"This is eternal life, that they may know You,the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3, NASB)
I have been thinking about discipleship a lot lately. When I was pastoring, it was a topic heavy on my mind most of the time. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (NASB) So, disciple making was not our idea, but God's.
I see two distinct roads of discipleship. The first road is the wide, more popular road. The focus on this road is "knowing about God." You might hear slogans like "what would Jesus do." The thought process on this road is to become so acquainted with the life and heart of Jesus you can make more informed decisions for your life. In other words, the goal is to model Jesus in His thinking and His choices. This road is about "doing."
The second less traveled road of discipleship focuses on "knowing God." This road is about relationship. It is about freedom and rest. It is not about attaining knowledge, but growing in understanding. This road may appear to be less organized and structured. The focus is not on methods or formulas for growth, but intimacy with the Giver of Life. This is a winding road that focuses more on the journey and less on the destination. This road is about "being," not doing.
You know the expression, "don't put the cart before the horse." This expression is about getting priorities in the right order. The wide road of discipleship is ultimately about ministry. Ministry is the "cart." The focus of ministry is sharing Christ with others. It is serving others in Christ's name.
The "horse" is knowing God. It is eternal Life in whom we enter. Acts 17:28 says, "for in Him we live and move and exist..." (NASB) When we are engaged in knowing God, we can't keep ourselves from sharing what He is showing us. We don't have to be encouraged to share, because we want to tell everyone who will listen. The natural outflow of knowing God is telling and serving others.
I think the reason for our upside down approach to discipleship is because of our continued struggle with "law living." We tell ourselves we are supposed to share Christ with the lost world, so we focus on ways to accomplish that requirement instead of spending time knowing God. When God's people are engaged in ministry without being engaged in knowing Him, they will be frustrated and discouraged, and eventually burn out!
For a long time now, I have seen that God is calling His people to "be." God knows that the "do" of ministry will always flow out of the "be" of identity in Christ. God wants to put the horse before the cart. Ministry becomes richer and sweeter when it is the natural outflow of one's personal relationship with God.
If you are feeling pressured to serve, or witness, or give, or teach, or plan, etc..., your priorities may be out of order. Jesus said apart from Him you could do nothing (John 15:5). Rest in God's Life and let Him minister through you!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Flesh Is Not Our Friend
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." (Galatians 5:16-17 NASB)
A friend of mine recently said to me, "Even though God has proved His faithfulness over and over, I still worry! I don't understand why!" His quandary is common to all Christians. Because that question mark is even in our minds, is proof of our new nature in Christ. If you wonder why you do something or think something that is contrary to what you know goes against the character of God, instead, ask this question, "why do I wonder why?" My friend's question is a subtle attack on who God says he is.
The enemy has us focused on the wrong thing. He uses shame, guilt, and doubt as weapons to attack our identity. If Satan can keep you and me from understanding our identity, he can keep us in a state of mental and emotional defeat. If I doubt the validity of my relationship with Christ and that produces anxiety, that's a good thing! Anxiety is an appropriate emotion when there is a fear of losing something.
When I was twenty-one, for the first time in my Christian life, doubt about my salvation hit me like a ton of bricks. It wasn't subtle, it was debilitating! As soon as the doubt seized my mind, I was overwhelmed with fear. I feared eternal death. For the first time in my life, I wasn't sure what would happen to me if I died. Satan had me right where he wanted me. My focus from that point forward was on me, not on God.
When Paul uses the word "flesh," he is referring to a coping mechanism or an operating system. Flesh is anything we do to get our needs met apart from God. The system of flesh puts the focus on self. The flesh system is the enemy of expressing Christ's life through my life. In other words, when I want to behave in a manner that pleases God, the flesh system will often raise its ugly head and subvert my ultimate intention. That is the answer to my friend's quandary. He wants to completely trust God with everything that he is, but his flesh produces worry. Worry takes the focus off of Christ's life in him and places it on himself and what he can do apart from Christ.
