Let me confess: I am feeling so much friction in my faith walk right now. I guess that's what they call "working out your salvation." It is truly tuning into God, recognizing and repenting of sin in your life, and responding to his call in every single moment. It is wrestling with the tough questions and trying to really understand what it is God wants you to do. It means taking a good, long look in the mirror and saying, "I'm not in control." It means hours of prayer with tears streaming down your face as you feel completely overwhelmed by everything God is putting on your heart. It means cornering people and telling them all that's on your mind, because you're filled to the brim and you need to share.... then feeling guilty for cornering them and vomiting information on them. It means seeking Christ centered relationships and opening yourself to the influence of others because you truly recognize that others have "been there, done that" so to speak and can offer so much in pointing you to Jesus.
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Romans 7:21-23
I feel so full of God's love and so sensitive to his calling on my life in this moment, but I also feel resistance, or friction. It's the best way to describe it. God's way is always going to be met with resistance, because of Satan. So it was time to really examine my heart and ask God to show me my sinful ways and point me to him.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Romans 7:21-23
I feel so full of God's love and so sensitive to his calling on my life in this moment, but I also feel resistance, or friction. It's the best way to describe it. God's way is always going to be met with resistance, because of Satan. So it was time to really examine my heart and ask God to show me my sinful ways and point me to him.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24
So-- let's start with my sin. I'm not about to air all my dirty laundry, but I'll share a few things that have really held me back in this season. I asked God to change my heart-- to really give me a heart for other people. I asked him to show me how to love my neighbor as myself. So I solely began to focus on the lost, the down-trodden, the under-resourced, the sexually abused, the hurt, the lonely, etc... I wanted to climb a mountain, carrying the torch of the saving power of Jesus to those people. And I hardened my heart to the people I spend a majority of my time around-- churched people. Since Weston is on staff at a church, we spend alot of time talking about church. Church is a huge part of our lives- of MY life. In this season I spent quite a bit of time struggling with why we even do what we do? What's the point? Why do we care so much about church programs, ministry activities and meeting the needs of church people when there are broken, lost people out in the world who need love, compassion, and truth. I wanted to move out of my 'Holy Huddle' so to speak and really do something for God's kingdom. I wanted to be used in big and mighty ways.
I was really, REALLY critical. Critical of just about everything around me.
Do people who love Jesus actually DO anything for His kingdom?
The church isn't doing enough.
I am not doing enough. (this is the big one!)
We're totally blowing it.
What are we missing?
What's wrong with it all?
What's wrong with it all?
And this is the conclusion I came to. What's wrong with it all is that our measuring stick for 'enough' is Jesus. And Jesus is perfection. He lived a life without sin. He healed the sick. Restored the emotionally distraught. Spoke truth to the self-righteous. He hung out with the worst of the worst and spoke a message of hope to all. He gave up his life as a sacrifice to restore us to right relationship with God. I mean... those are some pretty big shoes to fill. When comparing yourself to perfection, you'll always fall short. I will fall short. People will fall short. My church will fall short. But that's okay because God know's we can't quite cut it. That's WHY we have Jesus and WHY Jesus comes to live in our hearts when we invite him in. It's so that the Holy Spirit can show us the way, guide us, direct our paths, and empower us.
I felt so full of the Holy Spirit and so in tune with God.... and so negative at the same time. My negativity was the glaring sin that Christ was calling me to offer up in repentance. As I studied scripture, with a focus on the local church, God really began to change my heart. That's what he's in the business of doing-- changing hearts.
So- instead of feeling negative, I am HOPEFUL! And here's why.
1. God hit me with the truth that there are broken, hurt, under-resourced, LOST people sitting in our pews every single Sunday. Maybe I should actually make an effort to invest in people right where I am! It's amazing what might happen! Remember when I said that I was one of those people- attending church, but still totally lost? What if someone had been so interested in doing something "remarkable" or "amazing" in their walk with Christ that they forgot to pay attention to the person desperately reaching out for friendships and truth? That desperate person was once me- and those people are in our midst. They're everywhere. Chances are, we will be that person many times over in our lives. Hurt or defeated by life's circumstances. Desperate for the discipleship and love of other Christ followers. Desperate for someone to carry us along through a tough time and speak truth into our lives. What kind of disciple makers would we be if we ignored the people all around us simply because our sights are set elsewhere. Our ministry to make disciples includes taking the message to the ends of the earth just as much as it in includes making disciples right where we are. In fact, Jesus told the apostles that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). They would be his witnesses right where they were FIRST, and then to the ends of the earth. I have a calling right where I am and that gives me HOPE!
1. God hit me with the truth that there are broken, hurt, under-resourced, LOST people sitting in our pews every single Sunday. Maybe I should actually make an effort to invest in people right where I am! It's amazing what might happen! Remember when I said that I was one of those people- attending church, but still totally lost? What if someone had been so interested in doing something "remarkable" or "amazing" in their walk with Christ that they forgot to pay attention to the person desperately reaching out for friendships and truth? That desperate person was once me- and those people are in our midst. They're everywhere. Chances are, we will be that person many times over in our lives. Hurt or defeated by life's circumstances. Desperate for the discipleship and love of other Christ followers. Desperate for someone to carry us along through a tough time and speak truth into our lives. What kind of disciple makers would we be if we ignored the people all around us simply because our sights are set elsewhere. Our ministry to make disciples includes taking the message to the ends of the earth just as much as it in includes making disciples right where we are. In fact, Jesus told the apostles that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). They would be his witnesses right where they were FIRST, and then to the ends of the earth. I have a calling right where I am and that gives me HOPE!
