Through the Looking Glass

One of the things I love about God is that He's absolutely clear. If you're quiet enough and you're hearing Him, He doesn't mince words.

I am often challenged by the simplicity of what He says to my heart. His truths land softly but bolding in my mind and on my spirit.

He never contradicts Himself. Anything He's told me in the Spirit, I find in the Word or its confirmed in other ways. I've never heard from God and then seen something different. What He says is the unadulterated and undeniable truth.

One of the ways I see Him reflected in me is that its absolute or it isn't a thing.
It is or it isn't.
God's got grace that abounds but that doesn't change the truth. He's growing in me grace towards others too. Can I tell you that isn't easy but I sure is making me a better person? It is.

I'm a 100% person. If something is true, its true for me. That's it. That's how He built me. Consequences not withstanding, I'm going to walk out what I know to be true. I know that sounds hard. Believe me...its also hard to live that way. When I tell you it brings me joy though, it most certainly does.  This isn't to say its easy but it reminds me of a verse I saw recently. There was a cultural reference to the most dangerous type of Christian is a lukewarm one. I liken that to salt. Salt was used as a preservative in Biblical days. What good is salt if it loses it saltiness? or rather its character...that which it is known by and performs its function through? What good is a Christian whose life isn't a reflection of their relationship with God? I want my life to look like I do exactly what I'm doing right now on a daily basis.

My life ain't easy.
It ain't simple.
It isn't even always happy.
But the things I do have?
Joy, peace, the knowledge that I'm in His will...that'll do.
That'll do just fine.

I Corinthians 3:1

However, brethren, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ 

I've been told that I'm spiritually mature. I don't think that's the case at all but that's what I've been told by a few different people. They usually tell me this after a conversation that contains some hard truths. I'm just trying to get this me and Jesus situation together but apparently the way my conversations go tell people that whatever me and Him are doing is serious. As a result, I've come to understand a very simple idea: "Everybody ain't able."

That simple phrase basically means "There's levels to this thing" and the thing is relationship with God. What I'm capable of trusting God with and for is a result of 1. My understanding of the Word, 2. my faith in God, 3. our ongoing relationship, and 4. my testimony. The things I've seen God do in my own life, the understanding He gives me when I read His Word, and the way my whole life is set up creates in me the ability to believe God for things that other folks might not currently have enough faith to believe.
One of the things I love about the Spirit, is that He helps me decide how much to say. He helps me shape my conversations to be other person appropriate. Yea I may be believing God for things that don't look possible but if you're only able to believe Him for the thing you can already actually see, then that's where you are. And that's fine. Faith isn't a race but can I tell you that God wants to grow yours to where you too can believe Him for the big things? Where you too can ask Him for what only He is capable of? He does. God loves big prayers because big prayers require big faith from you and action from Him. He undoubtably gets the glory with a big prayer comes to pass. I've got a few I'm praying....

I Corinthians 3:7

So neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but [only] God Who makes it grow and become greater. 

Okay we're clearing just going to continue in this vein. Prayer is such a power tool but it doesn't actually do the work. It changes things because it says to God "I know I can't but I know you're able" or at least most of mine do. The things I'm praying for require God to move. The things I'm believing Him for are things only He can do. What I've found is that talking about what God has told me is His will isn't how His will comes to pass. God's got to move. And the thing about God moving is that it requires nothing from me but faith. Audacious faith. Somehow, He's both building my faith to believe He'll do what He says He'll do AND accomplishing His will too. I'm here for all of it! Present!

I Corinthians 3:9

For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God’s [b]garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God’s building.

You know how people say the greatest project you'll ever work on is you? Well I think the greatest project I'll ever work on is my relationship with God. Me and God are doing this thing together and its quite the undertaking. I need so much work. Y'all just don't know. Sometimes I think this blog makes me sound a lot more together than I am. I'm a beautiful mess but I also know that parts of me that were messier are a little more organized because of His hand in my life. He truly is cultivating me. There are things He's told me and promised me that's He's growing my faith to believe and also growing my character to walk into. Even though I know He's got His best for me, if I had those things now I'd mess them up. The gift of medical school wouldn't be so if I hadn't had to learn to wait on Him. There person I need to be to be successful in medical school wouldn't exist without the process. The process means something.