This battle takes place in our minds. God speaks His truth into our minds and the enemy speaks His lies into our minds. Now we have a choice. Our spirit is one with God (1 Cor. 6:17). In our spirits we are in total agreement with God, however, our flesh is not Spirit friendly. Satan will use our flesh to subvert God's truth. If we buy into the lie, we are sunk! This is why Paul said, "...so that you may not do the things that you please." Flesh is what keeps us from living out of Christ's Life, it's not you (the real you in Christ). Most Christians read this passage and assume what they please is contrary to what God pleases. That misunderstanding is a direct assault from Satan on your very identity in Christ!
Don't trust your flesh. Trust Christ in you. He is constantly leading us into life and peace in every moment we walk here on this earth. When Satan accuses you, causing you to doubt your true identity, believe who God says you are, His beloved!
A friend of mine recently said to me, "Even though God has proved His faithfulness over and over, I still worry! I don't understand why!" His quandary is common to all Christians. Because that question mark is even in our minds, is proof of our new nature in Christ. If you wonder why you do something or think something that is contrary to what you know goes against the character of God, instead, ask this question, "why do I wonder why?" My friend's question is a subtle attack on who God says he is.
The enemy has us focused on the wrong thing. He uses shame, guilt, and doubt as weapons to attack our identity. If Satan can keep you and me from understanding our identity, he can keep us in a state of mental and emotional defeat. If I doubt the validity of my relationship with Christ and that produces anxiety, that's a good thing! Anxiety is an appropriate emotion when there is a fear of losing something.
When I was twenty-one, for the first time in my Christian life, doubt about my salvation hit me like a ton of bricks. It wasn't subtle, it was debilitating! As soon as the doubt seized my mind, I was overwhelmed with fear. I feared eternal death. For the first time in my life, I wasn't sure what would happen to me if I died. Satan had me right where he wanted me. My focus from that point forward was on me, not on God.
When Paul uses the word "flesh," he is referring to a coping mechanism or an operating system. Flesh is anything we do to get our needs met apart from God. The system of flesh puts the focus on self. The flesh system is the enemy of expressing Christ's life through my life. In other words, when I want to behave in a manner that pleases God, the flesh system will often raise its ugly head and subvert my ultimate intention. That is the answer to my friend's quandary. He wants to completely trust God with everything that he is, but his flesh produces worry. Worry takes the focus off of Christ's life in him and places it on himself and what he can do apart from Christ.
This battle takes place in our minds. God speaks His truth into our minds and the enemy speaks His lies into our minds. Now we have a choice. Our spirit is one with God (1 Cor. 6:17). In our spirits we are in total agreement with God, however, our flesh is not Spirit friendly. Satan will use our flesh to subvert God's truth. If we buy into the lie, we are sunk! This is why Paul said, "...so that you may not do the things that you please." Flesh is what keeps us from living out of Christ's Life, it's not you (the real you in Christ). Most Christians read this passage and assume what they please is contrary to what God pleases. That misunderstanding is a direct assault from Satan on your very identity in Christ!
Don't trust your flesh. Trust Christ in you. He is constantly leading us into life and peace in every moment we walk here on this earth. When Satan accuses you, causing you to doubt your true identity, believe who God says you are, His beloved!
Monday, July 15, 2013
I Am His Workmanship
There seems to be this uncomfortable dance between God's work in our lives and our responsibility to be a good Christian. Sometimes when we do something godly and others recognize it, we say, "not I but Christ!" Or we get the big head and focus on our self-effort. Neither one of these responses is God's way. Don't get me wrong, the first response sounds good and humble, but it leaves out one very important element.
As I mentioned in my last blog, if we are in Christ, we are a new creature; a new creature with new desires and a new focus. That new creature wants to behave godly. Bad behavior doesn't negate desire, it only reflects poor choice. If the new creature could be completely free of the influence of Satan's temptations, flesh, and the law of sin (Rom. 7:23), the new creature would always make great choices and reflect godliness. Of course, I just described what heaven will be like!
