God’s faithfulness is everlasting. We have only to put our trust in Him to rise above the pitfalls of this world.
Turn on the news, open a newspaper, pursue social media, and the doubt and fear that dominates our lives is fed incessantly. There’s no escaping it’s claws. Or is there?
We can rise above the noise. But it requires faith and trust. Faith in God and trust in His Word. It requires our obedience and our surrender. That’s a hard thing for most of us. Still, it’s the only way to achieve lasting peace.
God’s promises are unbreakable.
The Bible tells us that it’s not enough to simply hear God’s Word, we must also obey it, Luke | 11:28.
Jesus’ meaning here is simple. If we love God, we will submit to Him and obey Him. In surrender, we strengthen our desire to love God above all things and thus, the humility to love one another. That is the beauty of His promise. God shows us exactly how to live in the most transparent of ways through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The truth of God’s love for us is seen and heard through the words and actions of Christ. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God,” Ephesians | 5:1-2.
Imitating Christ requires us to deny ourselves.
But what does that truly mean? It means turning away from the world and our own desires.
We must turn away from thoughts and actions that are unacceptable to God. Instead, we must walk in Jesus’ footsteps. That means walking in spirit rather than flesh. It means sharing the truth in love and growing in grace. It also means learning obedience through suffering.
None of us like to suffer. However, most of our suffering is by our own hands. By the choices we make and the behaviors those choices lead us to.
Only through surrender was I granted healing and peace.
In my own life, I’ve come to realize this first hand. For years I struggled with alcohol addiction and an eating disorder that dominated my existence. So far separated from God, that I doubted I’d ever rise above it.
But, I was wrong.
In surrender I was granted healing and peace. My freedom came not because I continued to seek control over my chains, but because I accepted them.
Through acceptance, I was granted forgiveness and the strength to overcome them. God reminded me of His faithfulness and instilled within me the desire to pursue truth. God is truth. Thus, in acknowledging and embracing truth, I am embracing Him.
The only way to grow in grace and mature in faith is to turn away from sin.
God gives us the strength to succeed.
The Bible is clear in that it promises the faithful disciples of Christ victory over sin. “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God, 1 Peter | 4:1-2.
We are saved by grace through faith. That does not mean we are removed from sin. It means we are granted the desire to remove sin from ourselves. It is still our choice. Our free will, to live as Jesus lived or to continue to live as slaves to the flesh.
We can take the easy path and live in the world or we can rise above it. We can give into our selfish desires or we can surrender to the path of righteousness and steadfastly walk it.
We’ve strayed so far from You.
From the path You set before us.
Giving into selfishness; forsaking
all Your Son bought for us.
We’ve turned our backs on You.
On Your teachings and Your promise.
Turning from salvation; embracing
the world and all its darkness.
Hear the cries of Your people, Lord,
our weary souls are broken.
Remind us of Your faithfulness,
of Your will both seen and spoken.
Fill our lifeless spirits, Lord,
with unending grace and mercy.
Inspire in us the steadfastness,
to trust Your Word completely.
Compel in us desire, Lord,
to seek Your presence daily.
Infuse our weakened bodies with,
Your strength both good and holy.
Hear the cries of Your people, Lord,
our weary souls are broken.
Remind us of Your faithfulness,
of Your will both seen and spoken.
Increase in us Your wisdom, Lord,
we need no greater power,
for the Sword of Truth you wield’s enough,
to bring low the tallest mountain.
Return us to Your keeping, Lord,
fulfill in us Your purpose,
removing all that keeps us from,
the Life You’ve set before us.
Hear the cries of Your people, Lord,
our weary souls are broken.
Remind us of Your faithfulness,
of Your will both seen and spoken.
Amen.
JN Fenwick (© 2023) | mothjournal14
Inspiring as always. Thank you for what you do.