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Empowerment Encouragement Purpose Selah

SEASONS OF SELAH

Well, hello there! 👋

I know it’s been a while, but I have returned to share this word with you today. While sitting at dinner, reflecting on this season of my life, the word “SELAH” came to me. Some of us may be familiar with the word if we have read some Psalms. Some scholars believe that Selah means “silence” or “pause,” this is the definition I will be writing from.

In a go, go, go, go, fast-paced world, the word “SELAH” may seem taboo. We tend to feel like we are unsuccessful unless we are always going. In The Bahamas, we say, “running around like a chicken with its head cut off.” We tend to feel less than when we see others seemingly accomplishing more than us. We tend to feel stuck if we are not “booked” or our name is not on the latest conference flyer. We tend to question Jesus’ purpose for our lives when our posts do not gain the traction we desire. We become discouraged when our 30-second Instagram clip does not go viral. We constantly try to prove ourselves to the world, so we think the more we do, the greater our chance of success. Success by whose definition, though? (Selah, lol)

What if Jesus wants to call us to a season of “SELAH”? A season of silence? A season where we slow down, disconnect from the yearning to “do,” while He works within us to BECOME? It is not always about being at the forefront, leading a team, or having an extensive itinerary. As we journey through seasons of selah, most of our frustration is when we compare ourselves to others. Since this is where we are, we believe everybody should be in this same position. And to be quite honest, our comparisons are of things that have no real value to us. We can never become the fullness of who Jesus wants us to be with our eyes on others. Seasons of selah require an intentional fixed focus.

We have to prove nothing about our potential, purpose, or destiny in the “pauses” of our lives. Nothing about what Jesus said before changes. None of the prophetic words spoken over our lives will return void because of our current place. The Good Shepherd led us to the still waters. Why? Because He wants to restore our soul. He knows the battles we just came through. He knows the hurts we endured in the past year. He knows the tears we shed and the pain we bore. He wants us to rest. He wants to strengthen our hands for the battles to come. Like in a boxing match, there are periods where competitors have the opportunity to rest in their corners. Whether they want to or not, these breaks are required. Though, for the most part, it comes at much-needed times for them. During this time, they are given water, towels to wipe their sweat, and other necessities to cool down and ready themselves for the next rounds.

Just because we are not actively moving outwardly does not mean we have no inward activity. Jesus is doing a far greater work inside of us. Let us not rush these seasons of selah. Let us allow the Good Shepherd to be good to us. Let us allow the still waters to refresh us again. We know that had it not been for the selah, we would have given up. Jesus knows, too. That is why He took us to the still waters before we chose to give up. We cannot afford to. Also, a season of selah is not a season of stagnation. Growth happens in the pause; growth happens in the silence. Think about a plant. Before that plant sprouts, something happens beneath the surface. The roots are being formed and finding their place. Before there is a shoot, there must be a root. We do not see all that is taking place when we plant a seed. We eventually wake up to a plant bursting forth from the ground. We do not see it growing as it grows, but we know it is growing, and as it grows, its root system develops even more.

Could it be that in these seasons of selah, Jesus is fortifying our roots? Will we allow Him to do what is necessary within us? Can we find satisfaction in being still and knowing that He is still God? He is still God of our past, present, and future. He is still the one who holds our times and seasons in His hands. We are not being delayed or denied in the selah. We are being fortified!

“I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.” – Psalm 61:4 (KJV)

King James Version, The Holy Bible

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