Yesterday on my commute home from work, I saw a small patch of grass in a busy intersection. It had more patches of dying, withering brown grass than flourishing green. I immediately prayed that it would rain so that that patch of grass could get the nutrients that it needed.
I don't like the rain.
But that grass needs the rain to grow.
So now I would be thankful for the rain because I understand that that patch of grass really needs it.
I started thinking about how many times I have prayed for God to give this person or that person a "good" day instead of praying for God to rain down on that person's life the exact nutrients that they need to accomplish His will, thrive in joy in His Spirit and minister to those around them. I would hear a friend going through a struggle and I would pray that that struggle would go away instead of aiding and ministering through the change happening in their life. Rick Warren says "Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you. Don’t waste your pain; use it to help others.”
I have been through my share of pain and heartache in my 24 years.
My pain doesn't define me, but it shapes me.
It shapes me to be opened to new opportunities of ministry.
It shapes me to have a heart more like Christ.
It shapes me to forgive because I have been forgiven.
It shapes me to sacrifice because I was given the greatest sacrificial gift through Jesus dying on the cross.
It shapes me to love the unlovable because I was the unlovable.
It shapes me to be free of all guilt, chains and judgment.
It shapes me to look forward with confidence instead of down at my feet.
It shapes me to live courageously because I have nothing to fear.
It shapes me to reach out to the world to lead them to the bread of life.
All of those experiences have shaped me to live outside of the box. That box that society tries to stuff you into. That box of what to do, what to eat, what to wear, what is cool, what is normal, what is "right", what is acceptable. I am not bound by that box. What a crazy adventure I have been on and I am so thankful for every bump and obstacle because it has led me to this crazy passion for my Creator and Sustainer! But what does that passion do or accomplish if I just hoard it for me? Sure, I can just be happy and live my life in passionate pursuit of God but this passionate pursuit has to produce fruit or it is mere selfish ambition. This is the importance of community.
I have surrendered my life to Christ and the freedom that I have in Him to NOT be bound by my past. The only time I think about the hard things that have happened is *sometimes* on holidays but most of the time it is brought up by someone asking me about it. Through time, prayer and ultimately my gracious God, all of those voids that were created by those times of hurt have been filled, not just filled but overflowing with God's goodness, forgiveness, joy and wholeness. He has diverted my thoughts of abandon to thanking him for his presence. He has changed my hardened and bitter heart to a soft heart of forgiveness and love. He has lifted my spirit of fear and insecurities and given me purpose and confidence in His spirit. I am governed by His laws and His acceptance which frees me from hatred and worry.
So now when I pray, I make a conscious effort to pray that God would reveal exactly what I am supposed to do when myself or a friend is going through a trial. We don't have to merely survive or just make it through the day. We don't have to "be polite" and ask about the hurt in someone's life. Why don't we be courageous instead and ask questions about what God is teaching them, what they are learning or how you can specifically minister to their life? Instead of asking them why the grass is brown, how long has it been brown or when it is going to turn green, why not instead encourage the green areas, and ask how you can pray for or encourage the others? If I'm not dwelling on my brown areas, there is no need for you to dwell on them either! :) We have more to live for, more to accomplish and more to explore than we can handle! We don't have to waste our time with what was, we need to be preparing for what is to come!
We already have the victory, but we have to surrender our will, our desires, our past.
Surrender to obtain victory, you ask?
Why yes, welcome to opposite world. It's a grand world of opportunity, revelation and more wonder than you can imagine.
No comments:
Post a Comment