Yesterday morning was one of those times for me. Nothing earth shattering, or life threatening. Nothing that would alarm the average person. It was simply the reality of what happens when we step back long enough to view our circumstances from an outside, almost panoramic view.
Life on earth is hard. Plain and simple. We have an idea in our head of what we want our life to look like. Most of us have had it planned out since we were young. When things begin to look the slightest bit different than what we want, then what we have 'planned', we typically begin to panic and quickly start working on a way to "fix" whatever is sabotaging our plan.
After my fifteen minute sobbing session with the Lord, He began to remind me so tenderly, of the two most important things that I had allowed myself to forget. Things that would only take me a quick 60 seconds to remind anyone who might be sharing a personal struggle with me. I believe God divinely allows us to have these moments so that we are forced into a place of walking out the very things we say we believe. It always sounds good while we're encouraging others, but do we remember and live according to it, when we're the ones overwhelmed by life's frustrations and demands?
Number one: God is sovereign. Not one thing touches our lives unless He allows it. HE is in full control...which means that I don't have to be. That is usually the hard part for us "fixers". We like to control things. Truth is, the only thing we can control is how we respond to things...our attitudes. Acknowledging, and bowing a knee to that truth is honestly so freeing. Why I allow myself to forget it so very often is beyond me. God's ways are best, even when I think otherwise. “One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” Romans 9:19-20
Number two: Jesus is supreme above everything. When my focus turns to my own circumstances it is easy to become overwhelmed. Reminding myself to take my eyes off of me and turn them to Jesus changes everything! No longer do I feel helpless or defeated, but I'm so overtaken by His unfailing love, that it propels me into "choosing joy" in the midst of the difficult days. “The Son is the image of the invisible God...“And he is the head of the body, the church...so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Colossians 1:15&18, and “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
I'm most thankful for a Savior that relates to my "please God, don't make me..." moments. He felt anguish over His circumstances once too. And He teaches us with beautiful excellence how to handle those moments...“And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”...And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will...Returning to his disciples he said, "Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Mark 14:34, 36, 42
Jesus, being very sorrowful, cried out to the Father and was asking, "Father, please no...yet not my will, but yours be done." The answer was not what he had asked for. It would be the Father's perfect will to send Jesus to the cross to die for us. To take our filthy sin, and give us His righteousness. He didn't throw a fit. He got up, walked to His disciples, knowing His betrayer was coming for Him, and said, "let us go".
Can we see it? Will we choose to follow Him in His death, and be like Him in His life? Will we choose to "have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus...who considered equality with God not something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, became nothing, and made Himself obedient to death." I read a beautiful commentary of that verse today: "becoming nothing" did not mean He began to think poorly of Himself, but that He did not think of Himself at all. He thought of His Father's plan, and us. That's it.
There will be times we must certainly cry out, "oh God, please...". Yet, once He answers, no matter what His answer is, we "arise, and go...", moving forward compelled by His love, and the joy that is set before us. Our eyes fixed steady on Jesus. Jesus. Only Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment