It’s Time To Soar

Sometimes we experience things that we feel have destroyed our very existence. We are blind-sided by Satan shaking our lives in order to pull us away from God. Situations that wreak havoc on our emotions, body, and even spirit. Things that just hurt to the core of our very being. These are different from the trials and storms that we face. These are not the things that cause us to stumble or even waver. These are those things that come against us that will drain us emotionally, physically and spiritually to the point we begin to feel that we have been thrown around and broken into a million tiny pieces. At one time I thought God did this to “teach us” and “prune” us. I remember thinking those very things when I began to recall this particular season in my life. Thinking “Oh, God is gonna teach me something wonderful and move me into a new level of understanding.” I have since grown to understand that nothing bad is of God. He doesn’t put bad situations on us so we will learn. That is not who He is.

It is not His will to bring bad situations on us. It is His will that we would walk in His blessings and glory. We, did you catch that? We, I, cause those situations. When I step out of the will of God, I step out of the goodness He has for me. It is the result of my sin and disobedience that brings the tough trials and heartbreaking situations. But God… yes, But God has made a way for us, for me, to come to Him during these times and get through the consequences that I will face.

I remember a time in my life when my entire being was blindsided by a shaking storm. I was so sure that everything that had become my life was destroyed. I didn’t think I would ever get back what was lost. My relationship with God, my ministry, my marriage, my family, my everything was in pieces. I never saw this quake coming and was in no way prepared to handle it in any shape, form or fashion. My emotions were like a roller coaster; anger, hurt, offended, helpless, guilty, afraid. You name it, I was on it. Satan was throwing everything he had at me all at one time and I became so tired of all the emotions. His goal was to get me to lay down the promise that God had given me and to loose sight of my calling. All I could do was pray a little and cry out a lot, read a bit and listen even more. Words for prayers were few and far between. My heart was just crying in so much pain. All I could muster through the slobbery wails were the words; “Thank you God for all that you are and all that you do, you hear my cry and you love me. You know my heart and my desires, just lead me through this pain.”, Then I would lay there and sob and let my tears fall where they may. Not knowing where to read, I would read a little about strength and peace, but mostly I would listen to the Bible on CD. I knew in my heart that God would hear my cries and that if I

As I began to pull away from the situation, God slowly began to reveal things to me and I began to have peace in my heart. I had come to the conclusion that I had two choices; 1. I could let God take over and give HIM COMPLETE control, or 2. I could give up and let go of everything and allow Satan to say, “see I told ya that you couldn’t do it”. Being the stubborn woman of God that I am, I chose the first option. I had enough hope and faith to know that I was not going to give up what God had promised. Now let me tell you, I did get weary, and I did lose focus, but I DID NOT quit or loose sight of what God had promised. I held on to the belief that He is faithful. See, even though it was a result of my disobedience, God still loves me enough to walk with me through this battle. Even better, He is willing to go to battle for me. He loves me so much that He wants to restore me and heal my wounds. What a gracious and loving Father!!!

What I didn’t realize was exactly how much I do depend on God and how much He lives in me. I say this because I had spent so much time looking outside of myself and wondering how other people got to that point in their relationship with God. Even though I felt like giving up, in my heart I knew I couldn’t give up because God was there. I know God is the desire of my heart and that is where it all starts. I realized that as I stepped, I would need strength to overcome things that Satan will put in my path to trip me along this journey. I began to pray for strength, understanding and knowledge. There was a time when I had stepped out of the boat; so, I knew that I could not look back.

This is where it gets good. This is where I tell you about the lesson that I learned!! The lesson of learning about eagles and soaring. Now I understand that everyone knows the eagle is symbolically important in the Bible and the walk of a Christian.

It was a wonderful, late summer morning, and I was on the way home from taking kids to school. It was one of those times I was conversing with God and just letting Him know how thankful I was for all that He was in my life. Along with the conversation, was praise. I love singing and just ushering in the presence of God while I lift Him up. It just so happened that I glanced to the right. There in the middle of an empty field, I saw two of the most beautiful eagles that I had ever seen. This was not the first time I had seen an eagle in this area. However, it was the first time I had seen TWO of them at the same time.

The first thing that entered into my mind was “Those that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 KJV. The absolute peace I felt in my heart was indescribable.

