As a new Christian (more than 50 years ago) a major truth I learned was this:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)The delight of that discovery stuck. God uses everything to conform me to the image of Jesus. My part? Pay attention. As today’s devotional says, so many Christians have a problem seeing God in everything. They say, “I can easily submit to things that come from God, but I cannot submit to people…” or the weather or whatever, making a life of faith only a theory. Almost everything has a human element of somebody’s failure, ignorance, carelessness, or sin. God does not author sinful things. So often, the humans involved are blamed, resented, retaliated against, and resisted. Yet I understand those verses to say that God uses whatever happens to me to change or provoke a godly, Christ-like response. They could harm but He does not intend harm.
My mother often said, “We must need it or we would not be getting it.” She accepted that all things had a purpose. If I need to be kind to others, God allows situations where that can happen. If I need to better keep confidences, people tell me their secrets. It isn’t always simple to discern what good He wants for me in every situation, but the gist is that Jesus lives in me and God uses the happenings of life to bring Him out where others can see what He is like.
The reality is that if I am trusting my life to God, then others are not being allowed to mess with me and have a prevailing influence in my thinking and actions. When I look for God's hand in what they do to me, then there is a choice: a response from my old nature — or a response from the One who lives in me and is changing my life to be like His.
Last night someone shared how she erred and God rebuked her, but it felt good. I responded with, “God is the only one who can kick our backside and hug us at the same time.” Everyone laughed because we have all had that lovely experience. His discipline is in love, in wanting the best for us, and we know it and are glad for it.
With that attitude, I can say: The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6) Yet it works only if I see God in everything and receive everything directly from His hands, with no intervention by second causes. This makes possible that joyful estate of entire abandonment and perfect trust.
PRAY: Lord, last night everything ached and I felt like staying home from our regular Monday Bible study/prayer group meeting. I went, almost against my will, and soon realized being there was Your will. My aches quickly vanished and joy filled my heart. This was another of the enemy’s devices, designed to stop me from obeying You and using all sorts of things to do it. Sometimes emotions, sometimes physical aches and pains, sometimes the actions and attitudes of other people, or my own, anything negative. Spiritual wars are seldom obvious and none of them are won by looking at the clashing swords or listening to the sounds of ammunition. They are only won by recognizing that You have a purpose in the events, I need to accept it and look for what You want. But if Your will is not involved, then I can ask You to remove the problem, or distraction, or whatever is turning me away from You. Thanks for the immediate sense of peace and well-being when I accept Your will, no matter what.
No comments:
Post a Comment