What is your dream in life?
That was the question I asked my newest friend. He was a quiet and reserved person and A LOT younger than me, but I kinda felt sorry for him. He was always so shy at conferences, often standing all alone if someone didn't go over to him and then even if he was standing there with you in the group, you often forgot he was there and left him behind, not on purpose, just because he was so quiet. I figured he needed a Mar Bear as a friend to take him around and meet people. At first it was just me being nice to him, but I managed to find an actual personality in there and soon we became actual friends.
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We had been friends for a little while and I got curious to know his life ambitions. He was a good guy and aspiring to be in the ministry, he had just finished up two years at a community college and had decided to take a break from it because he said he wanted to have more time for the things of God-which I thought that was pretty cool, especially since his family wasn't even in church. Now I wanted to know...
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What is your dream in life???
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My friend's response was so surprising to me. He was aspiring into the ministry, and he was anointed when he preached, it was pretty amazing to see this quiet, shy person, completely change under the anointing of God. Knowing this, I had figured he would say something along the lines of becoming a preacher, evangelist, etc... what he said was completely different, he said that his dream in life was simply... to start his own Godly legacy. I had never and still have never heard anyone so plainly state a simple, yet profound life dream.
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Although younger than me, I began to really look up to him. He had a lot of strong Biblical knowledge and could explain doctrine so profoundly. He was a strength to me spiritually, someone ready with a scripture when I was down, he pointed me in the right direction when I struggled with doubts and trusting in God. There was a time I told him I was unsure of God keeping his promises in my life. My friend called me up on his work break with every scripture in the Bible he could find on God fulfilling his promises, then he gave me a very unique word of encouragement from God, that I had never heard put in such away before. The same unique word he had given me was reaffirmed that same week by the conference speaker. My friend indeed had the hand of God on his life.
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He pushed me to develop my Christian character, most of my friends already thought I was the nicest person, but he would gently, but firmly tell me I could still become more Christ-like. There was a time that he called me out on my desire to get married so badly, he said it was a good desire, but to make sure I was not making marriage an idol in my life. Not to desire marriage more than God, not to make it bigger than Him.
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I remember one time I was telling him about this 5k run I really wanted to do, "The Fluffy Unicorn Run" of course he laughed as I told him, it's not just a unicorn run, it's a THE FLUFFY UNICORN RUN, liiiiiiike it was designed literally for me! The only little glitch I told him, is that I may have to be like 30 minutes late for prayer, but I'll still be there, just late. He just kinda looked at me, then said, I don't know about that sis! I was liiiiiiiike, buuuuuuut it's THE FLUFFY UNICORN run....but I knew it was true, I shouldn't miss or be late for church for anything, EVEN THE FLUFFY UNICORN 5k run!!!!
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For 8 years we remained the best of friends, I won't deny to you all that YES, feelings for him did develop on my part, but there was never anything romantic that happened between us, truly we were best friends.
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AND THEN THE PYTHON CAME AROUND...
I still can't put my finger on when exactly things began to change. All I could remember was all the good things and the Godly way he had always been. He began developing his career, moving up in the job market. He went back to college, he got one degree, then another, then a special certification and his career began to thrive. Yes, there had been the nights he had missed for schoolwork, but I figured, I guess if you have to study, you have to study. I've never been a scholar, so I didn't say to much, I figured what do I know, I'm a college dropout, so it's easy for me to not see the importance in studying for big exams instead of being in the house of God.
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Then his career took flight and he really had to miss a lot during busy seasons, once again, it bothered me, but I didn't know how much I should say, my career as a glorified babysitter would never get in the way of church, so once again I would think, it's easy for me to never have to miss church, but something worrisome began to flicker in my heart. Was it really ok to miss this much church during busy seasons???
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Don't worry, I would tell myself, this is the kid that started coming to church at age 4. This is the guy that began to live for God on his own at age 12. This is the 14-year-old that sat alone at the dinner table because he didn't want to watch TV with his family. This is the person that told you HIS ONLY DREAM IN LIFE WAS TO START HIS OWN GODLY LEGACY, your overthinking this Mary.
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WHAT IS A PYTHON????
A python is a snake that wrap their bodies around their prey and squeeze until their victim stops breathing or its heart stops beating. Then they swallow their prey whole, usually without ever even physically deforming what they just swallowed.
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Then my friend, who usually only got sick about once or twice a year, randomly began getting sick at least once a month. Then maybe twice a month, I questioned him if he was making healthy eating choices, if his immune system was ok. He assured me it was just a coincidence and that he was being extra careful with so much sickness going around to look out for other people and not spread more around. It sounded good, but something inside of me didn't feel right.
