Right now, you may have a bunch of issues overwhelming you. You may feel defeated by the way you live. You may be using camouflage to keep people from seeing these parts of your life.(Religion is one example, but another is being socially outgoing or its opposite—being very private; or being indispensable and handy so no one will ask questions; or controlling people and information; or putting on a happy face. Smokescreens come in numerous forms.) But you know the hidden issues slip out. And if no one else knows, your family does. Moreover, you yourself have a backstage view of yourself. You know the truth. You see no way to fix yourself. The idea of becoming whole seems laughable to you.
Coming to know the depths of God’s love for you is essential to have the courage to go on. Failing to believe the truth of this fact is at the center of why you struggle with trusting God with your life.
Perhaps you do find this truth hard to believe. Your inner voice may tell you that God is not all that pleased with you. One person I know told me that for many years she thought God must be disgusted with her for all the ways she failed to measure up to His standards. You might even think God has it in for you, that He really does not want you to succeed in your life. While I cannot sweep away these lies for you, I can affirm that God’s love for you is deeper and more amazing than you can imagine. You will find as you come to know Him better that His love contains the power you need to address your unfinished business.
This is why the gospel is good news. God has not made His transformation of you dependent on your own puny strength. Out of His love God has given you everything you need to be saved from the power of sin…everything you need to be transformed…everything you need to address your unfinished business.
This is not something that God will give you later on when you have become a good person. The power to be transformed was gifted to you from the instant God made your spirit alive. Otherwise transformation would be impossible. Note how Peter said in his second letter. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). What is he saying? That there is nothing you lack to be made whole from the corruptions in the world. You have been empowered through your connection with God in such a complete way that you no longer have to continue to live being damaged and damaging others. Note that this is based on God’s promises, not just on Peter’s wishful thinking.
Paul expands on this theme in Titus 2:11-14. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” What does this mean for you? It means you are already ready to deal with your unfinished business. The underlying power for this is the grace of God “that brings salvation and teaches us to say, “NO.” What you need to see right now is that you have everything you need from God to be made whole. You do not need to wait for something. You don’t have to pray for it. You don’t have to pay your dues to the Lord. You don’t have to read the Bible more. You don’t have to wait for someone to come and lay hands on you. God has already given it to you. The issue is that you must appropriate—grab and use—what God has already given you.
Explore the journey.
More about this in my book….
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