Hit Me With Your Best Shot! (kinda)

Posted by Traci at 1:50 PM

As I’ve said, it is so much easier to sing I Surrender All than to actually do it.  But God is moving us all on closer and closer to Him, and in His grace He is guiding me (i.e. slapping me upside the head) in the path of Christ-likeness.  And there is so much head slapping that needs to be done.  If I’m listening – meaning in His word.

Lately I’ve been struck by how dead on God is.  How invasive He can be.  There will be a situation in my day that I haven’t responded well to, and my reading that night will be about controlling our responses.

I’m in the book of Esther, which is all about two kinds of people – those under God’s command, and those out to destroy His people, the Jews.  The second group are a dirty bunch.  They don’t play by God’s rules and they don’t care.  God spoke to me about my response when faced with (either real or imagined) opposition.

My responses - all of them – have to be conformed to the guidelines and principles in God’s word.  If I want God to use me at all.  At all.  Boldness comes easily for me. But God hasn't called me to just a life of fearless faith, but of EVERY good work.  Including meekness and humility (doh!)  I guess I’ve been guilty of thinking there is some scale of Godliness, like Fearless Faith gets you 4 stars, Bountiful Grace gets you 3, etc.  But it isn’t like that.  God wants it all in us.  All His character.  (You won't relent until you have it all).  Here are some verses:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them"  Eph 2:10

“that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"  Col 1:10

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you"  James 4:7-8

I've often been critical of others who don't have as much "storm the world for Jesus" stuff as me, but how I pale in comparison to their Christlike humbleness.  

I truly do want to serve Him in all Godliness, it’s just so hard!  I’m trying to share my struggles with my son.  To help him understand that I know it’s not easy to be a good boy.  But that’s what God’s called us to – not good but Godly.  

I’m thankful for His word, the sword of the Spirit, for the examples He’s placed in my life, and most of all for His protection from myself.  Just when I’m about to type off a furious email response, our internet goes down.  Really happened.  He reaches down into my life to edge and push me towards Him.  And I’m so thankful.