God Takes Us Through Stages

As we journey through life, God takes us through stages and each stage comes with its challenges, victories and ultimately lessons to help us advance to the next one. When we look closely, we will discover that the experiences of each of these stages were all the things that prepared us for our place in destiny. One common thing about each stage is the uncertainty it comes with, we are confused and worried because we don't know where it might lead us to; we feel overwhelmed and anxious for it to come to an end if its not a pleasant one. For some its a period of illness, they go through various stages of sicknesses that are life threatening, even the recovery stage can be traumatic as well and this affects their whole outlook to life; for others, its divorce, bereavement, retrenchment, retirement or transition. The greatest reality we need to take with us in whatever stage we are in is that we are never alone, God is always with us, He promised to go with us all the way not just half the way. In the midst of the uncertainties of life is the certainty of His presence. God is the same yesterday, today and forever, so it is comforting to know that in each of these stages God still remains the same and true to us, if He was protective of you in the other stage, He is still doing the same now, if His grace was enough for you then, it is still very much present for you now it only depends on what you have chosen to focus on, the pain or the power of His presence. So if you're uncertain about how the stage you are in will turn out, just leave the details of your life to Him and let Him fix it.

Another comforting thing to know is that God actually prepares us for the different stages of life we go through. He prepares us emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, mentally and even physically; so whether it is the good, the bad, the beautiful or the ugly you find yourself in, you were prepared for it. God also prepares us for the times we are heartbroken, down and almost out, but do you know why you were never out, because He has equipped you to remain firm. There are times you feel you can no longer hold on, you sense your strength wearing off and all you want to do is just give up but deep within rises a force to pull you through that is why at the end of an ugly stage you look back and are wowed at your own ability to come through and still be standing.

The beauty of being at the centre of God's will is that you know whatever comes your way does not take Him unaware, He knows it all and because He is involved in your life, He sees whatever stage you are in presently whether good or bad as a passing phase which must all work together to fulfil your destiny. God is never through with moulding our lives even when we think we have arrived, there are always areas to prune, clean and reshape. Through these processes, He also prepares us for the next stage of our lives. When God is preparing you for that next stage, you sense a connection with Him as never before. You also:

• See God's purpose for your life gradually unfolding
• You discover that His plan and purpose is hidden in your everyday activities
• You begin to have a better understanding of your true worth in God as He involves you in His plan for mankind
• You sense God even in the smallest things you do and this helps your faith swell
• You sense yourself cooperating with the Spirit of God even as He prepares you for that future of incomprehensible blessings
• You see God take your experiences of the past both beautiful and ugly and transform them into your pedestal for reaching your glory

You need to be sensitive enough to pick this transitional process otherwise you just go through life not knowing the end of a stage from the beginning of another one. There are times we cry and lament over life and its disappointments because of the pain we went through in a stage of our lives, but in God's calendar we have already gone passed that stage.

To help go through a bitter stage of life, you need to develop a heart of gratitude to God. Live in appreciation for the gift of life and the hope of a better tomorrow. Gratitude moves your attention away from what the Father is yet to do or what the enemy is doing to you and focuses it on what God has already done. A heart of gratitude is a merry heart and a merry heart can easily discern the direction of the move of God because it is connected to God. When you develop the attitude of thanksgiving, it can move God to give you speed in your transition from one stage to another.

In whatever stage you are in now, sweet or sour, know that it is not God's ultimate for you, request for the right attitude to go through it because sometimes we have brought unnecessary delay to our transition to that stage of blessing because of the wrong attitude. I pray that as you submit to God in whatever stage you find yourself in life, His purpose will be established, His glory magnified and your life beautified for greater use. AMEN!