A Convicted Heart

Who am I?
to not see the importance of walking in love? Who am I, to continue to walk in dissension with my brothers and sisters?

The past week or so God has shown me grace, the great grace of my salvation, and I finally know the comfort and peace of it- He is all my hope for favor with God, all He has done is all I couldn't do; attempts in myself to become holy, even "through Christ" are only my flesh deceptively trying to find glory for myself. So yes- my hope is in Christ, but I went to the other extreme as God relieved my heart from almost a works mentality this week. Not all the time, and not outrightly at first, but I thought about it yesterday, and I was simply rejoicing in Christ, and... hm... serving my own agenda! My own neat little agenda with things I wanted to get done, whether it's 'acts of service' or not- it was still my agenda, and when things got in the way- fleshly frustration.

Perfect example- this morning.

I've been sleeping downstairs because my room is so chilly, and therefore I've been doing my quiet time on the couch... let's just say the house was not quiet, downstairs, this morning, when I was was just trying to 'glorify God by doing my devotions'... well my reactions to the situation completely exposed my sinful heart, as I was reading 2 John, Matthew 4, and subsequently John 13:34-35 I think.

First things were going well, Matthew 4 was about how Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures through Satan's temptations. Before I've looked at that passage and thought, "I need to live up to that, oh no!!!" But this morning, the Lord was revealing that Jesus is all we can rejoice in, Jesus fulfilled the scriptures so I could have favor with God just by trusting Jesus and rejoicing in His perfect substitution. Then I ended up in 2 John.. by the grace of God, to expose my attitude [and reactions!] to my siblings, and not having quiet... [I wasn't even in my own room- so selfish of me!!!]

"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God- whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." [2 John 9]

I was sooo not doing that, as I said in the first couple sentences up there. And yet we always find perfect forgiveness, and perfect help. God is a God of perfect forgiveness and perfect help. Lord you are our help. We can look to You- the perfect God of the Universe, and not that You came down and led a perfect life of love so we don't have to earn that favor with the LORD. You are our favor, and You are our power.

We are called to JOY in the Savior through service! We have died to that nature that says we have to live for ourselves to be happy. Our joy is in the cross of Christ and letting that transform our life. We are called to increase our joy by abiding in the Savior's perfect love, and living a life that is in perfect surrender to Him, and His Spirit in us.

Let us forsake the flesh and love the better joy of loving others today... of thanking God for bringing us near to Him, rejoicing in all that He has supplied us with in Christ. We are not called to worry about tomorrow's grace, or tomorrow's strength. We only have to live for today, this minute, resting in Christ, resting in His perfect work that He did, and how it is only in rejoicing in Him and making Him look radiant that we can do anything of worth. Humble me, Lord, Humble me and delight me in You.

I'm sorry this is so long... I for sure won't be posting every day but fridays are slower days so I thought I'd post. <3