As this journey continues I want to take a moment and write only about the goodness of God. When we struggle with life: addictions, hurts, hang-ups and habits they are all resulting from living in a world of sinful influence and man having choice. God has given us the opportunity to live in His goodness, mercy and grace if we simply accept His Son Jesus into our lives. He gave to each of us the opportunity to choose His Son to be our path to Him–God Almighty. Jesus came to be our once and for all, sacrifice. The beauty is that this sacrifice is good for all of us and for all time.
When we struggle it is so easy for Satan to keep our minds focused only on the struggle, the hurt so we only see ourselves and our inability to do anything but continue with the struggle and hurts. In doing this our eyes are essentially on his work in us. God, on the other hand, wants us to lift our eyes to Him to see the tremendously wonderful GIFT He has offered us in Jesus Christ. As we keep our eyes on Jesus the struggle and its grip on us begins to diminish for the power to overcome comes solely from Christ Jesus and His Gift to us–THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The reality of God’s Goodness is beyond what my mind can grasp. But what I do know is that I only want God’s Strength in me for my own failed me far too long. Keeping our eyes of God’s Goodness is such a GIFT. Lets never forget it.
Yesterday’s marriage class went very nicely. I started to write that I don’t know why I balk at God’s redirection and then I instantly realized where I had my eyes focused–on me. Turning to God and simply obeying His direction is always, always the right thing to do. The sooner we do this the sooner we have “the peace that passeth all understanding” Phillipians 4:7. I had told the class that due to illness and the need to be out of town, we rearranged the order of the class from what had been advertised. As the class ended yesterday one of the participants said she was so glad for this rearrangement. It really focused her and her husband on their need to see their marriage through the lens of God’s purpose for bringing them together and completing one another.
God is so, so AMAZING. Living committed to Him and His leadership is challenging, but always so gratifying once I get my eyes off of self and let Him fully take charge. It is a lifelong, daily commitment. We all have to learn this. I pray that most learn to do this much sooner in their lives trusting God fully in their earlier years. No matter, I’m just so glad God is teaching me even now what total surrender is like and what the benefits are–PEACE, TRUST, FAITH and such GRATITUDE.
Yesterday I wrote that we’d be starting a class for couples today. That is happening in just a few hours. As I brought the idea to our counseling group last Fall I had it in my mind that we would each take a section of the class and that is happening. However, I was going to have the last 2 weeks for my part with the other two seasoned counselors taking the first 4 weeks. This way I’d get comfortable (as best as possible) by following their way of presenting to the group. I’ve taught classes all of my adult years as an educator. but, teaching from a counseling perspective is still insecure for me.
About 4 weeks ago we needed to rearrange the most seasoned counselor’s time. She and her husband were going to be gone this first week. That was OK because I’d still have the two weeks to observe. Well, as only Jesus does, I get a text Friday that the other one is very sick with this flu and she can’t be here today either. Well, as I brought all of this to Jesus this morning while journaling I had to smile. I told Jesus He sure has a way of making this class just as He wants it. What is so amazing to me is that I’ve felt as though the part I’m presenting needs to start the class. The other two topics are better taught when the participants have reawakened to their commitment to being more selfless in their marriage commitment.
So, instead of balking at today’s structure, I’ve thanked God for bringing me to His Way. Along with that, I somehow sense that peace that passeth all understanding. God is SO AMAZING!
Tomorrow our counseling group is starting a 6-week Sunday school class for married couples. It starts for the first two weeks focusing on selflessness. It has been so enlightening to work with couples myself for the past 2.5 years. The differences we respected and appreciated with our mates have grow from this respectful side to a resentment and even bitterness. Why? Well, I’d say it’s all due to our selfish flesh–sin nature. Satan always wants to destroy what God has created and blessed.
Selflessness is something one sees in young, romantic love. It’s beautiful to watch and see in real life as well as in Hallmark movies. It is even more beautiful to see how the depth of this selflessness grows into the final years of a long-lived marriage. Couples who have lived through the drama of life and let that drama draw them even closer together have the maturity of Christ’s nature when He told husbands to love their wives as He loves the church. With this kind of selfless love, it is so much easier for a wife to submit to her husband selflessly.
Tomorrow I pray seeds will be planted for reigniting this Godly love for each couple attending.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! Our quartet sang for a Valentine’s luncheon yesterday and of course the theme was LOVE. What was fun was singing a couple of cute love songs getting the audience fully involved. The theme then turned to what God’s Love actually looks like and songs which proclaim this Love.
The day provided us with an abundant snowfall that was accompanied with a strong wind. As I spend the later afternoon at our church counseling and then Celebrate Recovery I found that when I left there were big snow drifts in the parking lot. My little Toyota Prius is stuck in the mist of one of them as I write this! I smile now thinking about this. I should have driven my pickup which is 4-wheel drive, but that thought was only one of those after-thoughts which I’m much better at having. I’ll get it today I know. Last night in the wind was just not the right time. Others at CR gave me a ride home who had the smarts to drive their 4-wheel vehicle!
