10/29/2013
Thank you Amanda Gatlin for allowing me to use your beautiful post...She is very CLEVER! Check out her blog post at Seek Him-Find You
Death to Life
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
~Jim Elliot
For most of my life I have been writing about God—my relationship with Him, what He has done in my life, and His essence. The majority of my writings I have kept to myself, and filtered the rest. I never felt a release to share them until recently.
Ever since my born-again experience as a teenager, when given the opportunity to write, I would almost always talk about God, finding Him in every aspect of life.
When I was in high school my English teacher had us write journals each week. At the end of the week she would collect them and comment on the entries. The professing (church-going) Christian would criticize and condescend in her comments of my work. The theme that she disparaged most was my assertion that God can be found in everyday life—that He is interested and involved in every aspect of our lives.
I so much longed for encouragement and affirmation from her. But, her comments left me feeling diminished, singled-out.
That kind of criticism persisted throughout college by professors who shared my high school teacher’s disdain. I even had some well-meaning ones who were dumbfounded at my not majoring in religion.
Those comments and attitudes towards me were definitely hurtful. But, the most painful part was that they didn’t understand—they didn’t see God among us. And, for a long time, I thought something was wrong with me. Perhaps, I was being naïve or overly simplistic?
But, as I grew older, I accepted my “uniqueness” and stopped expecting everyone to see things the way I did.
Since then, my voice has become bolder and better-defined. And, frankly, without God’s hand on my life, I wouldn’t have a message—I’d just be living for myself.
The more I grow in Him, the more I understand that it’s not about me, it’s about Him.
A very strong, punctuated theme in my life that will perpetually find its way throughout this blog is death to life.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Amplified Bible)
And, in death to ourselves, we embrace His ways, His desires for us, and have His nature spring forth and govern us.
I love the way Jesus speaks of this in Mark 8:34-36. “And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, ‘If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God].
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?’” (Amplified Bible)
This is how we live for Him, by Him, through Him. Living for Him is letting go and allowing His Spirit in us to surface, to speak, and direct.
I won’t tell you that it’s an easy path to take. It’s not. But, Jesus didn’t come to give us an easy life. But, don’t you know that the sweet perfume of His life inside of us is diffused when we are pressed and squeezed by the hard things in this life? Yes! You know it’s true! : )
I now live for Him. And, He has given me vitality, purpose, and passion.
Are there areas of your life that you need to surrender to Him? If so, talk to Him about it. Ask Him to have free reign over your life. If this seems too difficult, ask Him for help. He is a very present help in your time of need.
“God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.” ~Psalm 46:1 (Amplified Bible)
