tell them about this struggle you have been battling with. I’m almost positive that they have struggled with it too! pray for one another and keep each other accountable to deny the lies Satan whispers in our ears. What I will always incorporate into my blogs is the essence of grace!! Let us not be ashamed, but rejoice knowing that our God has paid the ultimate price for our sins, and because of that priceless sacrifice we can claim victory and freedom! And we can then know our identity and value. Below are some verses filled with truth and encouragement. I urge you to get out a notebook and write these down and memorize them! where those lies once reigned let his truth take place! Psalm 139:1-17 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” 1st peter 2:9 “But you’re a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Gods special possession. That you may declare the praises or him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”. Matthew 10:29-31 “are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your father. But the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not fear for you are more valuable than many sparrows” I pray that this blog encourages others to take a step back, evaluate their lives and ask themselves “where is my worth & identity found?” All glory to God, for this victory is His. Thank you, Jesus, you have set me free!! God bless you all, Mikayla Ann Kent. |
AuthorI'm just a 17 year old girl, who has a passion for Jesus and longs to encourage and connect with other people through the shifting seasons of life, and the lessons learned through them. Archives
July 2023
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