The python had begun wrapping
his body around my friend...
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Then busy season began to start a month earlier this year. My spirit felt heavier and heavier. But when I questioned him, he said he was just trying to figure things out in his new career. But the more he missed the more I felt I needed to say something, I would tell him I have such a heavy burden for you, he would just say, oh I'm sorry I'm causing you to be burdened, I'm just trying to figure things out. "I know you've worked a long time and really hard on your career and I'm really proud of you for your accomplishments, but you've worked even longer and harder to live for God and the devil wants to steal that away from you. I thought I would anger him with my directness, but he just thanked me for my encouragement.
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And the python began his constriction...
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See, I would tell myself, he's not mad at you, so everything must be ok, but my spirit knew. It was like my humanity was in denial, but the Holy Ghost inside of me knew the truth and would not let the burden leave me.
I prayed and I prayed, and I prayed. I could hardly sleep at night, and when I did, I would soon wake up and begin praying for my friend. I did everything I could spiritually do for my friend to stop what was happening. I prayed and I fasted and I prayed and fasted, I interceded for him, I wept and cried till there were no tears left in me and then I would weep in prayer for him again.
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And the python squeezed and squeezed...
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I'm ok, everything is ok he kept reassuring me. Then busy season was officially over and still he wasn't at church. Where are you? I'd text. Oh, sorry Mary, I just need to catch my breath I'm so tired from everything. Then Sunday came and once again he wasn't there. As soon as church was over, I called him, no answer of course. I texted him, where are you? You said everything is ok, but it's NOT! What is wrong? You have to tell me what is wrong! Then I finally got a text back, I'm sorry Mary, I have some decisions I have to make, that only I can make, there's nothing you've done wrong, you've been a good friend, but I have to make my own decisions.
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What did he mean he had some decisions to make? Hadn't he already decided to live for God on his own accord years and years ago? I texted him, "You mean you don't want to live for God anymore?????" I never got a text back to that question.
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THE PYTHON HAD SWALLOWED HIS GODLY DREAM WHOLE...
My friend's dream to start a Godly legacy, the python constricted, squeezed and swallowed it whole, replacing it with worldly ambitions.
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Now don't get me wrong, God is more powerful than the pythons in this world and IF YOU ASK HIM TO, he can restore to you anything that devil has taken from you. He is the restorer of hopes and dreams. I pray still for my friend that he will return, that he will ask God to restore back to him with the devil stole, but he has to ask God to get it back for him and do what it takes to get it back, nobody can repent for someone else.
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BUUUUUUUUUUT...
friends, young people, old people, I don't care who you are, THE PYTHON is after your Godly ambitions and dreams. There is NOTHING more he would like to do than to take away your dreams in the kingdom of God and replace them with education and careers.
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Don't let homework constrict your Bible reading. Don't let studying constrict your prayer life. Don't let work squeeze out church time. Don't let money come before the work of God.
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you.."
What do you know Mary? I know i'm not a college graduate, I've NEVERRRRR even been tempted to miss church for HOMEWORK or STUDYING...BAHAHHAHAAAAA...but there are things I've had to put aside, for my walk with God. Fluffy Unicorn runs, being a social media influencer, people LOVE ME, my following on Facebook was massive, but God said get off. In my writing, I could write anything I wanted but I have chosen to use it for God, there are things that even people like me have to put aside and choose the things of God first and foremost.
" But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:32)
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Look out for your friends. Call them out when they miss church. Beware of sickness. Beware of excuses. Don't let them out of it. Pray and fast for each other. Go to your pastor with your concerns. It's ok if they get mad, it's worth the risk of their anger if it saves them from the python. And even if they don't get mad, that doesn't mean everything is ok, numbness begins when the python is constricting.
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“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Peter 5:8)
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WHAT IS YOUR GODLY DREAM???
Think about it, right now. Write it down in your Bible and in your heart and don't let the python of Godly dreams swallow your dream. Ask God what his dream for your life is. Seek Godly council.
God has a plan for your life,
buuuuuut so does the devil.
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He is watching and waiting for a chance to swallow your Godly dream. Don't give him a chance. It does not matter how much you have put God first in the past, the python is waiting for the one moment you don't to pounce. Continually reevaluate where you are in your walk with God. Put the things of God first ALWAYS. Pray, Read your Bible and Go to church, NO MATTER WHAT. The python has NO POWER over God, so stay close to Him ALWAYS!!! God will bring your dream to pass if you stay in His will.
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"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Mathew 6:33)
♥Mary Frances :)
