Tonight was another fantastic Life Skills session at re:generation church, led by Hannah.
The session was on submitting to God,
not from a place of weakness and lack of other options, but from a place of
love and of trust, knowing that the plans that He has for you are for your best
(Jeremiah 29:11). Hannah’s challenge was this: how can you get closer to God if
you are unwilling to submit fully to Him and to hear and follow the calling He
has on your life?
In our groups, we discussed areas in our
own lives where we have struggled (and are struggling) to submit. The challenge
was raised when thinking of great men and women of God (like Jim Elliott or
Gladys Aylward) who dedicated their lives to God’s specific calling. What would
the Christian faith and the world around us look like without those men and
women who have (and do) submit their lives fully to God.
But these are not myths and legends.
Modern day heroes of faith still live among us. People like Christine Caine, fighting against
human trafficking (A21 Campaign),
or Bill
Wilson, fighting for the salvation of inner city children in New York City (Metro Ministries).
Joyce
Meyer’s post in her daily online
devotional was on the same topic today: Lean and depend on Jesus:
My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall be fixed
in Him. —Hebrews
2:13
Proverbs 17:1 says that a house
full of sacrifices with strife is not pleasing to the Lord. In other words, we
could make all kinds of sacrifices of time and effort to try to help people,
yet God is not pleased unless we stay in peace. Pursuing peace means making an
effort. But we cannot maintain peace simply by our own fleshly effort. We need
God's help and we need grace, which is His power assisting us and enabling us
to do what needs to be done.
The effort we make must be in Christ. So often we just try to do
what is right without asking for God's help, and that type of fleshly effort
never produces good fruit. The Bible calls this a "work of the
flesh." It is man's effort trying to do God's job. What I am saying is, be
sure you lean on God and ask for His help. When you succeed, give Him the
credit, the honor, and the glory because success is impossible without Him.
Jesus said, Apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me]
you can do nothing (John 15:5).
It takes most of us a long time
to believe this scripture enough to stop trying to do things without leaning on
God. We try and fail, try and fail. It happens over and over until we finally
wear ourselves out and realize that God Himself is our strength, our success,
and our victory. He doesn't just give us strength—He is our Strength. He does not
just give us the victory—He is our Victory. Yes, we make an effort to keep
peace, but we dare not make an effort without depending on God's power to flow
through us—failure is certain if we do.
{From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer}
So, whatever it is that you feel God has
impressed on your heart to do, lean into Him, trust Him to provide where you
are faithful and obedient. God may be calling you to mission work in another country,
but He may equally be calling you to visit the sick or elderly in your
neighbourhood; to work with children who live on the estate near you, or to
serve in your church. God has a different and unique purpose for each of us.
What is your purpose? Are you sold out
to it?
Blessings!
Ronell x
“Remember He is the artist and you are only the
picture. You can’t see it. So quietly submit to be painted.” {C.S. Lewis}
"Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you." {Job 22:21}
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