Hey, Gardners, and happy August! I am so excited for this new month and the goodness that God has planned! I recently watched a podcast episode, and one of the speakers mentioned coming out of agreement with things that hold us back from our identity in Christ and, ultimately, our potential. I thought about us and said, “Wow, I HAVE to write about that.” Let’s dive in.

Talk to Me…

Let’s take it back to my earlier days when I started with a definition. 😂 Those were the times, right? Merriam-Webster defines agreement as “ harmony of opinion, action, or character; the act or fact of agreeing…”

When things are in harmony, whether music, flowers, or just an arrangement, they please our ears, eyes, and souls. But what about the things we’ve harmonized with that disagree with God’s plan?

So like a covenant?

Yes, that’s precisely where I am headed. ☺️

A covenant has quite a few definitions, but the main takeaway is that it is an agreement—formal and binding. It’s like the deluxe version of a sandwich; it’s super-sized. When I think about unwrapping my life and leaving my past where it should be, I often think about the subconscious agreements I made that God disapproved of. Instead of going down a road of pity—I thank Him for protection, but then I have to ask Him, “How can I fix this? How can I cancel this agreement and stop it from replaying in my mind and heart?”

He said—“Break it.”

“Break it. Ask for it to be removed—ask me, but I need you to mean it.

🤯—That was my initial reaction because it is so simple yet profound. I can ask God to break this agreement, but if I am not truly ready to release it and make a change, then it’s a cycle that will repeat. It’s an agreement that’s going to stand. Making a change is daunting, but when you do it with God, it doesn’t have to be as turbulent as before.

What type of agreements are you referring to?

An agreement can be anything: soul ties, trauma bonds, romanticizing the image we have for our lives, words, etc. Anything that can typecast you is an agreement.

I think back to my younger self and certain relationships I had—platonic, romantic, friendships, etc. and there were some roles I accepted that God did not intend for me to take on. Now, in my thirties, I am working diligently to forgive myself and stop the pattern. I will always be honest about how it feels to be left out.

Daddy told B and me we had been “picked out to be picked on.” As a child and teenager, I was not too fond of that. I wanted to be happy and “normal” like my friends and classmates—I wanted to be included. But as time passed and I experienced the turbulence, I realized Daddy was right. It can’t be an in-and-out with God. The covenant has to be serious and binding.

See, Jesus made an agreement for me—for all of us—before He even met us! He agreed to die for our sins, rise, and come back for us when the time is right. He took the covenant of God seriously, and it’s time that we do that, too.

What’s next?

What are some things in your environment that you feel are hindering your relationship with God? What are things you are answering that make you feel unsettled? Are any outside influences or influencers causing more disruption than harmony?

These are just a few questions we all have to ask ourselves. As a woman constantly pursuing what God wants, I want you to know that it is not easy. Ya’ll, I would be lying if I said every day was peaches and cream. Some days are toast, and my toast is burnt. (I do like burnt toast, but you get the gist.)

I want you to hear my heart when I say it is perfectly fine not to enjoy the same things you used to. It is okay to decline certain activities because you don’t feel like it. When we experience a season of discomfort followed by isolation, instead of being sad, we ask God what’s going against the agreement. He’ll help you work it out, trust me, He will.

Take care,

ToriB💕🌻