From the desk of Steve Shultz:
There's a sports term called "finding the sweet spot." Lorrie Myers from Extreme Prophetic shares some key revelation here on what that means in the Kingdom. Patricia King writes a short intro below.
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Lorrie Myers:
Finding the Sweet Spot in the Kingdom
Lorrie Myers serves with XP Media and is director of XP Missions, and she is a powerfully gifted administrator for the Kingdom of God! Her devotional "Finding the Sweet Spot" will help you to see past the business of life, find rest, and learn to enjoy life's journey. Get ready to become re-acquainted with the easy yoke and light burden of the Lord.
Patricia King
Founder and Director of XPMEDIA.COM, INC.
Finding the Sweet Spot
"My Kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy. I spoke, and life was created – life full of peace and harmony. I came, and righteousness was imparted. Man was made to live in My abundant joy. I am calling My Body to live in enjoyment – to live in a state of receiving My pleasure, and to live in the satisfaction that is rooted in My life, no matter what the outward circumstances are. Rest in My grace, My love, and My acceptance, and all other matters of life will flow out from there. It is time for My love, peace and enjoyment to be made manifest in My Body, and for man's striving to cease."
Relaxing Into Joy
In sports terminology, there is a phrase, "finding the sweet spot." Whether it's being used in baseball, tennis or golf, it refers to finding the place on the bat, racquet head or golf club which results in the maximum response for the given amount of effort – where the natural force exerted is completely balanced and in harmony between the piece of equipment and its handler.
"Finding the sweet spot" could also be an analogy for living in a place of enjoyment, peace and rest in relationship with God, and staying in balance and harmony with His design for our life. This is where the maximum Kingdom result is accomplished. It isn't about trying harder or spinning the wheels faster, but about relaxing into all that God has given and then joyfully working with Him in the Kingdom.
His Ways vs. Our Ways
We know that God's Kingdom works in a very different manner than man's world and that His perspective is much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). Human thinking is often focused on the fastest way to get from A to B – the shortest line between two points. It is often all about the destination, getting things done, and accomplishing our goals and agenda. I believe that God's thinking is much more relationally focused, and His concern is our transformation along the journey. I am convinced that He just isn't that concerned about us getting from A to B in the shortest time possible!
Proverbs 16:9 teaches us that "a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." I get the feeling that God wants to meander along the trail with us for a while, more than being in a race to get to our next stop. His focus is to spend time with us so we get to know Him and His ways. His goal is to transform us into His image, rather than just have us check off the next item on the "dreams and goals" list. In other words, He wants us to ENJOY the journey WITH Him, taking in the many nuances that a relationship with the Most High involves: seeing Him in His goodness, experiencing His kindness along the way, reveling in His love, and dancing in His joy. These inward characteristics are all accessible to us no matter what is being accomplished on the outward journey of goals and pursuits.
Learning to Rest
The Lord has been teaching me how to rest in His presence, even when the outside pressures squeeze in. I'm learning how to say, "It's been a good and fulfilling day," even when I can't check off all the things on my to-do list. When I don't perform to meet other people's expectations, or even my own, I can still live in the love and acceptance of the Father. It isn't about striving, performing, or accomplishing. It is about finding my pleasure in Him, living in the overflow of who He is and His pleasure toward me. I am learning to live in the space of God's love, grace, peace and joy, and maximize the results of my energies spent. It's not so much about WHAT I accomplish, but HOW I live my life during that process.
Enjoying the Journey
The Lord is also teaching me to step back and take the pace of life down a notch or two (maybe even three). To take time to reflect on His love and His good pleasure, no matter what the outward journey looks like. I am beginning to see that so many of the "big things" I wanted to accomplish for God were really more my agenda than the Father's.
Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. 1 Peter 4:2, The Message
I want to be free to pursue what He wants and not be driven by what I think needs to be done. During this season in my life, I am seeing that what He wants to accomplish looks quite a bit different from what I want to accomplish. He has me on that "slow and meandering path" and we are taking all kinds of little detours, with stops to rest along the way. There doesn't seem to be a big agenda with specific goals that need to be accomplished, but rather a still, quiet voice that says: "Stay by My side and enjoy the journey, regardless of whether or not you can see where it's going."
What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way He works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how He works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Matthew 6:31-33, The Message
A Season of Seasoning
I recently purchased a cast iron frying pan, and it needed to be seasoned before it could be used. For those who haven't used a cast iron pan before, it does not come with an inner non-stick surface, and oil must be rubbed into the pan before placing it into a hot oven for two hours. This causes the pores in the iron to open up and receive the oil, making it non-stick when it comes time to use it. Without going through this seasoning process, food would stick and burn in the pan, rendering it almost useless. I am smiling as I feel God's pleasure in letting me know He has me in a "season of seasoning" – just letting the oil of His Spirit rub into me, then letting me soak in the oven for a time to get His life, His rest, and His contentment really absorbed into the pores of my being. I am learning to accept the quietness and hiddenness of this seasoning process.
An Easy Yoke
When farmers have a young ox, they yoke it with a more seasoned, mature ox that knows the right pace needed to accomplish the day's work. The young ox often presses ahead of the older ox, creating a great strain on its portion of the yoke and wearing it out much more quickly. Soon the young ox learns to adjust to the pace of the more mature ox, and the energy and pace become balanced.
In this age of adrenal fatigue and living a driven life, perhaps we all need the Spirit to show us which purposes are really our own agenda, and just how driven we, as a Western society, have become. Is it possible that our "goals and good activities" are running us ragged as we pursue our dreams, serve other people's needs, alleviate social justice issues and try to achieve a host of other goals? As good as all these things may be, if they're not done from the right place and at God's pace, we may lose the peace and enjoyment of the Kingdom life. Contentment is a good measuring stick. Like Paul, can we have an abiding sense of being content regardless of what is happening around us (Philippians 4:12)?
Finding the Place
I think Father is encouraging His Body to find the place where His energy and pace become ours. It is the place where we are seasoned and strengthened, the place where we will discover the rest and joy of a wonderful journey. This truly is "finding the sweet spot"!
Weekly Scripture Meditation
Week ONE – Matthew 6:30-33 (The Message)
Week TWO – Isaiah 30:18-30
Week THREE – 1 Peter 4:2
Week FOUR – Philippians 4:12
Lorrie Myers
XP Ministries
Email: info@xpmedia.com
Lorrie Myers serves with XP Media and is director of XP Missions, and she is a powerfully gifted administrator for the Kingdom of God.
