Day Fourteen Empty
I was praying about my next word and found some old notes in my bible. They were from a sermon I listened to in the last year. They read, “to prepare this ground, God must dig up all the wonderful growth that was already here – that way it can’t do what comes naturally and harm the seed God plants.” How awesome to think that God gave me this word even before he charged me to write this page.
My life, a full 53 years of experiences, includes many lessons that have shaped me into who I am today. God blessed me with natural talents that have been developed over time to do his work here on Earth. These skills are so well developed that I can sing on command, teach a lesson on context clues with no notice, and sew on a button in less than 30 seconds. But God has many new talents and skills to teach me….many of these things I would never imagine that I could do.
I am learning to stop and pray, to read the bible, and inquire of God what to do next with my life, but I must be careful that I do not make the decisions for my future based solely on what I know I am capable of. I need to make these decisions based on what God can do with who he has made me into. I think of the marvelous song, “I am not Who I Was,” by Jason Gray. I am being remade, I am new. How true these words ring in my heart. I am not defined by the mistakes I have made, the successes I have reveled in, or the character he has built into my personality to date. I am capable of so much more. My Godliness is defined by the power I allow myself to embrace through his spirit.
Paul wrote a wonderful letter to his friend and fellow Christian Timothy to help him understand this concept. He wanted his friend to ready himself for the days ahead. They would be days that would test his faith, much like the pain of your loss has been testing yours.
2 Timothy 3
1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
I am always capable of more when I allow God to clear out my imperfect character and plant in its place the perfect will of his father. I will always have some form of godliness, but unless I embrace the power the spirit can give me, it just lies dormant, unused, or operates at half power. Emptiness is not a bad thing…it is a cleared field for god to plant whatever he wants to accomplish in our lives.
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