What a difference a little break from walking in reality does for you. Went to California for four days with no access to internet so I couldn't write in my blog and I couldn't check work emails. It actually allowed me some time to just not think about work and personal stresses. The very break I needed. Got to focus on the goodness of God and how He works in another part of the world than mine. How we take for granted the beauty of His creation. The mountains and the ocean were both visited on this trip and they were both beautiful. It is amazing how connected I feel to God when I am out in nature like that. I didn't have any grand revelations or anything but I just noticed how easily my mind goes to the things of God when I am outside like that.
I am ready for changes in my spiritual life. As I have been saying from the beginning of this year, I believe this is a year of surrender. A long time coming...I know better than anyone...but I do believe it is happening a bit at a time. God never waves his magic wand over me and...poof...I am changed. It never works that way for me. I have to be engaged in the changing by dying. Hard concept to swallow and even harder to activate.
It is so easy to get caught up in the temporary things of life that steal our time and often our joy. The flesh is like a dry sponge, eager to soak up anything that is contrary to God as though it gives it new purpose. We are so easily deceived by the subtleness of the enemy. We justify wrong things into being right and we ignore the nudging of the Spirit if it counteracts our will's command.
The only person who fought sin's calling and did it well is Jesus. In fact, he did it perfectly. Sometimes we belittle how amazing that is because in our mind we erroneously say "well...he is God after all". True, He is God, but when he lived in the flesh...He was one hundred percent human facing all the temptations that are common to us. He was like Adam in that he didn't have the sin nature, but he kept himself from sin even when the enemy blatantly challenged him after his 40-day fast. It is the most incredible thing to realize that Jesus faced like-temptations and succeeded in honoring His Father in the midst of them.
God, focus my heart. Let my will that stands up with its list of “rights” sit back down and be silenced. Thank you for providing us freedom from the hold sin has on us. Teach me how to walk in that freedom. Teach me how to commune with You the way Jesus did. I long to walk alone with you and hear Your voice.
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