If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes His steps firm; though He stumble, He will not fall, for the Lord upholds Him with His hand. Ps. 37:23,24
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters…He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because He delighted in me. 2 Sam. 22:17,20
Submit to God and be at peace with Him. Job. 22:21
I have been struggling with an issue all week that threatens to pull me away from God. My online friend was asking about progressive sanctification, or the process of making holy (http://spiritualbattleground.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/psalm-1197/), and I think I’m living her question.
I have felt bad all week about allowing this issue to control me, to allow something to come before God. I have felt like such a failure. But this morning, I finally realized that I can’t conquer this. I have tried, and I am not succeeding. I have proved it to myself. I am in over my head. I already knew that I cannot conquer sin myself, but somehow it is so easy to forget in the middle of a trial. It is so easy to get off-base. God has allowed this situation and has put me in these deep waters. My only hope for rescue is in Him, assuring that He gets the glory.
He woke me this morning at 4 am to deal with it. I struggled and was frustrated with my inability to conquer this problem and, as a result, to be close to Him. Finally, I spread my arms and legs out on my bed, like the African missionary described in “Reflecting God’s Love Back to Him”. I told God that my life was His to do with as He pleased, that my struggles and my idols are His to deal with as He sees fit. Then I felt His pleasure. I felt His much needed joy. I can’t sanctify myself. Only He can. My only job is to submit to Him and allow Him to work in me. That is what He expects from me, and that is what pleases Him.
After submitting, He rescued me. Then I was able to enjoy Him again. I dozed back off to sleep, and felt such a contentedness at being at peace with Him and in His Presence. Even in the midst of my struggle, even before He has conquered it, it was His great joy to lavish His love on me, undeservedly.
I can’t fix this problem. Only He can. His is in control. He is even in control of my weaknesses, and sins, and the trials I am allowed to experience. And He is able to keep me from falling. He can guide me safely out of the deep waters as He teaches me to overcome. He knows I will fail more than I succeed in the beginning, but the important thing is I am submitting, so He can change me.
That’s all I can do is submit, as He works in me to do what I cannot, bringing me close and sanctifying me.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!...I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isa. 43:18,19
Hi!
I just happened to stumble upon your blog and feel impressed upon my heart to share a Word which I trust the Holy Spirit will minister to you through this :)
2 Corinthians 12: 8-10
Be blessed!
2 Cor. 12:8-10: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
That is a great verse! I definitely feel weak, and God is my strength. All the more reason I need to depend on Him! Thank you for your comment.
I was talking to my friend yesterday about this very issue.
Our conversation turned to the fact that the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, the adversary condemns… and, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. God bless you my sister.
Excellent point Anonymous! I don’t know that I have ever thought of it that way before.