Like exfoliating our egos, God uses the suffering of life to scrape away the dead layers of selfishness and pride so that His image can shine through.
In significant ways, our lives are a reflection of our beliefs. What we believe is possible, available, attainable drives our attitudes and so our actions. We are designed by our Creator to go from ‘glory to glory’, not from settling to mediocre. God is continually after the attitude of our hearts.
I notice how tempted I am to think my judgment has no real impact on the one I’m judging. In fact in my worst moments I feel superior to them as I indulge my superficial judgment. It never once occurred to me that my judging of another would present as a stumbling block to them.
I say all of us have a view of ourselves we prefer. Something we say is us. I am this kind of person- a loving person, or a good person or however else you might think of yourself that at times can be self-flattering.
Automatic is the thief of intimacy. Decide first what you would like to share with the one in front of you, converse and listen in such a way that you share in a future worth having with them.
What if we decided today that we were going to own our freedom and our future? That we would honor the gift that Christ has given us by utilizing every choice to create the future, rather than staying stuck in the past? That we would own the fruit of our choices and shift as needed.
We are constantly thinking up new realities, and then translating them from thoughts into actions. We dream of getting a degree, we pursue college and turn that thought into reality. We dream of a family, we pursue marriage and kids and transform that dream into reality.
The tool that transforms thoughts into reality are our words.
If you want to know what it means to “go deep” in the scriptures, you needn’t look any further than the great commandment and commission. Love deeply (both God and people) and help people live out the life-altering truth that comes with that love. The question must be “how deep can I go in my love as a result of engaging the scriptures?”
I am convinced that almost every problem or struggle we face in life is connected to this larger conversation about our identity – who we are. Everything in our lives flow from our beliefs about ourselves, others and God.
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