God is not handicapped by our messes. The fact is, he works even in those messes to bring about blessing, new life and transformation. It's not to say that there weren't consequences for our Biblical forefathers just like there are for us. I have countless stories - well, maybe not countless (hopefully, I'm not that big of a mess!) - where God moved mightily in spite of my poor choices. I still had consequences to deal with but the Lord was with me every step; he taught me (huge understatement!), healed me, grew my faith and opened my eyes to deeper issues that he was bringing out of hidden corners into his powerful love and light. I can look back over the years at difficult situations and now describe those as God's classroom. In his sovereign wisdom, he allowed me to experience things that at the time seemed (and were) extremely difficult. In the years since, he has shown me so many things that I learned because he was with me - actively with me - in each and every one. He wasn't standing by as some aloof, uninvolved god. He was active - protecting me, guiding me, speaking to me and teaching me about his power, his presence, his love and forgiveness.
Years before I needed the knowledge and experience gained from a particular lesson, I was being prepared for what was to come; prepared to return the favor, in a way, as a prayer minister who can walk with someone through difficult and painful memories and know with all my heart that God will do just as he promises. He will bring this person through the trials and the pain and he will be glorified. I know truths about the Lord that are deeply embedded in the core of my being. I have seen his power and protection in dark and scary times; his love and forgiveness when I was incapable of mustering up an ounce of forgiveness for wrongs that had been committed. Even when I couldn't think about forgiving, the Lord was leading me to a place where I could be ministered to and brought into a place of healing that allowed his love to remove the pain from the wound that was inflicted, allowing me to truly forgive and pray the Lord's healing and blessing for the person who had wronged me or hurt me.
That's what the transforming power of the Spirit looks like. We're not left in our stuck-place - mired up in anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. When my heart's desire is to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, God sees beyond the crusty layer that's forming over a wounded heart to the hurt and pain that needs his loving touch. He gently - oh, so gently - begins to lift us out of our pit, opening our eyes to the truth of his love that casts out fear, that heals our deepest hurts and is the answer to our deepest needs. Even in our unwillingness, he is bringing us to a place of being willing - being ready - to receive what he has for us. Our crusty, hardened hearts become soft and pliable clay in our Potter's hands and we're molded into the beautiful vessel God is calling us to be. Forgiveness replaces bitterness, love replaces hatred, mercy replaces revenge and we begin to see others in a new light. We begin to see those who once were our enemies as lost sheep in search of their shepherd. And in God's amazing kingdom, we may even be a channel of peace and love to the very one who inflicted the wound.
What if, as we forgave someone or something that seemed unforgiveable, a life was turned around and a lost soul looked into the eyes of the Savior? We don't know what is going on in the "heavenlies"; we can't see the eternal benefits of one act done in obedience and response to our loving God. Just as the proverbial stone tossed into the water causes ripples that go way beyond that first splash, God uses our circumstances in ways far beyond our understanding or ability to see. Just as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob received blessings that pertained to their finite time of earth, the ripples of those blessings continue to this day and beyond. And those blessings weren't contingent on their being perfectly well-behaved citizens. Thank goodness! God worked in and through the lives of those very flawed and sinful men just the same as he works through the life of this very flawed and sinful woman.
I cannot begin to wrap my mind around the ways of the Lord. What I think of as roadblocks to his purposes are the very stepping stones he uses to accomplish his plans. It only goes to show me, once again, how small my view of God is - how limiting.
Lord, continue opening my eyes to your vastness, your sovereignty and holiness! You truly are an awesome God!
No comments:
Post a Comment