April was a packed month, but here are the most incredible things I learned about faith the last two weeks of April! As school was coming to an end and another month was approaching, I can say God taught me a lot of valuable things. It’s a little late and overdue, but I am glad to officially finish the Spring semester and get into summer! So, let’s get into the most valuable things I learned about faith!
Have Confidence in God
The last month of school had me all over the place, so we will go over April as a whole. I’ve explained this before, but I do not have a traditional 9-5 job. I do the blog and social media full time, and if you do blogging and social media, you know money can look interesting, especially when you’re first starting! So, money has looked interesting to me, but when I tell you God is good and faithful, God is good and faithful! And without having a set pay schedule, God has shown me how to have more confidence in Him and His plan. It wasn’t my plan to go full-time with the blog until I had a steady stream of income from it.
Most Valuable Things I Learned About Faith: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
My plan was to work at my old job until I had enough saved up to quit and be comfortable. However, let me tell you a secret: God doesn’t want you to be comfortable. He is constantly pushing you out of your comfort zone. And I realized that a lot! I’ll get some money in my hands, and then after paying everything I need and giving, I’m back at square one, where I need to believe in God for finances again! It’s alright, though, because He always comes through and never fails.
Even though some would deem these challenging times, you must put your trust in God, that He will sustain you. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved,” You will not be moved, no matter what. As long as you are seeking and obeying God, you will be sustained. That means every bill paid, every meal eaten, and gas tank full, like no matter what it is, it is taken care of!
God is Faithful
God is a good Father, and good Fathers don’t allow their children to suffer, so if you have a need and are a child of God, know that He has it handled. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus,” So that means every single need is taken care of. Honestly, more than your needs are supplied because He is El Shaddai, the God of more than enough!
You are coming into a place of abundance. If you have been faithful, trust that God will be faithful to you! He trades beauty for ashes, meaning He will take your hard times and give you blessings and glory. Now, this isn’t for everyone. This is for the child who is obedient and faithful to God and His commandments, those who seek the Lord, not those who claim Him. It is different to claim God versus to live for God.
God Rewards Obedience
God rewards those who live for Him. Who follow His commandments and they are not burdensome (1 John). Everyone wants blessings, but people don’t want to live the life required to obtain blessings. From personal experience, I’ve had to let go of a lot to get where I am now. I’ve had to grow my faith to levels I personally never thought was possible for me because my life depended on it. You have to know the Word to be successful. Without knowing the Word, there is no success or victory. Without living the Word, there is no success.
So, if you know the Word, live out the Word, and know that God will give you something better than anything you could’ve imagined. He is going to exceed your plans. God has a 100% track record of being good, and I’ve learned that it is better just to have faith than to doubt Him.
Prayer Walks
During this month, I started going on prayer walks. God wanted me to start being more active, so I decided to walk 10,000 steps a day. I’ve done it most days, not every day, but most. So, during these walks, I will pray, and it has been so enjoyable! Looking at God’s creation while walking made me feel closer to Him. I know that His Spirit lives in me, but there’s something about seeing what God has created. You cannot tell me that this Earth is random and not by design; there’s just no way.
Romans 1:20 says, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” When you see nature, you see God. It is clear He exists through His creation. Therefore, no one is without excuse when it comes to God. And that’s how I felt taking these walks that God’s presence is so evident through creation. It has also taught me discipline because I’ve been waking up early at least three times a week to go on these walks. I like the routine of it, and it helps me stay organized for the rest of my day. So, I’ve enjoyed getting healthier and, most of all, getting closer to the Creator.
Most Valuable Things I Learned About Faith: God Gives You Opportunities to Prosper
One of the most valuable things I learned about faith is that God gives you opportunities to prosper. Knowing God’s Word and standing on it is so important! Not having a regular job has allowed me to build my faith so much more, especially in the area of finances. Since I don’t have a set schedule for a paycheck, I must keep the faith that open doors keep coming! So, during the second week of April, God kept on blessing me! People sent me money left and right, and I felt so grateful! However, I know it wasn’t random. I am a tither and a giver. If someone needs money and the Lord allows it, I give it! So I know me getting financially blessed was not random, but it also has to do with speaking!
Opening your mouth and thanking God for the blessing is huge. A closed mouth does not get fed; it is the same regarding prosperity. We must speak and believe God’s word concerning the blessing, which I have been immersing myself in due to my situation.
An On Time God
The third week of April, I saw the Word come forth in my life once again! My school was doing disbursements for a second time, which, in my three years there, they have never done. Unsure of how I would pay my car note and rent for May, I just trusted God! I told God I wanted my rent paid before the month’s end and for my car note to be paid on time! When my school sent out this second disbursement, it was enough to cover both and have money left over! When I tell you I am grateful, I am grateful! God is absolutely amazing, and He listens to your requests!
