The Journey Ahead…

The Lord is moving and though I can’t quite explain it, I feel a change ocurring in me.  Over the last couple of years, I’ve become angry and so angry that a recent prayer was that the Lord would give me the compassion I once had – once prayed to remove because of the hurt that comes with it.  With compassion comes tears – with empathy comes torment – but with it comes emotion and love.  Anger feels like the removal of care.  It was a harboring of indifference and emptiness.  I longed to care but couldn’t and that was more frightening than the overwhelming compassion I once felt that broke my heart so many times.

The Lord knows what He’s doing, and I am so thankful that He’s shown me why He made me who I am.  He’s softening my heart again after it’s been hard for a long time.  It’s vulnerable and delicate and fragile right now, but strong at the same time.  I know why it’s that way now and I don’t want to change that for anything.  With love comes hurts, but without love … it’s just plain lonely.

Anger can overpower the very thing God made to set us apart from others.  My compassion for the unlovable people in the world that has often left me feeling lonely and sad is not a weakness but a strength that makes me more Christ-like.

He wept.  Now I understand.

Thank You, Lord, for who You’ve made me.  It’s been hard accepting what I’ve perceived to be weakness but it’s the very thing in me that you’ve used to reveal YOUR love through.  It’s not about me, Lord.  Thank you… thank You that I’m not alone in this and that You speak to me and are here.  I can’t do any of this without You.  It’s impossible.  Continue to be with me and don’t leave my side.  Thank You.  Thank You. Father… Daddy – thank You.

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:7-17

Our Salvation Complete

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9

In the moment God feels so very far away; remember Him. Is your faith genuine? Push on through the trial and at the perfect moment when Jesus is revealed, praise will flow from your lips for the only One deserving of glory and honor. It is in this that we can trust that our salvation is complete; when we love and long for Him, even when we don’t see or feel Him near.

Lord, I thank You that these trials are not “just life” but that everything is given its purpose for Your mighty kingdom. Help us to trust in You and know that the trial will not overtake us because you won’t give us more than we can bear. In Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16

Such a Transformation

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”- James 2:19

Even the demons know that God is the one true God and fear Him! It is this acknowledgment alongside the action of repentance that saves us. One without the other is worth nothing in eternity. Do not deceive yourself that having an affectionate feeling for, knowledge of, or even faith in God will accomplish much. A repentant heart and the bearing of fruit from such a transformation are to follow. Otherwise you risk being enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.

“But be vigilant, lest you be seduced away and end up serving and worshiping other gods and God erupts in anger and shuts down Heaven so there’s no rain and nothing grows in the fields, and in no time at all you’re starved out—not a trace of you left on the good land that God is giving you.”- Deuteronomy 11:16-17

“I will praise You with an upright heart as I learn Your righteous laws.”- Psalm 119:7

A Change of Heart

Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. Ecclesiastes 7:2-3

It is His change in our lives that conforms us. He takes all the good and bad in our lives and uses it all for the good of those who love Him.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

While in the midst of trial we should count it all joy because God is perfecting us!

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

As a New Creation

“No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:16-17

As new creations in Christ, our vessels (our bodies) must be made new as well. Otherwise, all that is good and pure and holy will leave us burdened down and overwhelmed. We must continue on in God’s timing; allowing Him to do the transformation in our lives and listening for when He would have us take that next step. We are to seek to be holy and always strive toward the goal!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:1-17

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:12-21

Lord, I pray for my family and I as we take on this calling! May we strive to press on toward the goal of holiness, to win the prize that You’ve promised. May our lives bless You and bless Your kingdom. Lord, I pray that all wrong thinking would be made clear to us and that we would be brought into Your perfect Will, standing and stationed, and taking action as You have planned and in Your perfect timing! Lead us in Your perfect way! In Jesus name I pray and trust! Amen!