The love of God is so amazing and miraculous. Man’s love (as man demonstrates it without God’s influence and morality) is so selfish and shallow. As I go into this day I rejoice. Knowing how God has brought so much love into my life through my wife, my kids and grandkids and the host of friends He has provided. Giving me purpose using the past I dreaded is the best miracle of Love. What a WONDERFUL GOD we get to serve!
Jesus is daily teaching me to rely more and more on His Holy Spirit within me. As this all started a few months back, I was in the dark about it thinking it is just too mysterious in flesh to ever be understood with any depth. Spirit-living, well it is just for a few who are already strong in spirit. I’ll just have to do the best I can.
Working through the curriculum three times a week with different small groups give God a significant chance to show me the truth about Him and His Holy Spirit so I can begin to break down the disbeliefs which want to linger within me. This morning while journaling I had asked Jesus to grow my understanding of Spirit & Truth. Instantly I was brought into the reality that I do know when The Holy Spirit nudges me. The voice I hear in my head is clear and it is always a definite statement to do something, not do something, etc. It never screams for I find His Voice to always be steadfast, kind and to the point. The truth is that I don’t always respond to it as I should. Jesus was pointing out that for me to awaken to His Holy Spirit, I must begin to always respond to Him. In so doing, He will grow in me. Simple truth.
Jesus reminded me of the phrase, mind over matter. Man uses this phrase to strengthen our ability to not give up. When Jesus gave me this reminder He added to it: Spirit over mind will release the angst one often has of one’s ability to keep strong. God’s Holy Spirit, when we are surrendered to Him, will enable us for His capability will become ours. Our mind can relax when we are in surrender responding to God’s Spirit’s call within us.
Yesterday morning I went to see my 2nd mom–Lois, my prayer warrior. It only seemed fitting to spend some time with her and her graces since it was mom’s birthday. The day will come when I’ll lose her too for she is already 93 and her birthday is next month. It is so rewarding to have a “mom” you can go to and share the deepest parts of your life and with that, still be loved. I had longed to be able to do this with my own mom. So, God in all of His goodness, gave me Lois. She says she loves our visits and it does her heart good. Maybe this is true, but all I know is how grateful I am for her presence in my life and her permission for me to call her my second mom.
With all of this now written, I got up early today with a good deal on my mind. As I began to journal I had the worship music playing, but my mind was filled with the “worrisome content”. It was then I heard that “still small voice” telling me to stop and let my spirit worship with those providing the worship music I was listening to. So, I did just that. My spirit began to rejoice and the concerns were replaced with trust. It is simply amazing that when our spirit takes the forefront of our mind, I immediately want to surrender it to God’s Holy Spirit–they jive. My spirit knows the weakness of my flesh which my flesh sure doesn’t want to admit.
Today is my mom’s birthday. She would be 115 and 26 of these years have now been spent with Jesus. This makes me smile and tear up all at the same time.
Yesterday morning as I was working on a counseling lesson my phone rang. It was a young man seeking an ally. He had contacted one other who wasn’t available. He said he was reticent to call me because “I’m his counselor” and I would likely judge him for being weak and not applying what we’d talked about. I told him how much I appreciated this truth and how it had been true for me when I was seeking help. The lies Satan wants us to believe as true become great fears we each must deal with in order to see that what’s true is that Satan lies. In the course of the next 10-15 minutes he said he was good and could now make it through his day.
Before I close out today’s journey message, I need to go back to mom’s birthday. I keep seeing Feb. 11 at the top of the blog. Every time I see it I get that soft and tender sense of my mom. If you know my story you know that mom was the stable rock for all of us kids. She was our first Christ image. Later in life I needed to address mom’s humanness–her part with my childhood abuse for she never entered into it leaving me all alone. Today that wound is healed and understood. It is replaced with a love and thankfulness for a life well-lived!
It is amazing to me how long it has taken for me to understand that when scripture says God will strengthen us, it is not in will power. It is in surrender. He strengthens us in spirit, not in mental muscle/will power. I can’t even begin to write here how many, many times I pleaded with God to give me the strength He does not provide. I wanted to be strong. Instead, He wanted me to recognize that He wanted to be strong in me. I needed to rearrange my thinking and my understanding. I needed to get rid of the lies I thought were true.
Even though I am old in age, I am young in this truth of full surrender and daily committing myself to God’s Strength in Spirit. This much I know, I am staying this course for I KNOW and UNDERSTAND. I BELIEVE! Now I get to help others find much sooner in their lives what has taken me so long–the truth of surrender. God is so AMAZING!
I am simply overwhelmed with gratitude this morning for all that Jesus has done and is doing for His children who come to Him. I get to be one of these recipients and my heart/spirit rejoice!
This morning I read the last chapter of I Peter. In chapter 5:10, it reads, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
In my flesh I thought I had suffered way too long, but today, in my spirit, it just doesn’t matter. Today I get to use all of what flesh calls suffering as a tool for Christ’s Kingdom. What a sincere privilege it is to do this. To see suffering as a tool only comes in hindsight, but when it does happen, all shame, all torment, all hurt is turned into humble understanding that God does use everything for His Honor and Glory once we turn all of it over to Him.
Earnie Lewis 