the intensely striving kind of Christian


In my life's journey I seem to bump into my own walls of pride, self-centered worry, and unbelief. It's stupid on my part because I know the truth about my Savior -- that He will continue to love me unconditionally and always take tender care of me! 

But, oh that flesh! That stinkin' worldly flesh that loves the world and worldly ways! Self. Selfie. Me! Me! Me! Selfie-ness! I want. I need. What about me???????

When I struggle I know to go to God and His word and ask for forgiveness and help in overcoming this "selfie-ness!" I've also learned along the way to save a lot of time and ask God, "What is the root of my problem? What really is my deeply rooted source of this?" He always reveals it to me and usually right away. It's rough sometimes but He's still pruning and shaping me. My problem always comes down to SELF. My Self.

I read in Oswald Chambers' renown devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, (January 15), about having a 'white funeral.' He writes, "No one experiences complete sanctification without going through a "white funeral" -- the burial of the old life... a death with only one resurrection--a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can defeat a life like this. It has oneness with God for only one purpose--to be a witness for Him."
Chambers continues, "You cannot die or go to your funeral in a mood of excitement. Death means you stop being. You must agree with God and stop being the intensely striving kind of Christian you have been." Ouch. Yep. Sisters, he's nailed us there! We Sisters do a whole lotta striving don't we? Okay, is it just me? Whatever! We really need to stop it. It's not what our Father wants for us. There is a way out of an intensely striving lifestyle. But we already know that, don't we. There is just stuff we are not ready to give up.

I saw the following quote somewhere on the web and wrote it down: "If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, could it be that you are trying to hold on to your old life while you put on your new life in Christ?" 

Wow. That quote sounds like Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other , or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other."  That's exhausting!

We know our Sweet Lord does not leave us alone in our struggles! He always has help and healing for whatever ails us.
"If  you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (John 15:7-8). 

It's my prayer that all of us who are the intensely striving kind of Christians will have our own spiritual "white funeral" where we finally decide to die to self so we can be free to live abundantly for the glory of God. 

I love you, my sisters.
Polly
"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together!"
Psalm 34:3

Comments

Post a Comment

Add nothing to nothing

Popular posts from this blog

The Sista is Truth Hungry

Image
“..the truth will set you free” John 8:32   Hey Sistas, does any of this sound familiar? She has a major case of battle fatigue from believing lies from her dark enemy. She’s been absorbing these lifelong lies about herself: that she’s worthless, good-for-nothing, and unforgiveable. She is truth hungry! Sometimes it’s so hard for her to feed herself the truth of God’s word because she’s exhausted from trying to resist the deceitful voices screaming in her head. Sometimes she gives into the lies and then clothes herself in guilt, shame, fear and anxiety. Her weariness wakes up her old belief system and it creates sleepless nights. Even her daylight hours seem to drag on and on. However, since she’s a Christ-follower, this doesn’t happen to her every day, it’s just when she doesn’t put on the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).   “If you hold onto my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The blo...
Read more

soul starving...anorexic faith

Image
If I don't take a few brief moments to talk to God before my feet hit the floor in the morning, then I'll be starving my own soul of the strength and nourishment I'm going to need for the new day. I'll be hungry listening to my own voice, focusing on my own circumstances, and coming to my own conclusions about life. Yikes. Huge mistake. Why? God created me, saved me, unconditionally loves me and generously cares for me and I would ignore Him? "He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else" (Acts 17:25). BOOM! So if I chew on this truth for a while -- that all things come from Him and He controls everything -- why wouldn't I be hungry to know more of this Magnificent Savior? Frankly when I'm really physically hungry I do not like to wait to eat. I don't normally put off eating when I'm famished. Nope. I want to be fed good food, real food, nutritional, life-giving ...
Read more

The Wisdom Lady

Image
🎶  Worship Leader Grace Balint sings "Stronger"  🎶 I've met the wisdom lady.  I first met her many years ago in the book of Proverbs. God had just opened my heart to know Him so I was ready for the wisdom lady to open her heart to me! When I read her practical, rich words of life  I thought to myself. "Wow. Really? This is powerful. This is good stuff. This is so simple and wonderful...and these beautiful promises!"  Yep. Since then she's become a mentor to my soul. But not before God sent me through many painful storms and dark valleys over the years to show me it was not wise for me to try to control my little world. Hah! I admit it. Control issues cause pain. It means we're trusting in ourselves instead of trusting in God.Yikes. That's called idolatry!  But I hope I've become a teachable, willing student. I will say I'm wholeheartedly convinced that to be hungry for wisdom is how to receive her holy hospitality! The wisdom lady promises ...
Read more