Thinking back to my past used to be painful and embarrassing for me. I was a very different person before I met Christ and as I look back, I'm amazed at how much God has changed me. I'm amazed only because it's something I never could have accomplished on my own, no matter how hard I tried.
Thinking back to my past now isn't as painful for me (although I still shudder at the thought at times) because I can now see a certain joy and blessing through my past and my present - a joy that is only visible because of the works of my creator and saviour.
I really enjoy 2 Corinthians 5:17:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is made a new creation: The old is gone, the new has come!"
God promises us that after we accept Christ into our life and earn salvation, it is not the end of the road. Instead, he begins to lead us through the process of sanctification - to become more like him every day we live on this earth. I was reading an article and it said that hagiasmos means sanctification in Greek, and it is the same as hagios, which is the Greek word for holy. Therefore, to be sanctified means to be made more holy!
Brothers and sisters, we are all going through this process of sanctification. God is working in all of our hearts so that we may become more like Him! As we continue to pursue Christ, we become more and more like Christ, but this doesn't come without a few aches and pains.
Last night, I was reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, and I came across this wonderful parable (that he got from George MacDonald) of how it is when God is working in him to become more like Christ.
"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."
When God works in us, it is not always easy and very often it is painful, but He is building us to become something greater and much more beautiful - He is changing us into the masterpiece he intended for us to be. So I want to encourage you to hold on tightly to the Lord through the aches and the pains you feel as he is working on you. It isn't always easy and it may feel like you have been abandoned, or life is really difficult to handle, but trust in the Lord because he is always working on you. He never stops.
On that note, don't forget to trust in the Lord when you fall and stumble. Our God is a forgiving, merciful and loving God. When you make mistakes - which you most likely will - God is waiting there right beside you to help you back up. As I write this I think of King David, a man who was always after God's own heart, but who made mistakes on several different occasions. It is David's softened heart towards the Lord that really speaks to me. When he is rebuked by Nathan (2 Samuel 12:7) his immediate response is to repent for his sins and then he humbly accepts the discipline of the Lord (2 Samuel 12:20).
I desire for my heart to be as soft towards the Lord just like King David. I desire to have a heart that is soft enough for God to mould with ease so that daily, I become more and more like Him.
I trust that we are always changing for God is always working, and as a body, we really need to work together in encouraging one another. If people hadn't accepted that I was changing, it would have been much more difficult for me to change. I was a certain way for a very long time, and if people hadn't let go of that idea of me, I would have been so discouraged. In the same way, there are people in our lives that we have known for such a long time and because we believe we know them so well, we have a difficult time realizing they are changing and being made new. But we must open our eyes and see how God is working! And encourage our brothers and sisters by taking note of how God is changing them!
It isn't always easy, but I believe we can do this! We can support one another and encourage one another to become more like Christ! So let's continue to walk down this path together. Let's encourage each other to hold on tightly to our Saviour, let's help each other up when we stumble, and let's grow together as one body!
With love,
kjoosaurus.
No comments:
Post a Comment