It's a scary thing to lose sight of love. It's happened to me and it will happen again. All perspectives get thrown off course. It's as if we are looking through someone else' eyes and we feel lost.
Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 16:13 to be on guard. What is your "on guard" trigger?
Ego
Perfection
Self - gratitfication
A critical heart
Laziness / complacency
Worry
Fear
Gossip
Comparing
I guess I can go on, but you know what I mean. We all have trigger points that set us off the preferred path. Some, we constantly battle; while others suddenly pop up. That's why it's so important to guard our hearts. We don't want to fuel the negative fire to go any further.
Pastor David mentioned the other night, "Love must surround everything we say and do". I know that's the cry of my heart. To be on guard takes discipline to set our minds on things above .... no matter what the circumstance. God won't give us more than His grace can't handle. It will take courage. It will take strength. But if we keep at it and don't quit, we will be steady on our feet and kept completely whole. (Isaiah 26:3)
So .... "Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done with love." (1 Cor. 16:13
Amen. This is amazing. I love it and your bravery and heart to teach and share Gods truth. It IS such a beautiful thing to take in and so inspiring. Well done, I say but know God is saying this over you and will continue.
ReplyDeleteThink this is something so many, even in the church forget or say struggle with or don't take seriously. We must, need to be alert, on call, guard, mindful, watchful. Were called, to Go, do, Be LIGHTS! His light not a light to shine on or towards us, self. One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes to mind, now: Habakkuk 2:1-3
"I WILL Stand MY Watch (be alert, on guard, target, ready...) and set myself on the rampart, and WATCH to see what He will say to me and what I will answer when I am corrected. Then the Lord answered me and said "write down the vision and make it PLAIN on tablets that he may run who reads it." vs3.)For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries wait for it, because it will surely come. It will not lie.
This is still our mission and what we should desire to do and grow in God. Then we can say with all heart and conviction "look how far I have come, look how far He has brought me." Love you!! Keep writing and performing for Father; know you are, will!!
When I read some of your examples of triggers I recognized I've experienced them all and more. I was thinking...I'm going to need an army to help me guard against my triggers. Perhaps that wasn't such a bad idea. I could invite my Christian family to help me fight by encouraging them to love me enough to share when these defeating triggers become evident in my life and in my spirit. Yes, I thought, that's what I need...an army of love to help me fight that which can steal my love for God. How many times have I said I love you to someone with a thousand things running through my head at the same time? