and this is not from yourselves;

Rated:

, 0 Comments

Total visits: 86

Posted on: 3rd Dec 2014

Ephesians 2:8-9 (HCSB)

⁸For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God�s gift� ⁹not from works, so that no one can boast.

Reflections:

I recently received a letter from a very special sister-in-Christ that I felt could be very beneficial to us all. Allow me to share it with you:

Hi Ron,

God showed me something in a new way a few weeks ago and I thought I was supposed to share it with you, though not sure why. I put it off, thinking that this would not be new news, feeling pretty sure that we�ve discussed this several times before, though not in quite this way. It really just about how we approach God, and moving through blocks when we get stuck, spiritually. Very simply �

God showed me that we often turn to God and other sources when we get stuck, because we think it�s our lack of knowledge and/or insight about something that�s causing the blockage - when, in fact, it�s not our lack of knowledge, but our unexamined beliefs that are the problem.

He also showed me that the Pharisees were really the prime example of this, and their devotion to following the rules and self-justification actually kept them blinded to His light, deaf to His words, and finally to put His life-giving spirit to death.

As for myself only, I was feeling like I was going through a dry spell and couldn�t find my way out. I told God He had to come and find me and bring me back. He showed me one blind spot was my internal focus/struggle on trying to �be good�� probably much like the Pharisees - the antithesis of what it means to be a Christian. No wonder I was in a dry place! I am re-learning to shift my focus, and to let Him take care of everything else.

Another area in which I�ve struggled ever since becoming a parent is in trying to change, or �fix� my kids, and now my grandchildren. I�m learning, for the first time, that just loving them is enough. They will learn whatever lessons that God wants to show them on their own, and to the extent that they want my input, they�ll ask. If I can give them the experience of God loving them through me, that will be the greatest legacy they could ever have. It�s a big challenge, putting my own agenda (albeit well-meaning), that just requires death on a daily basis. Of course, the promise on the other end is that I get to experience God�s love - and, of course, freedom.

Sure these and many other areas will need to be revisited, but for now, that�s what�s going on.

Username:
Password:
Forgotten password?

Most Popular

and this is not from yourselves;

Login