Press
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins… But new wine must be put into new wineskins…"
"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair…"
As believers, we can grow weary of hearing phrases like "press in" and "press forward." Sometimes we want to respond, and in many cases, justifiably so, "Do you know what I've been going through? I am exhausted and do not want to press another second." And I get it, I do. But what if I told you, it's not you doing the pressing — it's Father God allowing it, because it's you being pressed for purpose?
Being pressed is painful, make no mistake about it, but it's the pressing that produces the necessary release. Father God allows pressing in our lives for two reasons, both for our benefit. First, to release those things that are in opposition to His will — such as behaviors, mindsets, habits, and beliefs that cannot go where He is taking us. Second, to build, establish, strengthen, and mature us, so we can carry, sustain, and walk fully in His will for our lives.
Pressing in either instance doesn't feel good; let's be clear about this fact. Also, pressing is not a one-time event in our lives — it's a continual process in our spiritual journey. Why? Because life and we are always evolving. Life itself is evolutionary. And evolution and growth always require two things: letting go and being filled.
However, as you may know, my favorite saying is "Perspective is a game-changer." When we understand the purpose of pressing, it shifts how we respond to it. Instead of resisting the blessing of the pressing, we choose to remain open. We no longer shut down; we become receptive. We stop complaining and learn to trust Father God. We may not enjoy the pressing… but we can now embrace the process because we understand its purpose, amen.