You can ask Him for things, it is okay, let me tell you what to do. Obey and seek Him, tithe and give, offerings, and to people, speak the Word of God concerning finances and believe it! That combination will bring financial overflow. I’m personally still working on having the perfect combination of those things, but I know God has great things for me. A positive outlook is everything, and you must know and believe that God loves you and also wants the best for you! Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” If you walk upright, know that God has everything for you. You are not limited because God is not limited. Know your rights as a believer; take what belongs to you because God will freely give it to you!
Most Valuable Things I Learned About Faith: Let God Handle It
One of the most valuable things I learned about faith is to let Him handle it. I sometimes tend to worry and think about how I can do things in my own strength. However, that’s not how God intended us to do things. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.” So, regarding the blog, school, and my finances, I am not to worry about anything but give it all to Him. If you’re like me, it can be difficult to let go and not have complete control, but that is what faith is about!
When you walk by faith, you don’t have complete control; you give that control to God, and you trust Him! So, trust God that He will take care of you and bring you higher. In the midst of that, don’t get overwhelmed. I felt during the school year a little overwhelmed with everything God had called me to do, but again, He didn’t call me to do it in my own strength. So, now I am working on truly letting go and letting God, go with His flow and not getting overwhelmed.
You Are Called
There’s a reason why God called you to do what He has called you to. He has given you the grace to achieve it all. Also, there is absolutely no one who will do it like you! You are special and have a purpose; this is why God is speaking to you the way that He is. He sees your potential, so ask Him for guidance, strength, and grace. That is what’s going to get you through.
Regarding Refined for Christ, God has always told me this is for souls. It is to reach the lost, and that is the very reason why He has called me to do so much. You don’t know who you can lead to Jesus through an act of obedience. There is a reason why God is telling you to do something, and most of the time, souls are attached. What keeps the fire burning is the passion for souls. So, if you’re a minister or just starting in ministry, ask God for a more profound love for souls. The deeper your love for the lost, the easier it will be to obey because your obedience can lead someone to heaven. Continue to chase after souls, and everything else will fall into place.
Expect Greater
To see the best from God, you must expect the best from God. You get what you expect, so if you expect to fail, you will fail. A greater expectation will bring greater things. That is something God has been telling me a lot that I need to expect more and better! You will never see God’s glory if you don’t change your mindset, and quite frankly, that goes hand in hand with how much of the Word you know. The more Bible you know, the more you’ll expect from God. Which is why it is pivotal to read your Bible every day! This also goes with the favor you experience in your life.
God has been on me about expecting His favor more, which goes with how well you know His Word! Did you know as a child of God, things are supposed to work out for you? The unusual but good is supposed to be regular in your life. Are open doors and opportunities supposed to continually present themselves to you? Yes! You are a child of God; greatness is your normal! And that is what God wants me to expect on the regular! His greatness in every aspect of my life.
Can’t Support Everyone
One of the most valuable things I learned about faith is that you can’t always support your friends. During April, I went to see a friend of mine perform without knowing the kind of establishment it was held at. It was a smoke lounge, and when I got home, I smelled entirely like cigarette smoke. I felt so disgusted and decided that was the last time I would be there.
Sometimes, it’s better to support your friends from a distance. Not everyone is equally yoked, and you must limit your time with people who aren’t on the same level spiritually. I’m not saying you have to cut off your friends but ask God about how much time you should be spending with them. Ask God to send you Godly friends as well. We must keep our spirits upright and not be in ungodly places just because our friends want us there. So be mindful of the situations you’re in due to friends.
Most Valuable Things I Learned About Faith: God Will Make You Uncomfortable
Along with that, God cannot prosper you in certain spaces. He is going to require you to move to different environments. With me, that is literally because God wants me to move out of my apartment with roommates to a place of my own. That is because I can only grow so much spiritually with where I’m at currently, but with a place of my own, I know God can elevate and bless me even more.
Sometimes, God will make you uncomfortable in your current space so you can grow your faith to get to the new one. He has done that with me, so now I am looking for apartments to live alone. You don’t want to be involved too much with worldly people; you must keep yourself upright in these end times. I know where I’m at now there are only certain heights I can go to, but God is moving me out so I can be all He wants me to be.
This may be you, and I say keep the faith! God is making you uncomfortable, not so you can be upset but so that you can grow your faith and believe Him for more. And as long as you’re in His will, He will bless you! Just have faith and continually apply it to your life! God is going to get you out of this situation.
Finals Week
Last but not least, finals. So, it was finals for my university, and that week, I can say the main thing was not stressing and trusting God. For one of my classes, I needed a particular grade on my final to get an A. So I was a little worried about it, but I know I have the mind of Christ and studied hard. I needed an A because that determined if I would be accepted into my major, which is very important. Because if not, it would put my school career at a standstill. However, with Jesus, I got an A in the class! And I passed all my finals, too! So, we are in my major, and I couldn’t be happier!
Just know that God is working things out for you. He is doing things for your good, and He wants you to prosper. God never wants His children to fail; it’s not His character. So, I encourage you to get in your Word, spend personal time with God, and see what He wants for you in the month of May. Good things are happening; you must not let up! Have faith, speak, seek, and obey! I hope this helped, and God bless!