Ok, we're not in heaven yet; and we do struggle with temptation, flesh, and the law of sin. Those challenges, however, don't disprove God's greatest work of making His children new creatures! In spite of those challenges, He can display His character in these fragile earthen vessels. (2 Cor. 4:7) That was His plan.
When God does display His character in us, He is also showing the world the new character of His new creature. You see, it's not one or the other, it is both. It is the co-union of Christ in me, displaying Himself through me and at the same time showing others His work in us. Isn't that amazing?! I love what Paul says in Colossians 3:4, "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." (NASB) Do you see it? When Christ is revealed (not heaven, but now), not only is He being revealed, but the real you is also being revealed!
Because I am a carpenter, I own a circular saw. There are certain applications in building that need a circular saw. It is the only tool that will work in certain situations. In order for my saw to perform the task for which it was designed, it must be plugged into a power source and it must be operated by a skilled operator. As new creatures, we were designed to display God's character. Not only must we be plugged into The Source, we must surrender to the skilled hands of The Operator.
Also, as a carpenter, I don't want a cheap home-owner saw. I want a good heavy-duty saw with plenty of power. There are certain models I won't buy, because I know they won't work very well. I have had my saw for twenty years and it still works great. I still brag about my saw (as I'm doing now).
You and I are God's workmanship and He loves to show-off what He has done. This understanding for me produces humility and gratitude. I am thankful that God wants to display His character in me and that He is proud of me as His masterful creation. Pretending that my display of godly character has nothing to do with me, is like my saw pretending it never cut the wood!
As I mentioned in my last blog, if we are in Christ, we are a new creature; a new creature with new desires and a new focus. That new creature wants to behave godly. Bad behavior doesn't negate desire, it only reflects poor choice. If the new creature could be completely free of the influence of Satan's temptations, flesh, and the law of sin (Rom. 7:23), the new creature would always make great choices and reflect godliness. Of course, I just described what heaven will be like!
Ok, we're not in heaven yet; and we do struggle with temptation, flesh, and the law of sin. Those challenges, however, don't disprove God's greatest work of making His children new creatures! In spite of those challenges, He can display His character in these fragile earthen vessels. (2 Cor. 4:7) That was His plan.
When God does display His character in us, He is also showing the world the new character of His new creature. You see, it's not one or the other, it is both. It is the co-union of Christ in me, displaying Himself through me and at the same time showing others His work in us. Isn't that amazing?! I love what Paul says in Colossians 3:4, "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." (NASB) Do you see it? When Christ is revealed (not heaven, but now), not only is He being revealed, but the real you is also being revealed!
Because I am a carpenter, I own a circular saw. There are certain applications in building that need a circular saw. It is the only tool that will work in certain situations. In order for my saw to perform the task for which it was designed, it must be plugged into a power source and it must be operated by a skilled operator. As new creatures, we were designed to display God's character. Not only must we be plugged into The Source, we must surrender to the skilled hands of The Operator.
Also, as a carpenter, I don't want a cheap home-owner saw. I want a good heavy-duty saw with plenty of power. There are certain models I won't buy, because I know they won't work very well. I have had my saw for twenty years and it still works great. I still brag about my saw (as I'm doing now).
You and I are God's workmanship and He loves to show-off what He has done. This understanding for me produces humility and gratitude. I am thankful that God wants to display His character in me and that He is proud of me as His masterful creation. Pretending that my display of godly character has nothing to do with me, is like my saw pretending it never cut the wood!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Christ In Me!
"...the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col. 1:26-27 NASB)
The most natural thing for me to do is to live righteously! Do you agree with that statement? If you don't agree with that, you may be thinking, "that sounds like spiritual arrogance!" If you are a believer, that statement is true of you also. The most humble thing you and I can do is to agree with what God says about us.
