The Buckle Hurts

I think this will make sense to a lot of people, although this can be a bit humorous. Have you ever worn fitted pants to start your day… after even having that first meal now the pants are more than tight, so much so that the buckle hurts and is leaving a mark. You can’t wait to let loose and get out of those pants because they are hurting you!

God wants to stretch you. He wants to expand you to the right and to the left. He wants to enlarge your tents and take you places that you never dreamed possible. You just need to allow Him to do so and follow that stretching. Those marks that He wants to leave behind are marks of ministry. And sometimes it hurts yes, but as a vessel of the Lord it is more than rewarding when you see the miraculous happen.

Looks like the price of ministry will always have its cost for the salvation of man is free for all. But the anointing of God will cost you everything. For anything that you want to achieve in life that is rewarding never comes free. You have to work for it. Successful people are workers –they are not lazy. They also leave an inheritance for their children’s children [Proverbs 13:22].

Paul had the marks of ministry and wrote almost the entire New Testament of the bible.

From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Galatians 6:17

Jeremiah had the marks of ministry and was used as a great instrument to deliver the Word of the Lord.

The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, “You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place.
Jeremiah 16:1-2

Joseph had the marks of ministry and became a prince in Egypt as God’s plan to save the remnant of Israel from famine.

Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
Genesis 39:23

And there were so many more in the pages of history throughout the bible. You see God doesn’t really want us confined to one particular place. He wants to stretch us. He wants to enlarge our territory. His plan is HUGE for our lives. But many times we take that confinement and remain in the pain instead of carrying it out. We have to move. We can’t just sit still and be idle all of our lives. Even then when we start to feel that pressure it is time for us to move to the next place.

Does it hurt? Yes.

But do you find a reward? Yes.

When I graduated and got my bachelor’s degree so late in life I just cried looking at the diploma. I thought I was never going to be able to accomplish that. I had to study a lot, spend the time away from home, take lots of classes and go year after year. It wasn’t something handed over to me overnight. I had to do all of that and still be the full-time worker, wife, mother and leader in the church. It was always a busy life. But I had to push for it. It hurt me to sacrifice so much. Many times I was so pressed for time. But I thank God that He took me through all that. The reward is now framed for me to see that certificate of completion.

Imagine the certificate of completion that God is going to give to you when you ACCEPT His calling over your life and carry out those assignments. That is specific to you! Don’t procrastinate any longer. Yes there is much to do but it can be done. The buckle hurts!

God’s plan is fulfilling. God’s plan bears forth fruit. God’s plan has evidence of growth. God’s plan consists of miracles, signs and wonders. Don’t you want to experience all of that? Why not allow yourself to be stretched to the places where God wants to lead you.

Yes, there will be times of sacrifice. Times you will not be able to watch TV. Times you will not be able to go out and have fun. Times you will have to wake extra early or stay up late. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and in order to experience the maximum then we cannot settle for the minimum!

We have to give more!

We have to push more!

We have to carry out the God given assignments of life!

When the buckle hurts–make the adjustments necessary. Get yourself in alignment with the assignment! The most expensive things in life truly carry the most virtue. It will all be worth it. Don’t settle in complacency. Whatever it is that God is calling you to do…strive to get it done. It is your time. It is your time to step out in faith and watch God do the work through you too. Go for that eternal certificate in heaven now!