Breaking
Never, ever underestimate God's power to grab your attention and break you when the need arises. Maybe you can relate; maybe you can't. Either way, bear with me a moment and allow me to beg your pardon of a brief digression. (And, honestly, it was way past time for some new content anyway.)
While reading through some personal correspondence this evening, God reached down and seized my attention about something and broke me. I never saw it coming, nor did I ever realize it needed to come. But come it did, bringing with it the clarity and awakened senses so often missing when you're not in tune with Him. Something done for what I assumed to be the right reasons was revealed to me to be a) wrong and b) for the wrong reason(s) to boot.
As the shame of it hit me, I realized that my indignance to something was merely my own pride and was counter to the Christ-like love we're called to display. My anger and piety ostensibly done for Him were exactly what He wouldn't want. Yes, you can stick up for God and your beliefs, but God's pretty big. I got angry because of my own pride, even though I assumed that doing so was the right thing. It wasn't. Responding with love, compassion and concern for someone else is always the better way to go. That is how you stand up for God ... by showing how living with Christ's influence in your life makes you different. Anyone can react with anger, but someone who's secure in his relationship with his heavenly Father takes a less narrow (read: prideful) approach.
As shame morphed into repentance and the feeling of His forgiveness, I felt many times better. It feels lousy to be convicted of your own shortcomings, but it's absolutely necessary from time to time. It's done in love and to bring you back to where you need to be. Unsurprisingly, part of my wintry malaise has had a lot to do with not being quite where I need to be. But now that I feel that connection again, it's time to get back in the saddle.
While reading through some personal correspondence this evening, God reached down and seized my attention about something and broke me. I never saw it coming, nor did I ever realize it needed to come. But come it did, bringing with it the clarity and awakened senses so often missing when you're not in tune with Him. Something done for what I assumed to be the right reasons was revealed to me to be a) wrong and b) for the wrong reason(s) to boot.
As the shame of it hit me, I realized that my indignance to something was merely my own pride and was counter to the Christ-like love we're called to display. My anger and piety ostensibly done for Him were exactly what He wouldn't want. Yes, you can stick up for God and your beliefs, but God's pretty big. I got angry because of my own pride, even though I assumed that doing so was the right thing. It wasn't. Responding with love, compassion and concern for someone else is always the better way to go. That is how you stand up for God ... by showing how living with Christ's influence in your life makes you different. Anyone can react with anger, but someone who's secure in his relationship with his heavenly Father takes a less narrow (read: prideful) approach.
As shame morphed into repentance and the feeling of His forgiveness, I felt many times better. It feels lousy to be convicted of your own shortcomings, but it's absolutely necessary from time to time. It's done in love and to bring you back to where you need to be. Unsurprisingly, part of my wintry malaise has had a lot to do with not being quite where I need to be. But now that I feel that connection again, it's time to get back in the saddle.