There is much that has been on my heart the
past few weeks as I have thought and prayed about my own spiritual life
and have been examining different aspects of it, realizing ever more
that I am not where I should be. I was seeing how I had become
complacent in some areas, and how various things in my life that I was
struggling with, while seemingly unrelated, stemmed from a similar root:
self-focus. Self truly is an enemy to be continually fought and
defended against! I find that it likes to rear its ugly head when the
busyness of life creeps in or when I am tired or am struggling with my
emotions.
The struggle to
overcome it when tried in one’s own strength is wearisome and unfruitful
at best. (speaking from experience here. :) Yet resting in Christ’s
lovingkindess and in His strength and love brings such a change! Simply
changing my focus from self and earthly things to my dear Savior,
showers down the peace and the joy that were lacking. Through a heart
and mind “set on things above” one’s outlook is so different!
When looking at things through a heart of surrender to Christ with the
desire to serve Him as opposed to a heart of self, how different is
one’s love and service to others!
It
is amazing how swiftly the change to resting in Christ can take place –
yet it is through an effort . . . and a continual, conscious, and
persevering effort. That seems a little contradictory doesn’t it? Effort
and rest at the same time? But the two seem to go hand in hand. As we
put forth the spiritual effort and make the choice to surrender
ourselves and to rest in Christ, then He can fill our hearts with
Himself and His rest . . . the Holy Spirit and the “impulse of His love”
will be what moves our hearts, our hands, our feet, our words.
As
I read in my Bible yesterday morning, so much was speaking to my heart.
Yet one particular passage especially so as it held in it the beautiful
example of the Lord Jesus. It is speaking of when Christ will return
and when He has “put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25.) And then it goes on to say . . .
“When
all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be
subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be
all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:28
Christ
Himself, the Son of God, the Savior, Redeemer, the Lamb, the One who is
holy and true, the Perfect One, the Alpha and Omega . . . subjecting
Himself to the Father.
What an example . . . what a humbling example our Savior is to us. Can we do any less than to surrender our poor, sinful (yet redeemed!), weak beings to Him?
Sweet surrender . . . it is indeed that. Not always easy, but the fruit reaped is without a doubt, very sweet.
-Posted by Sarah