From Adam all the way to Christ, no human had experienced the life of God dwelling in them on a full-time permanent basis. The idea that God would "live" His life in the believer was a foreign concept. God would draw close when the individual was obedient and God would punish when they weren't. Don't misunderstand, God was long-suffering with His children because He knew they were not able to keep His commandments. God wanted to abide with His creation, not reject them. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" How can deceitful hearts be committed to God and keep His commands? They can't! God's people needed new hearts.
Jeremiah prophesies about a new covenant, "I will put my law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jer. 31:33b NASB) Ezekiel prophesied, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you...I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes..." (Ez. 36:26a,27a NASB) These are prophecies regarding the mystery Paul speaks of in Colossians. This mystery revealed is Christ in you!
Jesus didn't come to earth to show me how to live, although He did set the highest standard to date. He came to give me Himself so that He could be my life. He placed Himself in a new creature with a new heart and made that new creature alive. Woohoo!!
Notice the phrase in Col. 1:27, "the hope of glory;" glory is the Greek word "doxa" which refers to Christ's magnificent nature. Does it frustrate you when you find yourself committing a sin? Of course it does! I hate sinning. When I realize that I have sinned, I always wish I could turn the clock back and make a different choice. I wish I could undo every sinful choice and never sin again from this moment forward. In other words, I hope there will be a time when I can consistently express Christ's high sinless standards.
Paul is saying that "Christ in you" or Christ's Life in me is my hope of expressing Christ's glory. Paul didn't say, "Christ, the hope of glory," but he said "Christ in you." It is the unity of Christ and you. That my friend is the best news ever!
God's intention from the beginning of creation has always been to share life with His creation. He wants to express His Life in and through us. Your hope of expressing His life is Christ in you!
The most natural thing for me to do is to live righteously! Do you agree with that statement? If you don't agree with that, you may be thinking, "that sounds like spiritual arrogance!" If you are a believer, that statement is true of you also. The most humble thing you and I can do is to agree with what God says about us.
From Adam all the way to Christ, no human had experienced the life of God dwelling in them on a full-time permanent basis. The idea that God would "live" His life in the believer was a foreign concept. God would draw close when the individual was obedient and God would punish when they weren't. Don't misunderstand, God was long-suffering with His children because He knew they were not able to keep His commandments. God wanted to abide with His creation, not reject them. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" How can deceitful hearts be committed to God and keep His commands? They can't! God's people needed new hearts.
Jeremiah prophesies about a new covenant, "I will put my law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jer. 31:33b NASB) Ezekiel prophesied, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you...I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes..." (Ez. 36:26a,27a NASB) These are prophecies regarding the mystery Paul speaks of in Colossians. This mystery revealed is Christ in you!
Jesus didn't come to earth to show me how to live, although He did set the highest standard to date. He came to give me Himself so that He could be my life. He placed Himself in a new creature with a new heart and made that new creature alive. Woohoo!!
Notice the phrase in Col. 1:27, "the hope of glory;" glory is the Greek word "doxa" which refers to Christ's magnificent nature. Does it frustrate you when you find yourself committing a sin? Of course it does! I hate sinning. When I realize that I have sinned, I always wish I could turn the clock back and make a different choice. I wish I could undo every sinful choice and never sin again from this moment forward. In other words, I hope there will be a time when I can consistently express Christ's high sinless standards.
Paul is saying that "Christ in you" or Christ's Life in me is my hope of expressing Christ's glory. Paul didn't say, "Christ, the hope of glory," but he said "Christ in you." It is the unity of Christ and you. That my friend is the best news ever!
God's intention from the beginning of creation has always been to share life with His creation. He wants to express His Life in and through us. Your hope of expressing His life is Christ in you!
Monday, July 1, 2013
God's Provision
"... he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack..." (Exodus 16:18 NASB)
There is a saying, "if it is to be, it is up to me!" This lie has been around since Satan's first temptation in the garden. The enemy wants us to believe that we must be in charge of our lives. Other than the free-will God gave us to make choices, we were not created with the ability to meet our life needs. Oh, we may think we can, but we can't! Striving by our self-effort always leaves us lacking.
