I am struggling a little bit in this season of my life; but the sad truth is, I just began! I have barely gone a few weeks and already I am fighting with God, wanting to know why He has me here. I am the clay, struggling against my Potter. I want and need things, and I want Him to act on my time, I am not willing to Listen, to Obey nor to Walk. I am not willing to go L.O.W. I like my sin, it seems so much easier.
He instructs me every day to Obey His Word. Now that I am spending time in His presence again, (not just 15 minutes here, a few hours on Sunday, and rarely pick it up through the week) but seeking to spend more time with Him by taking away the things of the world that distract me. Like, for instance, getting rid of my Social Media accounts. Taking apps off my phone that I do not need in my life- stupid time fillers (I am a crossword/ word find puzzle fiend!) because I don't "feel" like reading, or praying. One thing I am learning, is that it is better to choose Him over any other thing. I may want to fall asleep watching TV, but that doesn't mean I have to choose it. I also have the choice to fall asleep reading something about Him. Just as a note- there are very few books in my life that I can honestly say I read over the Bible. There is truly no other substitute. My goal is not to get you to follow me, but to follow Him, as He lives and moves in me. Follow Jesus, please. The hard part of all this is; I have to be strong. I have to be willing to stand my ground, even if it hurts me. For instance, I am struggling at my new job just a little bit. I am very content there, however. It really is the best place for me right now. I wasn't feeling that way earlier today, but now that I have had some time with my Lord, He has shown me the reason why I am struggling, the reason why I am not content. Because the problem is within me- I am not willing to serve. I am not willing to lay down my pride, and it would be very easy to follow the crowd again; but I have to remember where it got me the last time. I have to be willing to go L.O.W. I must LISTEN (Read, study and meditate on His word.) I must OBEY what He shows me in faith, and then WALK it out every day of my life.
If I want to be free, if I want the ultimate prize, then I must be willing to make the necessary sacrifices to get there. Just as Jesus did...so must we- Christlike, no more, no less. If that means I have to swallow my pride, confess my mistakes, and be willing to take discipline, even if it was not my fault. I must be willing to take criticism, and be willing to come before the Lord, to seek out if there is sin, something I have done wrong, offended someone, etc. I must be willing to learn from every pain, hiccup, trial, storm, black tunnel (whatever you want to call it) I must be willing to walk through it, by listening and obeying His Word. I will be scorned, abused, and mocked. Jesus promises it will happen if you walk in a manner worthy of Him. We have to trust God, by doing what is right, even though we really want to do what is wrong- or we want to defend ourselves and let our pride get in the way.
One thing I have to realize is that I am where I am for a purpose and a reason. (Ephesians 2:10) God's path will always be the most difficult path of life. It is the narrow way; the way that leads to eternal life. Whom the Lord loves, He disciplines like a son. But He also gives wisdom and understanding to those who have an upright heart. The discipline lasts for a night, but the joy comes in the morning!
I mean, do I need to go through every single reference in the Bible to show you how many times Jesus was mocked, ridiculed, spit on, used, abused, lied to, beaten, whipped until his flesh ripped away from His bone....should I go on? But what does the writer of Hebrews tells us? That Jesus endured all these things, "for the joy that was set before Him." (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV) Paul, and all the Apostles, and the many other men and women of faith we have as examples knew that no matter what happened in this life, they had to do what was right; even if it cost them their lives. That my friends, is the heart God is looking for in those who call on His name. That is what it means to walk by faith, but first we must be willing to go L.O.W.
The men and women of faith were fighters, and so must we be. We must be willing to fight for what we believe God is showing us. Even if that means becoming a "nun", or as I like to call it, a Sister unto the Lord. Even if that means ending up in a tent in the woods, trusting God to bring me a quail or some manna; well more likely a Chick-Fil-A sandwich and sweet tea! But quail and manna would be good too! Even if that means facing a giant with a sling and a stone, even if that means being nailed to a cross, burnt at the stake, or dipped in hot wax and set on fire. Paul said it best when he said that the things that were gain to him, were
"...counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained,or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:7-17 NKJV (https://www.biblegateway.com)
The question I have to ask myself every single day, and every moment of every day- am I willing to pay the same price? Am I willing to take the narrow way? Am I willing to go L.O.W? What about you?
No comments:
Post a Comment