Just when we think we’ve made some progress with our innermost shortcomings—our weaknesses and darkest souls—something happens to remind us that we have more work to do, more self examination of our hearts, more humbling, more praying, more asking for God’s help and forgiveness.
The great theologian, Oswald Chambers, wrote about this process:
“Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives.”
Notice that God brings us back over and over again to the same point, that same weakness; but are we willing to actually give it up?
Think about it. Let’s say the Lord is sitting beside you on your bed tonight, and He says to you, “There are a few things we need to talk about.” And He patiently begins to list quite a bit more than you expected. After He is through talking, He then asks you, “So, do you think you’ll be able to give these things up?” What do you think you would say?
I know what I’d say. “You want me to give up ALL OF THESE THINGS?”
The Lord is kind and merciful, and full of compassion and love, but He’s no fool. He is also a judge, and that means when we sin, knowingly, repeatedly, we deserve to be punished. He gives us so many chances, so many ways out of bad situations. But the Lord knows our hearts, and He knows when we really genuinely try to give up things in our lives that are hurtful, sinful, and unhealthy for us and our families.
He’s still sitting beside you on your bed. You can ask Him now. “Take this darkness away from me, cut it out of my heart, Lord, and take it from me! Forgive me for what I have done to shame You, Lord, and please have mercy on me. You know my heart, Lord. Show me what’s wrong, and make me the person You want me to be.”
He’ll walk with you and direct each step. He’ll be your friend, your brother, your father, your counselor, your Spirit guide. He’s God. God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. He will help you. All you have to do is ask. He knows you’re not perfect, and He doesn’t expect you to be perfect. He’s just waiting for you to ask for His help.
The great theologian, Oswald Chambers, wrote about this process:
“Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives.”
Notice that God brings us back over and over again to the same point, that same weakness; but are we willing to actually give it up?
Think about it. Let’s say the Lord is sitting beside you on your bed tonight, and He says to you, “There are a few things we need to talk about.” And He patiently begins to list quite a bit more than you expected. After He is through talking, He then asks you, “So, do you think you’ll be able to give these things up?” What do you think you would say?
I know what I’d say. “You want me to give up ALL OF THESE THINGS?”
The Lord is kind and merciful, and full of compassion and love, but He’s no fool. He is also a judge, and that means when we sin, knowingly, repeatedly, we deserve to be punished. He gives us so many chances, so many ways out of bad situations. But the Lord knows our hearts, and He knows when we really genuinely try to give up things in our lives that are hurtful, sinful, and unhealthy for us and our families.
He’s still sitting beside you on your bed. You can ask Him now. “Take this darkness away from me, cut it out of my heart, Lord, and take it from me! Forgive me for what I have done to shame You, Lord, and please have mercy on me. You know my heart, Lord. Show me what’s wrong, and make me the person You want me to be.”
He’ll walk with you and direct each step. He’ll be your friend, your brother, your father, your counselor, your Spirit guide. He’s God. God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. He will help you. All you have to do is ask. He knows you’re not perfect, and He doesn’t expect you to be perfect. He’s just waiting for you to ask for His help.
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