When living by faith, it is necessary to trust God completely. He is our provider. He can meet all our needs fully to the point of complete satisfaction. Satisfaction guaranteed!
The children of Israel learned the hard way that God's provision is just enough for the moment. It didn't depend on their gathering ability. It is too easy to look around at others and either be envious or jealous of their abilities to get or stand in judgement of their lack of drive or ability to get. The focus is on performance.
When we trust God the focus is on His ability, not ours. The Israelites had to trust that God would provide for their needs. They were told only to collect what they needed for that day, except on the sixth day. If they worried that God would not come through, they tried collecting more than they needed for that day. Their provision, however, rotted and became worm ridden before morning. They needed to learn to trust God.
Do you lack for today? Or, are you looking to the future and see your lack there? I suspect that most of us are focused on tomorrow and not realizing that God has provided what we need for today. When you look to your future you may see great lack. Worrying about the future produces anxiety and fear. Or you may look at your future and see no lack, but don't be fooled. No man can really secure his future apart from God's will. (Luke 12:15-21)
Our lives are so much more than stuff. Jesus made it clear that our relationship with the Father is our true treasure. He knew that a life completely surrendered to the Father would not lack. Jesus said in Luke 12:31, "But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be added to you." (NASB)
There is a saying, "if it is to be, it is up to me!" This lie has been around since Satan's first temptation in the garden. The enemy wants us to believe that we must be in charge of our lives. Other than the free-will God gave us to make choices, we were not created with the ability to meet our life needs. Oh, we may think we can, but we can't! Striving by our self-effort always leaves us lacking.
When living by faith, it is necessary to trust God completely. He is our provider. He can meet all our needs fully to the point of complete satisfaction. Satisfaction guaranteed!
The children of Israel learned the hard way that God's provision is just enough for the moment. It didn't depend on their gathering ability. It is too easy to look around at others and either be envious or jealous of their abilities to get or stand in judgement of their lack of drive or ability to get. The focus is on performance.
When we trust God the focus is on His ability, not ours. The Israelites had to trust that God would provide for their needs. They were told only to collect what they needed for that day, except on the sixth day. If they worried that God would not come through, they tried collecting more than they needed for that day. Their provision, however, rotted and became worm ridden before morning. They needed to learn to trust God.
Do you lack for today? Or, are you looking to the future and see your lack there? I suspect that most of us are focused on tomorrow and not realizing that God has provided what we need for today. When you look to your future you may see great lack. Worrying about the future produces anxiety and fear. Or you may look at your future and see no lack, but don't be fooled. No man can really secure his future apart from God's will. (Luke 12:15-21)
Our lives are so much more than stuff. Jesus made it clear that our relationship with the Father is our true treasure. He knew that a life completely surrendered to the Father would not lack. Jesus said in Luke 12:31, "But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be added to you." (NASB)
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
God Enjoys Watching!
What motivates us to do our best? Are we challenged by critique or praise, or a combination of both? I love to watch sports movies as much as the next guy. It's cool to see people overcome great odds to win. There is something that appeals to all of us when the underdog rises from the bottom to become a champion. But how did they get there? What inspired them not to give up?
As an encourager I want to tell people not to give up, but to keep trying. I want to give them the "magic" advice that will turn the tide of disappointment in the their life to victory. One of many ways to encourage others to "do" better is the liver sandwich method. That is where you say something positive first and then a critique and then finish with something positive again. Even though that method feels positive, human nature gets stuck on the negative.
I recently read a blog by Rachel Macy Stafford entitled "Six Words You Should Say Today." She had read an article in which she saw this phrase: "I love to watch you play." As she began to practice this with her children, she said she could almost hear her child's mind say, "The pressure's off. She just loves to watch me ...; that is all."
