This morning I was reading the May 5th entry of my Utmost for His Highest during my devotional time. Two parts stood out to me. First was the line that read, "Never sympathize with a soul who finds it difficult to get to God, God is not to blame." I reread that about 3 times. You reread it 3 times and see what comes to you about the way you talk to, and react to, others.
The next part that impacted me read, "If Jesus ever gave us a command He could not enable us to fulfill, He would be a liar; and if we make our inability a barrier to obedience, it means we are telling God there is something He has not taken into account." I could recall various times in my life when I've thought:
I'd read my Bible more if only I could get more out of it.
I don't have time to pray and commune with God at this particular stage in my life.
I'd give, but I don't have a lot of extra money to work with.
So I'm meditating on the fact that making my supposed inability a barrier to obedience is like telling God that He has failed to realize reality correctly. When the correct reality is that I've not yet allowed Jesus to enable me to be obedient in that area. So there's really no excuses for me not maturing in my faith.
If these lines from Oswald Chambers spoke to your heart too, please, don't sympathize with me - get radically obedient with me!
There is not that goes by that P31's devotionals change my outlook. My husband and mother should just get them as well because I end up sending the devotions to them as well. This one has hit me hard, thank you for being an accountability partner to me (even though you didn't know), I am truly indebted to your kind and encouraging words.
ReplyDeleteWow!! No More Excuses!! Thank you so much, this spoke volumes to me.
ReplyDeleteI receive it. Its as if you we were speaking to me.
Hello Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI just happened to view your blog through Crosswalk.com and Encouragement for the day. Its amazing how we enter into other peoples lives and interact. Seems like only the Spirit of God knows the degree of this very fine detail.
I was reading your piece on "Making the effort" and appreciate your honesty. At the end the end of the day, I've come to learn, it's never an issue of time and whether we have enough of it to seek God BUT it's an issue of priorities.
If Christians DON'T UNDERSTAND what the enemy is after in their lives, they won't gaurd it.
The enemy is after the Word of God in our lives.
For everything we encounter in life, the Word of God has the advice or answer.
Thats why the enemy works to get Christians to convince themselves that they don't have time for God and His Word.
Of all the weapons, Christians have,according to Ephesians 6, the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon we have. The enemy works day and night to keep us away from the Word of God because he knows that the more revelation we get from God's Word the less captive we are, the more freedom and prosperity we experience in every area of our lives.
This is what i've learnt and I hope it blesses someone else as it has me.
Keep up the great work Rachel and may God continue to use your family for His glory.