"Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called...." Ephesians 4:1
I recently picked up the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, and I encourage every single one of you to read it! It truly challenges TRUE Christianity and causes you to take a look at yourself to see if you're living towards holiness and adoration for the King. It's convicted me lately, that's for sure! In this season of my life, the Lord continues to show me over and over again that His ways are far beyond my own. It's so true. So often as Christians do we question and ask God questions regarding our lives. When something doesn't go our way we get irritated, upset, confused, and we ask the Lord, "why?" when truly..we don't have the right to even THINK such a question. I've been taught this lately.
Though things in my life have not panned out the way I wanted them to, I am still trusting that He is faithful! His plans are better than my own, and His ways are much higher than mine...it's beautiful, even when I don't know what's ahead.
So, what has the Lord shown me lately? Well for one, the confidence I had in school all my life, up until my junior year of college, has been MY CONFIDENCE. That's been the problem. I never had my confidence come from God, it's always been MINE. Talk about prideful. The Lord has shown me that the only way I can succeed in this life is through HIM. I can do nothing aside from Him, and I mean nothing! Total conviction. Second, He's revealed to me that sometimes, He needs to completely break me down, all together..in order to build me back up again to glory and peace. Not MY glory, but HIS! It's been a tremendous blessing to know that His work is not completed in me! He has much more to go!
The Lord gave me a few verses last night that truly ministered to me. On my face before Him, all I could do was weep in adoration, apology, amazement, and love for Him. He is truly, AMAZING! I'd like to share what He's been showing me in my life, and ask that you pray for me as this next new year approaches, and I desire to be more like my Heavenly Father. He is truly beautiful.
"God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered? He removes the mountains, and they do not know. When He overturns them in His anger; He shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars; He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; He made Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; He does great things past finding out, yes, wonders without number. If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him; If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, 'What are You doing?'" - Job 9:4-13 ~ God...is...the...CREATOR! He has shown me that everything we live, breathe, see, and do.. HE has created! NOTHING is because of man -- ALL is because of God! How BEAUTIFUL are HIS works! We should all marvel and worship at His feet! Who am I that I have a right to question what He's doing in my life? How dare me. He is all knowing, all moving, all POWERFUL, all PERFECT God. He just IS.
"The LORD has sworn and will not relent," - Psalm 110:4 ~ His promises NEVER fail. Though I sometimes kick and scream at the things I haven't received that hurt... HE will be FAITHFUL! His promise is still in action.... I believe because He has NEVER broken a promise, and never will!
"Look among the nations and watch--Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you." - Habakkuk 1:5 ~ SO many times my loved ones encourage me that God has a perfect plan, and that even though I can't see it now, HIS ways will prosper, and His work will be completed until His coming! Yet, though I hear it, I don't always let it sink in and believe it. But it's so true, though I don't believe it, He will continue to do His work, and I will be AMAZED at the finished product.
"Gold refined in the fire." - Revelation 3:18 ~ This is me. Sometimes, I need to understand that I need to be remade, refined, and tested in order to come out running this race with all obedience, joy, patience, longsuffering, and fulfillment. Christ is testing me, and you in our walks to make sure we LOVE Him, stand strong for Him, and trust that He is going to do HIS perfect work (not our own) but HIS!
All these things are so precious to me... just knowing the love my Lord has for me, how immense, how huge, how PERFECT it is. How I wish the world would understand and know that God reigns. Though this world rejects Him, HE is still on the throne and will finish His work now and into eternity. What a glorious, beautiful, precious, perfect, amazing Prince we serve. He deserves all our love, life, and worship. It's so worth it, HE is so worth it.
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the
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