Can I just be honest? There's this "thing" on my heart right now that I am having trouble relinquishing. I know I should let it go and, more importantly, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I know I can. Trouble is (and forgive me for ending this sentence with a preposition, Mike Brooks), I really don't want to, and that leaves me more than a little frustrated with myself. Will God eventually force me into it, back me into a corner until I have no choice but to cry, "Uncle!"? I think not. Instead, His still, small voice whispers to me about eternity, and I'm left knowing how wrong I am to allow bitterness to grow even the smallest root in me. It happened again last night. My husband looked at me and said (about something entirely different), "You know, in the big scheme of things, this does not matter. God's Will is bigger than our plans." He didn't whisper it, but he might as well have.
Rick Warren, author of the The Purpose-Driven Life, has this to say:
"'The wise King Solomon once wrote: “He [God] has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people can’t see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT). In other words, it seems God has purposely frustrated us. He made us with a capacity for eternal things yet kept us from the full knowledge of what He is up to. And why would He do that unless He wanted us to seek after Him and perhaps find Him? (Acts 17:27)"
I have to admit that I don't walk around thinking about eternity all that much, but I don't really think that's what God wants me to do. If He did, why bother giving us an earthly existence at all? Rather, I think He wants me to live with an eternal perspective, to be constantly aware and tuned into the fact that this life is not all there is and that most of the things I worry about or am preoccupied with are fleeting, momentary, and transient. Devoting my time and energy to transient things, wishing people would change or holding grudges or wanting to always be right or fill in the blank here, when I could be doing something meaningful...Well, it's hardly a fair trade. God is in the business of redemption, of making beauty from ashes. This is what He says he wants to do for us.
"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor." (Isaiah 61:3)
His purpose for you and me in this life has something to do with preparation for the next, and with growing us in such a way that--by virtue of our forever relationship with Him--we reflect His light and love to those around us. While I am of no good with my head in the clouds, I'm also useless if my life is bogged down with meaningless concerns and pointless priorities. We must balance the here and now with a certainty of the there and then.
Warren asks another question that I've been chewing on for a couple of days now: “Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?” (Purpose-Driven Life, day 4) I haven't arrived at a final answer, but I know it includes a renewed commitment to spend more of my resources, including my time and energy, on things that endure. My day-to-day existence needs to be driven by an eternal viewpoint, making me more responsible with things that matter and less preoccupied with what doesn't. It's time to get serious about this.
~Maria
Thankfully, God IS in the business of redemption.
ReplyDeleteAs a woman who is constantly "in the weeds" of meaningless stuff, I'm struggling to learn how to make the BIG stuff the BIG stuff and let the LITTLE stuff go. It's all of the tedious details that bogs me down and keeps me from my purpose.
Excellent reminder!
I believe with all my heart the enemy rejoices daily in how distracted he can get us. We live in a world of distraction... bombarded with it, saturated with it. A man can not drive down the road without a naked woman on a billboard. A tween can not go a day to school without facing a temptation to gossip, dress inappropriately, talk in a vulgar manner, disrespect authority, and/or more! And a woman can not get far into her day without hearing "you are not enough". ALL attacks from the enemy at our heart. ALL attempts to keep us busy, tired, frustrated, and out of communion with the LORD. As the day of the LORD'S return gets closer, and it does with each passing day, the attack increases. The enemy KNOWS his days of havoc are coming to an end. IT IS NOW that we must stay eyes wide open. As much as I look for the LORD in my day, I am watching for the enemy to creep in! And I am letting him HAVE IT! I have HAD IT! I LOVE how God's word shows us that when Satan attacked Christ in the wilderness, after he had received the Holy Spirit and as he fasted, HE ONLY SPOKE SCRIPTURE (WORDS OF GOD) back at him and there was nothing left for the enemy to argue with! THAT has to be our sword... the word of God... truth!
ReplyDeleteThank you for firing me up this morning! I am putting on my armour!
My daughter just got back from Passion 2012 in Atlanta, ladies, and I followed along by watching the feeds on-line. There was a tremendous focus on the subject of freedom, both physical and spiritual, and I've been remnded again and again of Paul's instruction to the Galatians..."It is for freedom that you have been set free." It's well past time to let GO of the temporal and walk in the freedom that comes from being chained to The One who cannot be bound!
ReplyDeleteAwesome ladies! This weekend I was under a major attack by the enemy, I reached out for prayer and literally drove him out with the word of God! I don't know why it always amazes me but our God is an awesome God. It's in those times that I struggle the most I grown the most. Today I did not sweat the small stuff & enjoyed each moment of the day and I pray I can do the same tomorrow. Make everyday a day for the Lord, because I am worth it! :)
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