11.14.08 Thrive Recap

So I didn't really have a title for what I shared on Friday...like I told everyone who was there, I actually had something else in mind to share but then felt the Lord prompted me to share this (something he had worked on in me the week prior, personally). I had shared with the group that I felt I just needed to be real and share what I was experiencing. Here's the gist:

Last week I was going through some tough things, and while I felt the Lord had really sustained me thus far, I was starting to slip a little. I'm sure you're familiar with the feeling...basically it happens when you hit a dilemma, and work really hard to give it over to God and trust Him with it...so things are good - like sittin on a fluffy cloud, not able to feel one bit of the turbulence. THEN here it comes like a thud in your stomach - DOUBT...insecurity..worry...lots of ways to put it but basically taking it on again instead of committing it to the Lord and trusting Him. There I go, the fluffy cloud gives way and I'm swirling around in the turbulence again. Yep, so that was me last Wednesday. I took my lunch hour to read my Bible and pray, knowing I really needed to take some time to talk to God. During this time I was kinda upset so I asked God to give me just a little tidbit to help get me through...I don't know what I wanted, just something!! I felt God prompt me to go to Psalm 31. Great Psalm, very encouraging. It talks about God being our fortress and rock, and pulling us out of the net. This was good! I could feel my spirit starting to lift, then in verse 5 the words jumped out at me, "Into your hand I commit my spirit...". Most of you probably know where this took me...Jesus quoted these words as he breathed his last breath and died on the Cross. So flipped over to Luke 23:46 (no, I didn't automatically know where it was, I had to look it up :) ) and read that account of Jesus' death. Suddenly, it clicked! God just began to show me that through this time of affliction that I (and others) were experiencing, I was getting a glimpse of what Christ did for us as Paul says in Phil 3:8-10 ...

"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ; the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

At this point I started to weep, just thanking the Lord for what He had done for me and for us! This really put things into perspective for me...that as I "commit my spirit (or whatever I'm dealing with) into His hands" and take part in the "fellowship of His sufferings"...life and resurrection would come from it! That it would no longer be me that lives, but Christ who lives in me! Galatians 2:20 sums it up pretty well -

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

I began to see that though these afflictions and trials are real and hurtful, I can rejoice in the fact that not only am I getting just a taste of the humiliation and pain that Jesus experience, but ALSO my own flesh is going through a crucifixion! As I am crucified with Christ and the flesh is cast away, the resurrection life of Jesus takes its place as I place my faith in Him and wow is that empowering! For me, the flesh in this instance is the need for control, the need to understand, to have resolution. As I die to those things, I am liberated to walk forth in the power of Jesus Christ because of the blood shed for me on the Cross! Not because of my own merit, but because it is by grace we are saved through faith! That faith is so key....we are reminded in Romans 4 that Abraham was counted as righteous not because of what he did, but because of his faith! I want that kind of faith! To have that kind of faith is to continue to trust God through the painful times of personal crucifixion, or dying to the flesh...knowing and having faith that there WILL be resurrection and life abundant as a result! Wow. I needed to hear that desperately. It seems like such an elementary truth, but it was living water to a thirsty soul last week. I looked up the Greek meaning of "commit" in these verses, and one of the definitions said "like food placed on a table". I thought that was cool, it reminded me of when I used to be a waitress at good 'ole Cracker Barrel. When I served a plate of food to a customer, I would never consider coming back while they were in the middle of their meal, and taking the plate of food away from them so that I could eat it myself. That would be crazy! I would've been fired! How many times do I do that with God? Hmm...just some "food" for thought...hehe :)

Let me share one last thing that during that time the Lord really used to put the bow on the package last week. God is so good like that, by the way!! The whole "personal crucifixion" idea is not exactly the most pleasant thing to thing about, because it obviously involves pain. Of course we know that it brings a good end, but it is also tough! But God is so good to give us hope and encouragement to help our poor little minds swallow it! Anyway...back on track. In reading Luke 23:46...the next verse (47) smacked me in the face - in a good way - and gave me just the little spark I needed to start running the race again. Verse 47 -

"So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

WOW. Do you see that?? This centurion is a Roman soldier, quite possibly an unsaved pagan who didn't really understand what was going on. But as he witnessed Jesus' crucifixion and heard His words "into your hand I commit my Spirit"...he ended up praising God!! He suddenly got it - he realized the truth!! I tell you what, THAT is a miracle. And the resurrection hadn't even occurred yet. What this tells me is that as people see us dealing with the trials and difficult times in our life, and see us committing it to the Lord, trusting Him and keeping our chin up, God WILL be glorified! As we allow our flesh to be crucified, keep the faith, and contintually commit things to the Lord, miracles happen! We can also know that life and resurrection WILL occur as we crucify our flesh and through faith allow the Spirit to move in our lives. People are looking for that realness...for people who deal with real, everyday trials and tribulations and yet still are able to have hope, peace, and joy in the midst of it, and come out on the other side victorious.

Needless to say, that put a lil wind in my sails. :) Praise Jesus! Thank you God, You are indeed Mighty to save! May we continue to commit everything in our lives to You, holding fast to our faith...and stand back to see You glorified and move mightily!