I don’t know about you, but I yearn for God to walk me into something new, something grand, something important.
You know what? He wants that for you and me even more than we want it for ourselves. But He’s a good Father, and a good Father doesn’t drop something big into the hands of his child when He knows she won’t be able to hold onto it. It could slip through her fingers, crashing hard, hurting her and those nearby. No, our good Father first prepares us so we can hold onto bigger things. He strengthens us and teaches us how to hold onto something so grand.
We are collectively facing difficulty on a global scale. During such adversity and uncertainty, it can be hard to imagine that God is bringing us into something bigger and better, yet it's during this testing that God prepares us to break ground to build something new.
When constructing a new building, before the foundation can be poured, steps must be taken to prepare the ground. This is called breaking ground. This process is similar to the work that God does in our hearts when He’s about to break ground to start a new venture or move us beyond the point that we’ve been capable of reaching thus far.
6 Steps That Prepare Us To Break Ground
1. The Site Visit - a builder should always visit a lot before building. They walk the lot to identify any concerns about the land like steep slopes or water run-off.
Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
If we are led by our roller coaster emotions, if we are prone to fits of anger or aren’t secure in our identity as a child of God, we won’t be stable enough to take on more. By inviting God to search the place he wants to build upon- our heart, we are inviting Him to point out any pitfalls in our character and mindsets that may make for unstable ground.
Feeling as though our flaws will be exposed is a kind of vulnerability that most of us avoid, but our Heavenly Father can correct those character flaws in a way that is perfectly loving and caring. Without this first step, we can’t make the necessary changes through God to prepare us to walk into more.
2. The Soil Test - this is a process to test how your soil reacts when compacted and a perc test to see if your building will stand the test of time.
Romans 5:3,4 (NLT) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Our true character comes to the surface when we are pressed from all sides. Many of us are experiencing a pressing right now. Has this difficult time revealed unstable soil?
Some things are buried so deeply or we’ve lived with them for so long that we aren’t even aware they're keeping us from moving beyond the only place we’ve ever known. We have to acknowledge our shortcomings and bring them to the one who can change them. God will continue to perfect our character so that we are ready to receive more.
3. The 811 Call - checking for existing utility lines that run through the property.
Galatians 4:8,9 (NIV) Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Where does your strength come from? In this context, you may answer, The Lord, but if we check with The Source, sometimes we’ll find that we try to draw our power from money, a job title, education, gifting or talent, a spouse or our child, and often ourselves. These are all wonderful but when we try to draw the power to sustain ourselves from these things, we’ll always come up short.
Before we're capable of holding onto more, we must know where our true source of power lies.
4. The Utilities - running water and power must be run to the property.
John 7:38,39 (NIV) Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
God prepares us through His power. Jesus is The Light that guides us. The waters of the Living Spirit move through us, making our hearts come alive. All of this is needed to sustain what God wants to give us.
5. The Survey - this ensures that you know exactly where your property lines are and that you only build where you’re allowed. Otherwise, you may build on land that is not yours and it may be torn down.
Psalm 32:8 (NASB) I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
God often puts a desire in our hearts when we’re young- something that brings us great joy. As we grow older, we’re motivated less by joy and more by money, security, and esteem. New desires form around achieving those things.
However, we were created with a purpose in mind. All of our strengths and weaknesses, our physical attributes, our personality, and all that we experience were carefully crafted to bring us into the purpose for which we were created. This purpose gives us a sense of joy and satisfaction that wouldn't be as sustainable if we did anything other than what we were made to do.
It’s important to build within the boundaries where God is offering His provision, favor, and rest. Any desire that we have outside of our original plan may offer a fine life, but it won’t offer the best life with the best Kingdom results.
The choice will always be yours though. You can forge your own path by your own efforts, but God brings us big opportunities when we allow Him to build within the area that He’s given us and for which He's made a way.
This is part of the heart-process. We must seek after God’s will for our lives and if we seek, we will find.
Matthew 7:7 (NIV) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
6. The Code - this is a set of rules that must be followed to make sure the project is done right so that nobody gets hurt. The builder and designer must be familiar with all the rules so they can be adhered to during the entire process.
Romans 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Our New Testament law is love. The code of our hearts must be one of love- to love God and love others. Everything that is built must adhere to the code of love. Anything that God constructs is done for the sake of love.
This new thing that God is bringing has one driving purpose- it will be used to love others and to bring glory to God which is loving to Him. God needs to know that it will not be used for inferior purposes so we must seek to have a heart like God- a heart for people.
God wants to move and bring you into something important. Understanding the work that God wants to do in your heart to prepare you will move you through this process quicker.
Take inventory of any offenses in your heart- ask God to search you for any unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, or any false mindsets that He can remove.
Pay close attention to your heart-responses during times of difficulty and adversity. These are an indication of deeper heart issues that need to be addressed. Rejoice in the hardship, knowing that it is preparing your heart and character for more responsibility.
Ask God to reveal any false sources of power and security.
Plug into the true source of power, light, and life. Learn to access these day and night to sustain you.
Know the boundaries that God has given you. Learn to be led by The Father in the small things so you can be led in the big.
Live by the code of love. Let every word, thought, and action be driven by love and love alone.
Read more articles by Staci Diffendaffer about living in victory through any circumstance at Own Your Victory.
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