Daily Devotional – 3/11/19 “Here’s what you do!”

You see the outcome of my situation and think it’s been easy. Nawl, baby, you just happened to walk in on the celebration. The game, the storm, the sickness, the repossession, the bankruptcies, the lies, the broken promises, the sins committed, the depression, the failed businesses, the negative check accounts, the abuse, the misuse, the nightmares …. they almost took me out! You just happened to miss those moments. What you see is the result but you missed the rebuke. You see me reaping from my harvest but what you didn’t see was the harshness of the season. You see me living but you didn’t see the moments it felt like I was dying. What I’m trying to tell you is, don’t wish for this. In fact, don’t even pray for this because there’s a cost to this anointing and you might not survive what I have. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not speaking of me, in general but I’m referring to the times you’ve dreamed of having what somebody else got because their life looks good, playing out on social media. Ma’am/sir, do you not realize how many times somebody has to retake a selfie before the actual one is posted? Yeah, you see the polished brass but you didn’t see what it took to remove the tarnish. You see the smile but not the suicide attempts. You see the happiness but not the hell. You see the miracle of the birth but you didn’t see the miscarriages, beforehand.

Beloved, there’s a cost to what you see. Let me make this thang personal, for a line or three. I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t ask to carry this mantle but I do because God trust me with it. I didn’t ask for the gifts, however, God planted them in my belly while I was forming in my mother’s womb. Sure, it’s easy to look at Lakisha and think she has it all together, when the truth of it is, I fail too. Truth is, I hurt, I make mistakes and I’m sometimes fearful. However, I get up, every day, put on my body armor of righteousness, shoes of peace, belt of truth and helmet of salvation. Then I grab my shield of faith and my sword of God’s words and I prepare to fight. Not just for me, though, but for you too. When I fight, I’m fighting for my family, friends, church family and those of you who look to me for encouragement. My fight isn’t just for me, it’s for you too but it isn’t easy. Some days, it hurts more than I think I can handle but I press because I was anointed for this, it’s my calling. But don’t you wish for it. Here’s what you do, as bible shares in Ephesians 6:18-20, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”