The journey to greatness

Of course, for Christians, ambitions and goals are about something greater than ourselves. We don`t live to make ourselves great. We want to see the love and mercy of God become a reality in the lives of those around us. In practical ways. Ways that affect individual lives as well as whole societies.

Our ambition is to be and to become the person that God has made us to be. To excel in the giftings He has given us. To be the greatest expression of the person He has made us to be, so that the greatness of God himself is seen and expressed in our world. 

Every powerful Christian principle, like love, mercy, grace and humility, becomes a tool for God to release the greatness that He has already placed inside us. It is these principles that craft us and inspire us. 

They are not weak principles. They are strong. Requiring and developing inner strength. Developing us as people. People who seek to fulfil their personal potential. 

Many people get lost on the journey to fulfil their potential, becoming self orientated. Others don´t even get started because they think that it is more spiritual to deny themself. But that`s a misunderstanding of scripture. Denying your "flesh" is very different than denying the giftings and abilities that God has placed inside you.

What better way to please the heart of your Creator than to fulfil the potential that He has placed inside you? To place your hand in His hand and find your heart in His heart and to make that journey to greatness with Him. Living for Someone greater than yourself, becoming the greatest you can be with Him.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." Matthew 13:45&46

Running for cover

Few things undermine us so completely and in so many areas as betrayal. It penetrates deep and seems to rip us up from the inside out.

Victims of betrayal run for cover. A confusion of emotions cry out inside them. A cry for vengeance and also undermining waves of self condemnation.

So many situations in life cut us deeply. Betrayal by a loved one or someone we have invested time and emotional energy in, happens to us all on some level at some time in our life. Particularly painful is betrayal by those you admire or who are meant to protect you. From childhood playground spats to the complicated forests of adult relationships, betrayal and how to deal with it is an issue we don`t often hear teaching about.

Forgiveness and mercy are crucial. But even after the release that mercy brings, the memory of that betrayal can still be very painful. Every day brings an opportunity to choose: run for cover or refuse to chew on the bitter roots of that act of betrayal?

Acts of betrayal are usually more about what is going on in the betrayer than about those they betray. But the victim cannot afford to remain in a victim mentality. Betrayal hurts. Deeply. But if bitterness sets in, you remain on the run when really the betrayer is the one who is running, from themselves and the responsibility of the consequences of their action. One day God will focus on the issue with them. Leave it to Him and His timing.

Matthew 6.12: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.

Securing Shame

Talking of shame, it`s amazing how many of us learn to live with our fears. If we don`t face feelings of shame or inferiority, they grow to be part of us.

As intimidating as shame is, it can often become a kind of comfort zone. We develop coping strategies and start to believe that this is just part of our character.

Whenever I see beautiful houses with bars at the window I think of the windows of our hearts. Bars can be great. I lived in a house with bars myself. I was glad of them. They were a deterrent to intruders. But bars also prevent those inside from getting out.

Often, instead of facing the bars that have built up around our heart, we dress them up. Like these houses with their beautiful flowers. 

Jesus didn´t come to dress up our inferiority or to beautify our shame. He came to banish it. You don`t have to make the most of your fears. You can give them to Jesus. When we truly surrender the security and familiarity of those things that have a negative hold on us, Jesus meets us with freedom and mercy. We learn to think differently, speak differently and respond differently. 

We learn to walk free.

Galatians 5.1: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 

Deep and Mucky

It`s Autumn in Herrnhut. Lots of beautiful leaves to kick through. The storms of Winter will come and go. The silence of the snow will envelop the forest. And all the time these leaves will be rotting away, their beauty gone.

People talk about the seasons of life. Times when we are living in a Spring, when everything is exciting and developing. Winters, when life seems harsh and cold and fruitless. I believe God takes us through seasons. Very intentionally.

When a season of life or activity is coming to an end, it can feel like an Autumn. At first there is a glorious maturity to what we are doing. Then comes a time when the leaves fall from the trees and we wonder "what was it all for?" or "where has it all gone?".

Except that we forget that those leaves have to fall from the trees. They have to rot. They have to disintegrate. Because they must become soil. They must cover the earth. Preparing the land for the next seasons. Making it fertile. So that the new can grow.

That´s a bit deep isn`t it? Even in the barren times of a wintry season, God is preparing new soil in your life. Sometimes He takes us through a season when things have to rot a bit. It`s mucky.

But just wait and see what He grows out of that new soil in your life. He is laying the foundations for the new that will come. Accept the Autumns, in whatever form they come. Find peace as you endure the Winter. And look forward to the promise of Spring. New mercies. New life.

"His mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" Lamentations 3.23/24

Soul Stairs

Is our soul good or bad? Sometimes we get confused. Jesus saved our souls. He restores our souls. They are made to worship Him. To be intimate with Him. They are living and active; they feel, think and respond. But not always in a good way. That`s the problem.

When we become a Christian, a transformation begins. Our earthly soul has to undergo a spiritual process. To learn to make the right choices and responses to God, to others and to events. To live that abundant, free life that Jesus won on the cross for us. Giving our lives to Jesus is the beginning of a journey. 

Like climbing stairs. One step at a time. 

One choice at a time, we are transformed. We learn to stop living under fears, shame and the past. We allow the power and life of God`s truth to change the way we think and respond. We learn to walk in the freedom Christ has won, to live as a new creation.  

You see, Jesus didn´t just die to "save" our souls. It`s not just about going to Heaven. He also rose again so that our souls could be "converted". To transform the way we live and have our being. So that our soul can truly live in freedom. It was for freedom that Christ died and rose again; to truly set us free.  

King David put it like this: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Psalm 19.7

As we open our heart up to the Truth of His Word, we learn to understand and walk in the freedom Christ has won for us. We learn His principles for responding and reacting to others and situations. We learn to live "in the Spirit". 

Why not open your Bible now. Let Him touch you with His Word, respond to Him  and put some soul stairs behind you today? 

Thirsting

We all have times when we`re thirsting for more. Or we`re just feeling dry and worn out. Sometimes our soul gets tired. 

It can be easy to feel under pressure to always be happy and fruitful. To have it all. Or to bounce back quickly after a disappointment or loss. 

It`s certainly not good for us to wallow. But sometimes we do need time to work things out. Time for our roots to take up water again. For the depths of our soul to be refreshed. For our heart to believe again and our spirit to be revived.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name`s sake."

If your soul is dry, thirsty or aching, respond to your shepherd today. Find a place of rest and allow Him to speak to your heart, to your soul. Let the kisses of His Word revive you and restore you. That`s something that He loves to do.