It was at this moment, I knew in my spirit that this situation that was trying to shatter me was going to work out for the Glory of God. I began talking to God again and thanking Him for those words, and I began to ask Him “What are you showing me Lord, What is it that I need to get from that scripture, I know you are talking to me, please help me understand.”

A few things started coming to me about this revelation, and what I was to get from this small incident of seeing two eagles in a field. The things that came to mind were strength, freedom, soaring, and two people. Off and on throughout the next week or so I thought about the eagles, but I didn’t get caught up in “needing to know” the meaning of what I saw.

One morning due to sheer exhaustion of restless nights, I decided I was going to take a nap be. I don’t know about you, but when I am exhausted from these storms of life, I thoroughly enjoy having prayer time that ends up with me falling asleep in the peace of listening for God’s small still voice. A bit later, I woke up because I thought I heard something. I tried to go back to sleep but something (the Lord) kept prompting me to play a video tape that a sister had let me borrow. Okay Lord, I will watch the Joyce Meyer video.

In this video “Eagle Christians”, Joyce talks about different kinds of birds and how we can relate them to Christians. I won’t go through all the birds she mentions, but I will use a few for understanding purposes. She spoke about chicken Christians who flap and never get anywhere and how they are content to be in the same barnyard all their lives, as well as how when they step out of that barnyard and Satan comes against them, they run back to the comfort of the chicken house. Well, right off the bat, I realized that it wasn’t long ago that I was a “Chicken Christian”. How wonderful to be delivered. She mentioned a “crow Christian” who always pesters the ‘eagle Christian”. The “vulture Christian” who is always feeding off of the bad things and seeking to destroy that which is good.

Then she began talking about the “Eagle Christian.” She described how the eagle is not afraid to fly alone, and how it is not afraid of a storm, but waits patiently for the wind to lift it up and above the storm.

Most of us know that the eagle builds it’s nest on the rock of a cliff, close to the sun and get to a point where it needs to get alone and be renewed. During this time, the eagle must renew it’s feathers by getting the dirt off of them. Can you imagine that process? The beak of an eagle will become calcified and dull; just the same as the talons. So in order to renew, the eagle will pluck off old feathers, wash in the water to get the dirt off, use the rock to clean it’s beak and sharpen it’s talons. The eagle then preens itself, which is when it takes each feather and breathes upon it to cleanse and shape it. Oh my goodness, the thought of this majestic bird cleaning and renewing itself is almost magical to imagine. The work and alone time it must take to complete such a task. But it still isn’t done, after all of the preening, cleansing and plucking, the eagle will then use the oil that is created in a special gland to waterproof its feathers so that they will not become soaked when it is catching fish. Oh how God made sure this wonderful creature would know how to not only be alone and soar above storms, it would also know how to bring renewal to it’s tattered body. What did this tell me??

It told me that we also have the ability to be alone to prune and soar. I just couldn’t contain the awe as she continued to explain how each thing relates to being a Christian. Removing the old things that weigh us down, getting rid of the muck of the flesh, speaking life, sharpening our hold of God’s word, allowing the Holy Ghost to breathe upon us and allowing God to dip us in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

As I watched and listened I began applying this to the quake that had blown through my life and shaken me. I realized how I had waited and allowed God to carry me above the storm, finding peace and getting closer to the Son. It became clear how He had opened my eyes when I didn’t even know they were shut. I became aware of the fact that I knew my nest (home) was built on the Rock and that all I have been needing to do was claim what was already mine. As I began to picture renewal from the shaking storm and the thunderclouds that had come before it, I began to understand the part about soaring. After renewing the tatteredness of my being, I would be ready to once again soar.

Even though I faced a battle that I thought for sure would tear me down, I knew that without a doubt I would learn how to prune, pluck and clean my wings and talons, not because of my own doings, but because of the love of God and His grace. Once we learn to get alone to renew, we are able to draw strength from God as we take flight upon the wind with wings like the eagles. This was truly a lesson that I need reminded of every so often.

My soul, bless the Lord, and do not forget all his benefits. He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; he crowns you with faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with good things: your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:2-5 CSB.

Yes, renewed like an eagle!! It is time to Soar…