Disclaimer: any time I use the article "we" I intend for it be "me." Mainly, because I have derived these thoughts from my life and experience, and am not sure if others think the same way.
I think a lot of times we hold on to things that are pointless (or perhaps have a point in the future, but not now). We work hard for those things. We strive for those things. But we are to cease striving. Psalm 46:11. Christ said that if we lose our life, we will find it. It's in the giving up of our will that we find life. Life is found in obeying and clinging to Him (Deut 30:20). Cling to Christ instead of our outside desires and distractions.
Recently while speaking at out church, the famous author of Trusting God and The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges said,"Every day preach the gospel to yourself." He was referring to Galatians 2:20. "I have been crucified with Christ..." That's the obeying, the clinging.
While letting go, seeing the grace God has given to us, we can be grace to others- to be love and compassion. I've really been learning what it means to have grace. It's kind of like when you really want that piece of cake with all of the icing (not that I'm really a fan of cake with lots of icing), but then you let your best friend (not sure that she likes icing either) have it because you know it will make her happy. Grace is letting go- letting go of what you want for the sake of another.
Some favorite lyrics from my oldest new favorite band, Tenth Avenue North...
"But You say let it go, You say let it go
You say life is waiting for the one's who lose control
You say you will be, everything I need
You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul
You say let it go."
Let go.
Be grace.
I'm preaching to myself.
1 comment:
Letting go is the hard part.
Since you mentioned what Jerry Bridges said about saying the gospel to yourself, I have been quoting Gal. 2:20, to myself. It is so easy to forget, what our life is suppose to be about, amongst the "dailies".
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