Arise

“Wake up, oh sleeper. Rise from the grave. Remember your Savior. Come now, awake” –

r .a .irving

The Lord spoke to me the other day. A song came on that I had never heard before and the main focus of the song was God calling us to rise. This hit me because it felt so personal. It didn’t feel like a song made for the masses but like a song that was made for me. (It was by Isla Vista Worship). I couldn’t get the word arise out of my head after that. Later that day, I went to a prayer/worship night at my church. As I was praying, the Lord spoke again saying “Arise sleeper”. At first, I took this as him wanting me to pray for other people to “wake up” spiritually. LOL. I am sure the Lord rolled his eyes at me at that moment.

I finally realized that He was speaking to me. He was telling me to arise. To wake up.

Arise

1. (v. i.) To come up from a lower to a higher position; to come above the horizon; to come up from one’s bed or place of repose; to mount; to ascend; to rise; as, to arise from a kneeling posture.

2. (v. i.) To spring up; to come into action, being, or notice; to become operative, sensible, or visible; to begin to act a part; to present itself.

(Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary)

Then on Sunday, my pastor talked about Joshua 1:1-9. He talked about how only Jesus can take us to the promised land but we have to get up and begin to advance. “You can do it” is what Jesus is telling us as we decide to get up and move forward. Be strong. Be courageous. God is with us.

OKAY GOD… I AM LISTENING!

I have thought a lot over the past few days about the word arise and what it means. I decided to write a public post about it not for the attention but because I felt like this word was not just for me.

Vulnerability time….

I am afraid. This may not be believable to those who know me because I seem fearless but the truth is I am afraid. I am afraid that I will never live up to what God has called me to. I am afraid that If I put my trust, vulnerability, heart, and soul out there, then it will be taken advantage of. I am afraid that I am not worthy of the calling God has placed on me. This fear has strangled me in many ways…. I have to constantly fight the lie that I shouldn’t speak what God has told me to say because I am not worthy of being heard. I am comfortable in my little office at home listening to God and then never sharing what he has said to me. My own selfishness telling me that the freedom that I have experienced from suicide and depression doesn’t need to be shared because what if I make someone upset. What if I hurt someone’s feelings. What if they won’t like me anymore. What if people think I am stupid. All the what-ifs go through my head and I ignore the call of God.

I am no different than the paralytic man in Mark 2. I am paralyzed in my own fear and anxiety. I am paralyzed to actually step into God’s calling for me because what if I fail. So I don’t move. Just as Jesus forgave that man’s sins and set him free, so he has done for me. And I hear him saying “I say to you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your home.” And as the paralytic man rose to his feet God was glorified.

ARISE

come into action. begin to act a part. become operative.

It is time for me to wake up. It is time for me to step out in boldness and confidence. I have withheld the glory God deserves in so many ways. I have not had a single thought of suicide in 3 years. I haven’t had severe debilitating depression in 3 years. God didn’t heal me overnight but he held my hand. He walked with me. He gave me a community and counselor who loved me and saw greatness in me. We bring glory to God not only in our faith but also in our actions. He has given me this precious gift of life and has given me insight into mental health. I haven’t been stewarding that gift well.

But now is a wonderful time to arise from my sleeping. Arise from my fear. Arise from my comfortability. Arise from my selfishness. Arise from pain. Arise from my past.

I want to challenge anyone who is reading this and feels the tug of God on your heart. He has created you for a great purpose. The call on your life should not be ignored. Arise with me and let’s glorify God. With boldness and confidence, we rise.

Lord,

How beautiful and wonderful you are. Your kindness and gentleness inspire me to be better. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for speaking life over me. Thank you for this calling. Thank you for stirring me to arise. Lord, help me to listen as you speak. I give you all the glory.

Amen