Christen Rouson

“This is the year to just ‘Do it and see what happens,’” my best friend, JoJo, declared.  Simply put, he was telling me and every other listening ear that this is the season to throw all caution to the win and try.  I heard him, and I listened.  (Those actions are completely different.)  In that moment, my mind flashed a quick reel of things that I was too afraid to try because I feared failure or rejection.  And just as I began to convince myself that trying was a bit too risky, he said again, “Do it and see what happens.”

| Do it and See What Happens |

Quick story:

I have a friend who is looking to move from his current house.  The truth is he has outgrown the space and that season.  Because of surrounding neighbors, there is very little quiet and even less peace.  Everyone needs peace in their home.  Rewind to a couple of years ago, this place was the rescue he needed.  He had to relocate, and this home became available just in the nick of time.  But even then, he knew this was only meant to be a temporary place…somewhere to recoup and recover.  Fast forward the clock.  It seemed as if the more that time elapsed, it became not only harder to make a break for it but just as hard to stay.  Imagine that quandary.  Whether it be finances or just fear, he spent his nights praying for a way of escape and his days not knowing how to.  Finally one day he decided, “It’s time.”  Possibly with no more money than before and probably just as much trepidation, he began looking for a new place to live.  Step one…

He began touring homes and found one that he liked.  The natural next step would be to submit an application.  For one reason or another, he got stuck again.  Maybe it was a lack of time or a little bit of fear, but a few days went by and the application was still in his possession. Being the pusher that I am, I did just a bit of nudging (and threatening) to make him drop off the application.

Two hours after dropping off the application… “Mr. ________, you’ve been approved.”

The end.  Well, let’s begin.

You want to know what stops me most of the time?  Fear and feelings…they are my two biggest antagonists.  I can know that there is something that I want or need to do, a chance that I need to take, or a moment that will pass me by if I don’t jump on it, and I’ll be too afraid to try.  Eventually fear triggers my feelings.  I start to “feel some kind of way.”  Not only will feel down about the things that make me believe I’m too inadequate to take the chance, I’ll resent myself for not having the courage to do it anyway.  Well, this was the case until my best friend said, “Do it and see what happens.”  That has become my mantra for 2018, and so far I’ve started, I haven’t stopped, and I’m determined to finish.  (Read my blogs Start., Don’t Stop., and Finish.)

Now let’s refer back to the story of my friend that I just shared with you.  When he looked at this last house, he was told that he was one of the firsts to view the home and no one had applied yet.  In my mind, I was immediately assured that it was for him.  As a matter of fact, when I would pray concerning this, I would do so declaring that it was his.  But here’s the thing, the house wasn’t for me and the ball was in his court.

• Representation of his faith: He needed to pray with assurance and believe that it was his. 
• Demonstration of his faith: He needed to take a chance and apply for the house. 
• Response to his faith: Within hours God responded, and the answer was in his favor.

So I get the phone call that he got his “Yes,” and I hang up and begin screaming a crying.  (A good friend rejoices when you rejoice even if the blessing isn’t for or won’t benefit him/her.)  I’m thanking God and asking, “How did you respond so quickly?”  Then it dawned on me that when something is for you and the time is right, there is no need for God to withhold it from you.

“For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”

Psalms 84:11 [New Living Translation]

THE MORAL OF THE STORY

Have you ever heard the stories of people who had money left in the care of the state that they didn’t know about.  Whether a family member passed and willed it to them or a company owed money to them, the money was theirs; all they had to do was complete the necessary steps to claim it.  I personally believe that there are blessings that are assigned to each of us for various seasons of our lives but it is our responsibility to claim them when that season approaches. 

Example:  A young lady contacted me to tell me that she would like to gift me with some hair salon equipment, but it is on me to pick it up from her storage.  The ball is in my court.  The equipment belongs to me but because I have been to fearful to ask her if I can still have it (that sounds really dumb) and I haven’t made arrangements to go get it, it is not in my possession.  If I want it, I have to go get it.

What things are waiting on you to come get?  What blessings, successes, or increase are assigned to you but you don’t have them because you haven’t made the moves to have them?  I get that you may be fearful of failure or rejection, but the worst case scenario is you never get to have what is for you because you don’t ask for it or make the necessary steps to obtain it.  Having what we want may equate to praying and believing as well as “busting a move”  as my mama used to say. 

Here it is:

• Seek what is actually for you.
• Pray believing that you can have/do/be it.
• Be in the will of God and do what is right (have the right motives, be integral in your dealings, and don’t take the credit for what you know God actually did for you).

“The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”

“Do it and see what happens.”  You may be surprised just how quickly God releases the favor he’s had waiting for you.

I hope this helps.
-Chris ❤