As I read her blog, I realized that is what Father says to us; "I love to watch you my child!" That truly takes the pressure off of us. Unfortunately, religion has made it all about performance. We have been taught that God expects our best, but what is our best? How good is good enough? Is it possible for God to just enjoy watching us because we are simply His?
I think I have come closest to understanding this through being a grandfather. My oldest is two and a half and her younger first cousin is almost two. They are very different from each other, not to mention one is a girl and the other a boy. The older one started walking at nine months and the other around thirteen months. I didn't think there was anything wrong because the second one started walking later. I just enjoy watching them. I love everything about them! They are a joy to be around. The coolest part is to see their little faces light up when they see Mimi and Papa.
Father reminded me that He loves to watch me. He doesn't compare me to Jesus as I was taught by many well-meaning folks in my life. If that were so, He would know nothing but disappointment. Who can compare their behavior with that of Christ and come away looking good!? No one! It's not about behavior, but about relationship. Father loves us because of who He is. As His children, He loves to see us grow. When He rescued us from the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13) He immediately changed our identity and justified us. He made us perfect and holy and righteous, but we still have to grow experientially into that truth.
My grandchildren are made to be adults, but they don't look like adults yet, nor do they act like it. They will become adults one day, but today I'm going to enjoy watching them. We were made to behave perfect, but we're not there yet. Nonetheless, Father does enjoy watching us!
As an encourager I want to tell people not to give up, but to keep trying. I want to give them the "magic" advice that will turn the tide of disappointment in the their life to victory. One of many ways to encourage others to "do" better is the liver sandwich method. That is where you say something positive first and then a critique and then finish with something positive again. Even though that method feels positive, human nature gets stuck on the negative.
I recently read a blog by Rachel Macy Stafford entitled "Six Words You Should Say Today." She had read an article in which she saw this phrase: "I love to watch you play." As she began to practice this with her children, she said she could almost hear her child's mind say, "The pressure's off. She just loves to watch me ...; that is all."
As I read her blog, I realized that is what Father says to us; "I love to watch you my child!" That truly takes the pressure off of us. Unfortunately, religion has made it all about performance. We have been taught that God expects our best, but what is our best? How good is good enough? Is it possible for God to just enjoy watching us because we are simply His?
I think I have come closest to understanding this through being a grandfather. My oldest is two and a half and her younger first cousin is almost two. They are very different from each other, not to mention one is a girl and the other a boy. The older one started walking at nine months and the other around thirteen months. I didn't think there was anything wrong because the second one started walking later. I just enjoy watching them. I love everything about them! They are a joy to be around. The coolest part is to see their little faces light up when they see Mimi and Papa.
Father reminded me that He loves to watch me. He doesn't compare me to Jesus as I was taught by many well-meaning folks in my life. If that were so, He would know nothing but disappointment. Who can compare their behavior with that of Christ and come away looking good!? No one! It's not about behavior, but about relationship. Father loves us because of who He is. As His children, He loves to see us grow. When He rescued us from the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13) He immediately changed our identity and justified us. He made us perfect and holy and righteous, but we still have to grow experientially into that truth.
My grandchildren are made to be adults, but they don't look like adults yet, nor do they act like it. They will become adults one day, but today I'm going to enjoy watching them. We were made to behave perfect, but we're not there yet. Nonetheless, Father does enjoy watching us!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Giving Trust
As a counselor, I deal with the issue of "trust" a lot. As I listen to couples struggling with giving and getting trust, I want to wave a magic wand and make their struggle go away. Of course, I don't have a magic wand or a magic pill or even magic words to say. I've asked Father to teach me more about trust and help me see it from His perspective.
I was thinking about the level of trust between Tess and me. We both trust each other greatly in most areas of our life. As a matter of fact, I enjoy trusting her. I don't sit around and wonder what she is doing when I am not looking. There is peace in this manner of living.