I Corinthians 3:13

 The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.

Oh the fire....its hot chile. Its so hot. And it does purify you but boy is it rough. Sometimes I think of being in the will and having to rely entirely on God for everything you need as the fire because you have to have done the work on your relationship to be able to really trust Him. The work is the relationship....and I think God tests our resolve or our belief in Him every now and again so that we know that we know Him. I know the fire helps reassure me of my own belief because I can look back and say I made it and it was only because I clung to Him despite my situation.

Now this isn't to say it was flawless. Remember that beautiful mess comment? Yea...here it comes. There are scars across my thighs and arms that will attest to the fact that it wasn't easy and I wasn't always interested in doing what God would want or clinging to Him as tightly as I should. Sometimes I just wanted to do what I wanted to do and usually that resulted in me hurting myself.  What I've found is that there is no peace anywhere but with Jesus. Not only is there peace but there's rest. Catch that nap girl....the battle ain't over just because the victory is yours.

I Corinthians 3:15

But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.

Can I tell you that the first will definitely test your faith? It'll show you that cute things you thought you were doing weren't enough. Yea, you'll make it but you'll have a crucial new piece of information and what you do with that is critical. The new information I got was that I needed to add the Word to my time with God. I was great with worship music. I love it, listen to it, and often fast secular music. Though the music definitely helped me get through I found that it wasn't enough. I needed the Word that the music is based on in my spirit and in my thoughts. I needed to spend time getting to know the God I claimed to worship. Can I tell you it completely changed my relationship with Him? It did and it does and it continues to. I am so profoundly blessed by the Word. The fire taught me that the effort I'd been giving before wasn't enough. I needed more and He wanted more for me.

I Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not discern and understand that you are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you?

If anyone [d]does hurt to God’s temple or corrupts it [[e]with false doctrines] or destroys it, God will [f]do hurt to him and bring him to the corruption of death and destroy him. For the temple of God is holy (sacred to Him) and that [temple] you are.

I think this is where the origination of my 100% personhood starts. I am and we all are the temple of God. The Spirit in me just won't let certain things be okay with me. It just won't. I can't do whatever I want to because it hurts me. It causes me actual pain and I think that's because 1. He built me this way and 2. The Spirit in me requires a hospitable environment. 

Now I talk about being a 100% person and what I mean is that I belong to God and I have a relationship with Him. I am without reservation going to follow the things God tells me. I'm in. I believe. So things that don't go along with being 100% committed to what God has for me or what God has built in me are hard. I love truth and things that aren't steeped in that just throw me off kilter. And you know what? That makes perfect sense because He's in me. And for this dwelling to be hospitable, there are things that can't be in me at the same time as the Spirit is. I need the Spirit, so whatever has to go has to go. Certain things are painful because I quite frankly need to stop doing them or seek some guidance from Above on how to do them. The indwelling the Spirit is so powerful and so necessary in my life so other stuff has to vacate. 

This passage also makes me think of all the times where I wasn't uplifted or things that have true to hurt me and I know what God's saying here but I also know He's merciful and forgiving. I know I've hurt people too and I've done wrong to others. Everybody who belongs to God and welcomes Him into their lives is God's temple so we all need to govern ourselves accordingly.

I Corinthians 3: 18

Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise.

If I don't know anything else, I know its never me. All the things that are good in me are a result of the Spirit in me and the fact that I was made in His image. I mess this thing up all the time so I know better than to think myself wise. I'm constantly praying for wisdom and discernment because I know those things come from On High. Lord, open me up to your words for my heart that I may be where I'm supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be doing what you've called me to that you might get the glory and I might know the pleasure of being used by You.