Seasons of Separation

As we lead into the new year this will probably be my last post on seasons of pain. In my life the season of separation has ended. The storm has passed, I was told this by God recently and I believe him. The challenge for me (and I’m sure others) is to stop running from the things that God wants to use to lead us into our purpose.

I believe that for those who follow and trust their lives to faith, God never intended us to fit in and our greatest effectiveness is in our uniqueness -in those ways that make us distinctive from others – that is where our power, and our greatness (in God) lies.

That greatness is a product of separation which is preceded by preparation.

I know from experience that the seasons of separation I have experienced have been the hardest of times my life. But this season of separation is preparation for a purpose. I’ve got that purpose outlined for the upcoming year and will post about it at the beginning of 2022. That said;

God has to pull you away from comfortable circumstances to propel you into your calling. Separation is preparation.

I believe that one hundred percent

Moses had to spend 40 years in Midian in the desert separated from his people in order to go back to his people and lead them to a place that they no longer believed they were fit to go.

Sometimes God has to pull you away from people, and sometimes God has to pull you away from comfortable circumstances to propel you into your calling.
Think about this – We read in the bible that Jesus oftentimes went away when it was early to go and pray; away from Peter and away from John and away from James…

Sometimes in order to fulfill your calling you have to be separate. You have to separate yourself from others. You have to endure, the pain, the heartache, the loneliness. Sometimes God sets you apart for a purpose and for a reason.

Moses is a great example of someone who lived a life of separation. He knew what it was like to be separated, to be living in one place but to have come from another. Some of us, myself included, know that feeling all too well; what it’s like to be separated from your background, to be separated from the things that that that are in your blood. Maybe no one in my family or yours cares about God, or goes to church, or has a desire to change the world, or to help others.

But I am different. I’m going to fulfill my calling; I’m going to fulfill my purpose – because I am different there’s a separation.

Do you hear what I am saying?

Sometimes it feels like life is pulling you apart between your past and your present, between who you were and who you can be and you don’t know what to do. I’ve been there. Been there so many times in my life. But if you have faith and can believe and trust God – He will speak to you.

I didn’t see a burning bush like Moses did, but I did speak with God in July of 2021 and He told me exactly what I was called to do and what my purpose was. I’ve written about that many times at this point, its why I’m writing this post – but what I want to emphasize here is answering that call was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Answering that call lead into a season of separation for the preparation for what my purpose is.

Basically, what God is saying is I want you to separate yourself from who you are and who you were so you can see Who I am – and that I have chosen YOU and I’ve made you distinctive… I’ve set you apart, I’ve given you a destiny.

Much like Moses I’ve had all sorts of excuses for God – Well I’ve never lead others before, I have fear, I’ve suffered from loneliness, I’m disorganized, I don’t have the strength, and on and on… But God has said, ‘Your distinctive feature isn’t all those things, your distinctive feature is the strength I will give you.‘

What God is saying is you need to separate yourself from your excuses, from your view of yourself / from My view of you. I need you to separate yourself from your excuses so you can embrace my purpose.

He is telling you you’re separate on purpose. You’re here for reason in this season.

When God starts something in your life it isn’t always pretty, it isn’t beautiful. For some it might be, but I believe for the vast majority of us it is painful, it is chaotic. It is a separation from who we were to prepare us & lead us into who we were meant to be.

God is separating us from our past. He’s separating us from our sins. He’s separating us from our dysfunction.

What’s interesting is the way that God leads us out of situations and into purpose – it isn’t usually a straight line. I know in my life God gave me some instructions that seemed insane. I don’t know how I will live up to that, but that’s OK because God does.

He could certainly take you straight into your purpose but that’s not how God works. Because you & I wouldn’t be ready for it. I’ve talked a lot about that, how there is purpose in pain, etc.

Because God gets the greatest glory out of your life in the face of the greatest resistance – so it’s not always easy and it’s not supposed to be.

Think about it – How can people see how strong your God is if your battles are never fierce?

Sometimes when it seems like you’re going backwards, all God is doing is creating a space where he can bless you.