I have been living my life in a haze. A haze of wrong and right and true and false and pure confusion. God is showing me that it is all a problem that lies in the fact that I have fallen trap to the legalistic expectations people place on me once again. I feel the need to defend myself against "the law". The bible says in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
God is showing me that I am fighting for my life. I am defending myself and my heart. I am screaming for freedom from the people who are placing these struggles in my life but all the while I am believing what they are saying over what God says about me. I was listening to Chris Tomlin's song "Kindness", in the song he quotes Psalm 63:3 in saying "Your love is better than life". Well, at the same time I heard him singing this verse I saw it on a friends blog. He revealed to me that I need to get back to His heart. Jesus is showing me that His love is better than my life. It is better than what people think about me. It is more important than the accusations they make. It is more important than what I am fighting for. Once I get back to His heart and trusting Him, fully surrendered and losing my life, I will gain it. When I am focused on His heart I will bear His fruit and in that there is no law! No legalism. Pure FREEDOM!
Everything becomes a blur when we put ourselves into the mix. I couldn't tell left from right. But when I am nestled into God's arms and cuddled close to His heart everything begins to seem so simple. When my soul is living in worship to the God of all creation I cannot help but see anything but Him! Praise the Lord of Heaven and Earth.
In closing, I would like to challenge us to lose the legalism. Let's drop our expectations of people and let them find THEMSELVES in Christ. Let's just love and encourage them through it. They will make mistakes just as we did, do, and will continue to do. Thankfully God doing what He does and some good encouragement from fellow believers can help all of us learn through it. :)
I love it Crystal. It is right on and what the Holy Spirit is speaking to all that will listen. The last two days the Lord is showing me the love of the Father. "God is love and light. There is no darkness in Him. If we abide in Him and let Him shine that love in every part of our soul, it will remove all darkness and bring freedom. Freedom to love. Freedom to be what He has called us to be.
ReplyDeleteThank God that in the midst of every trial, every oppression, every judgement, every tear... there is His loving arms to surround us and comfort us. When my heart breaks, He is the only One that can be there for me in the complete way that I need it.
ReplyDeleteLove you friend!!!