In recent weeks, actually months, I've been evaluating my relationships. Relationships with old friends, new ones, with family and people I don't even know very well!
I'm realizing that life is just one big process. Whether we believe in God or not, God is ultimately using every moment of our lives to shape us into His image. Although this seems like a "yeah, so?!" kind of concept, it's really clicked with me. Almost like I've been given new eyes into the lives of the people around me!
Here's a little glimpse of my thought process in recent weeks:
If God uses every moment of our lives to shape us into His image, then...
- Who am I to judge where someone is in their spiritual journey?!
My past circumstances have formed me into who I am. Because of them, grace is so real to me! I could name off a list of people who (in my eyes) are making bad decisions in their lives. But...who am I to assume God isn't using their EVERY circumstance to one day reveal Himself to them the way he did for me years ago!! And who's to say they won't appreciate God's grace even 10 times more than I do now, as a direct result of their circumstances NOW!
- I need to love people in a REAL way... NOW!
People HATE fronts. People know when they are being tolerated, and when they're actually being loved! If you think about that for a minute, you know the difference! I tolerate a lot of people. I also love a lot of people. But it's usually the people who I "tolerate" who need to experience God's love most! I've been praying for God to place huge love in my heart for those people. He HAS! In a big , almost scary way!! I truly believe through that love, and through caring for those people in a REAL way, God will use me to open their eyes to the ultimate love of Christ!
- Keep drawing nearer to Jesus.
A long time ago, when I was a Jr. High Small group leader, Todd Tolson took us to a camp where a guy named Jeremy Kingsley taught our kids about knowing God. He said (and I'll never forget) "When we learn about God, we start knowing God. And when we know God, we start loving God. And when we love God, we start loving and caring about the same things God loves and cares about." I think about this often, and I believe that this analogy works in a big spiral backwards when I'm not continually learning about who God is!
- I have a long way to go.
As God has given me this sudden rush of compassion for people, I'm understanding that I too am still in this same process. I can't look into someone's life and pinpoint their "closeness to God", because I don't even know where I am in that process! Isn't the whole thing relative?! My "passion for God" level is based on a meter of the ways I've experienced Him in the past and now. I'd be foolish to think that I know when I've reached my closest proximity to God. Because just like now, when I can feel Him SO near, I hear Him whisper "You have NO idea. Come closer."
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2 comments:
You know, it's interested you included this song- I've listened to it over and over in my car the last 2 weeks and I feel as though, when I'm singing it, that I'm screaming out to God to do just that...COME CLOSER TO ME GOD! God continues to reveal new things in our lives on a daily basis- I need that worship time now so I can learn about God, so I can understand God and in essense come closer and when I'm having a bad day and shy away from his love, I feel like he's drifting farther and farther from me and simply waits for me to scream out "I NEED YOU! COME CLOSER!" Your thoughts in this post only prove that he is coming closer to you and is still working overtime with you, your life, your heart and your family. I love you girl! Thanks for the inspiration!
Homey, I got an idea!
You should go ahead and list on thread
by name...
Who you love
And
Who you tolerate!
It might stimulate some interesting reading for all of us!
Homey Sr.
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