I come from a “Christian” family that really didn’t like conviction (being made aware of sin). That’s putting it mildly. If something was pointed out to them, they clung to their religious pride instead of humbling themselves and repenting (See King Rehoboam’s story in 2 Chronicles and how when he finally humbled himself, the Lord helped him), instead of becoming free from a sin, they’d often become hard-hearted and not repent (Hebrews 3:15). I’m learning to love conviction (For years now, I’ve had to learn to lay down any of my own lingering religious pride because of my upbringing) because it’s how the Lord removes the sin in my life that will steel, kill and destroy me. It’s how He sets me free indeed. I want so much to love conviction more and more so I can be all shiny and new in Him, in His love dwelling with Him in the secure, secret place of the Most High.
Do you love conviction? Do you love it when God shows you something He wants you to give up, to give to Him? If not, you can learn to love conviction. And it will be the most liberating place and soul perspective the Lord has ever led you to, my friend.
I love it when God shows me my true self. He’s so faithful to search my heart to see if there is anything there that may lead me into sin and bondage (Psalm 139:23-24).
22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:22-33
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2 Timothy 2:24
Trying to make your dreams come true? Wow, doing so can become so HEAVY, COSTLY, and CONSUMING.
Striving?
Are you angry? Do you seem to have anger issues? Is something lying just under the surface of your mind, emotions or will lurking and coming out when you least expect it. Do you get “set off” by something? Do certain unmet desires really make you mad? Do you wonder why this happens?
We all have dreams, goals and desires. Some people even become Christians thinking God is some kind of genie Who will meet all their goals and make all their dreams come true. Now, God may make all their dreams come true, but not before they lay them down and surrender them to Him. If they don’t surrender them to Him, the thing, or things, they want will be idols and become a weight on their souls and lives.
“No one else is going to protect “this” (or make sure it happens) so I have to do it.” Wow, this kind of thinking (and idol worship) will only bring us under bondage. I know first hand. Whatever your “this” is, lay it at the foot of the cross. Give it to Jesus for Him to handle because if you don’t, it will consume you as you try to carry it, as you try to make it happen. It will be an idol in your life and idols always destroy us.
Why does God command us to have no idols before Him? Because worshiping anything but Him will always become a burden of sin, bring us under the expensive burden of striving, and separate us from His will and love. One of the most valuable lessons we can ever learn from God is to let Him give (see verse 33 above) us what we think we want in His perfect timing. And, we need to be so free in Him that if what we want doesn’t come to pass that we can rest in Him knowing that desire (or thing) would have caused us great harm.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
Today, ask Jesus to show you anything in your life that you have before Him, that’s making you strive, that makes you angry because you don’t have it, anything that won’t let His peace rule in your heart. Give that thing to Him and be free. Put it down before it puts you down. Let nothing keep you from entering His amazing rest and will.
God bless,
Mark