When I was a young girl, I dreamed of being a lawyer. And in 3rd grade, I dressed up as Barbara Walters because I admired her so much. So I always wanted, deep down in my core, to be a powerful woman who could be heard by many....BUT, somewhere along the line, I changed my mind. And somewhere along the path of life, I decided that I would be better off if I just kept to myself and kept quiet. Somewhere along the line, my dreams diminished, and I decided to just go with the flow. You have heard the saying "Go with the flow" ....don't raise any concerns, don't question what we are doing, don't rock the boat, or challenge what you hear or see, "Just go with the flow".... I did that. I went with the flow. I came from a house where almost daily we heard, "Just keep the peace." How do you keep peace that was never present? I am just saying....but from that 'go with the flow' mentality, I lost my voice, I lost my fight, I lost my deepest dreams, I lost my hope.
That 'flow' left me confused, hurt, angry, and often depressed. That flow allowed me to give my best to people who would use, abuse, and manipulate me...That flow included doing what I saw other people doing, trying to please everybody, attempting to prove I was smart and successful in *every* area of my life, and that flow completely robbed me of many years of happiness and joy.
At the time I didn't know that the flow was one of the devil's most appealing delusions. I let the flow define me, I let my past define, I let the culture, my upbringing, my relationships, and my achievements define me....I was going with the flow. Notice that flow did not include listening for God's voice often, nor did that flow include giving my all to God, and that is where that flow is completely useless. The flow is LIE! Yes, I said it.. I will NOT just 'Go with the flow' because I now know better. And when you know better, you do better.
The only flow I am going with is the flow of the Holy Spirit. I know who I am and whose I am, I know my purpose, and who I am defined by. I am no longer defined by my past, my relationships, my career, my achievements. I am defined by my future, I am defined by my destiny, and the only way I will fulfill that is by listening for My Creator to continually lead me and being obedient to his perfect plan. And now I won't have to "just go with the flow" beacuse out of my own heart will flow rivers of living water!
John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