As I thought more about trust I realized there are two aspects of trust: giving trust and receiving trust. There is the one who gives trust and the one who receives trust. Each party has a responsibility in this "trust" process. The obvious and most observed of this transaction is the responsibility of the receiver to either earn or deserve the trust that is given. If the receiver's behavior cast any doubt that they are deserving of trust, trust can be withheld by the giver. In this case, the burden of trust really falls solely on the shoulders of the receiver.
The problem we encounter as humans when trying to give trust is that we are limited in our ability to control, to know the future, and to know the heart of others. All we can do is observe behavior in others and then make judgement calls on whether they are "trustworthy" or not! This process can be very scary if you have been hurt by someone you trusted. No one wants to get hurt.
Father showed me the other side of the process. There is the responsibility of the giver to give trust without proof. It is assuming the best when experience doesn't line up with expectation. It is knowing the heart of the one in whom you are giving trust. You may be thinking at this point, "Only God can truly know the heart of a person!" Bingo! We have to depend on Christ because He is all-knowing and totally in control. Trust given through the power of abiding in Christ produces peace and joy in the life of the giver.
I told Tess I realized I trusted her because of who I am and not because of what she does or doesn't do. Initially she gave me a funny look, but I further explained. I want to trust her whether she earns it or not. I want to assume the best about her even when I may question a behavior. This kind of trust can only be given through Christ's Life in me. It is ultimately me trusting Christ as He trusts others through me!
If I am allowing others to determine my well-being, they will eventually hurt me with their words and actions. I see husbands and wives giving this power to each other, and then eventually the other will hurt and wound them deeply. When this happens, the temptation is to withhold trust until the other person earns their trust again. The problem with this kind of trust giving is the "hell" the giver lives in while they worry about being hurt again.
You see, Christ will never hurt me. He loves me deeply and fully. Christ can be completely trusted. Trusting others through Christ is a divine process. It cannot be explained, but it can be lived as you trust Christ in you!
I was thinking about the level of trust between Tess and me. We both trust each other greatly in most areas of our life. As a matter of fact, I enjoy trusting her. I don't sit around and wonder what she is doing when I am not looking. There is peace in this manner of living.
As I thought more about trust I realized there are two aspects of trust: giving trust and receiving trust. There is the one who gives trust and the one who receives trust. Each party has a responsibility in this "trust" process. The obvious and most observed of this transaction is the responsibility of the receiver to either earn or deserve the trust that is given. If the receiver's behavior cast any doubt that they are deserving of trust, trust can be withheld by the giver. In this case, the burden of trust really falls solely on the shoulders of the receiver.
The problem we encounter as humans when trying to give trust is that we are limited in our ability to control, to know the future, and to know the heart of others. All we can do is observe behavior in others and then make judgement calls on whether they are "trustworthy" or not! This process can be very scary if you have been hurt by someone you trusted. No one wants to get hurt.
Father showed me the other side of the process. There is the responsibility of the giver to give trust without proof. It is assuming the best when experience doesn't line up with expectation. It is knowing the heart of the one in whom you are giving trust. You may be thinking at this point, "Only God can truly know the heart of a person!" Bingo! We have to depend on Christ because He is all-knowing and totally in control. Trust given through the power of abiding in Christ produces peace and joy in the life of the giver.
I told Tess I realized I trusted her because of who I am and not because of what she does or doesn't do. Initially she gave me a funny look, but I further explained. I want to trust her whether she earns it or not. I want to assume the best about her even when I may question a behavior. This kind of trust can only be given through Christ's Life in me. It is ultimately me trusting Christ as He trusts others through me!
If I am allowing others to determine my well-being, they will eventually hurt me with their words and actions. I see husbands and wives giving this power to each other, and then eventually the other will hurt and wound them deeply. When this happens, the temptation is to withhold trust until the other person earns their trust again. The problem with this kind of trust giving is the "hell" the giver lives in while they worry about being hurt again.
You see, Christ will never hurt me. He loves me deeply and fully. Christ can be completely trusted. Trusting others through Christ is a divine process. It cannot be explained, but it can be lived as you trust Christ in you!
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