2. We are created in God's image. Genesis 1:26 says "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...'. Then God looked at all he had created and said it was VERY good (Gen 1:31). God gave nothing but the good stuff when he poured Himself out on His creation. He gave out the good stuff because he IS good stuff. Period. If we are created in God's image, then we are capable of so much! How insulting it must be to God when we are critical of His people... of His creation. Sin causes us to fall short, but we can't forget that we are created in His image, which is pretty remarkable in and of itself. If we are created in God's image and we are to be His church, His hands and feet, then you better believe He will bless that and that He will empower us. God created us to do good works and if we are created in His image then He will surely equip us to do those works- here, there, and everywhere. In that, I find HOPE!
3. God empowers us and through him anything is possible. John 14:15-31 is an amazing passage where Jesus tells his apostles about how they will receive the Holy Spirit one day. The Holy Spirit- literally God dwelling in them. Jesus goes on to say in John 16 that the Holy Spirit will come and guide us into all truth. I take that to mean that when we completely surrender to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will open our eyes. He will guide us and direct our path. He will protect us. He will fight for us. He will empower us to have influence. After all, we were created in His image to do good works. Not for our glory, but to glorify God and bring praise to his name. So again, who am I to say we're not doing anything. I just needed to let the Holy Spirit open my eyes! Wow, the church is alive and well in Shreveport, LA and around the world!
I am running into church members all over town who are serving God's people. Maybe they're serving their next door neighbors through prayer, or meeting physical or financial needs of someone in their life group, feeding the homeless, showing up at the jail to spend time with their friend (who happens to be a prostitute), or simply hosting a playdate where they can be a witness of Christ to moms and children in their neighborhood. We are ALIVE and WELL! We can do so much more, it's true- but we can't discount the work God is doing right here, right now. That gives me so much HOPE!
4. God longs for unity among His people . He desires for us to be united in our purpose to go and make disciples of all nations. There are people who are completely sold out for God in my midst. Have I just never opened my eyes to seek out those relationships? Have I never cared enough to want to learn from others? Have I really let so much time pass without really wanting to hear someone's story? Is it really that for the very first time, I care? Wow, that's pretty sad. I feel like I have new eyes and new ears. God is bringing these people out of the wood works! I am learning about the things people are doing in their work places to be impactful for Jesus. I am learning about missions in our church. I am learning what people are doing in their neighborhoods. I pray that we would be united in purpose! That we would have an infectious love for Jesus. That we would all have new eyes and ears to see the works God is doing in our community, through the people of the local church, and celebrate. That we would lean on each other, learn from each other, encourage one another, and lift each other up in prayer. I AM HOPEFUL!
I needed an attitude adjustment and I got it. May we not be living our faith out on an island alone, but may we be united. May we invest in relationships right were we are and open our eyes to God's amazing work.
I am running into church members all over town who are serving God's people. Maybe they're serving their next door neighbors through prayer, or meeting physical or financial needs of someone in their life group, feeding the homeless, showing up at the jail to spend time with their friend (who happens to be a prostitute), or simply hosting a playdate where they can be a witness of Christ to moms and children in their neighborhood. We are ALIVE and WELL! We can do so much more, it's true- but we can't discount the work God is doing right here, right now. That gives me so much HOPE!
4. God longs for unity among His people . He desires for us to be united in our purpose to go and make disciples of all nations. There are people who are completely sold out for God in my midst. Have I just never opened my eyes to seek out those relationships? Have I never cared enough to want to learn from others? Have I really let so much time pass without really wanting to hear someone's story? Is it really that for the very first time, I care? Wow, that's pretty sad. I feel like I have new eyes and new ears. God is bringing these people out of the wood works! I am learning about the things people are doing in their work places to be impactful for Jesus. I am learning about missions in our church. I am learning what people are doing in their neighborhoods. I pray that we would be united in purpose! That we would have an infectious love for Jesus. That we would all have new eyes and ears to see the works God is doing in our community, through the people of the local church, and celebrate. That we would lean on each other, learn from each other, encourage one another, and lift each other up in prayer. I AM HOPEFUL!
I needed an attitude adjustment and I got it. May we not be living our faith out on an island alone, but may we be united. May we invest in relationships right were we are and open our eyes to God's amazing work.
We have reasons to be hopeful! Not to be critical or defeated- but to hope!
I love this post from Beth Moore. In one of my many recent sleepless nights I read this and it resonated with me in a big way. I feel it too.... I feel the stirring of something amazing. The stirring of a revival!
Rain Down Revival
I love this post from Beth Moore. In one of my many recent sleepless nights I read this and it resonated with me in a big way. I feel it too.... I feel the stirring of something amazing. The stirring of a revival!
Rain Down Revival
No comments:
Post a Comment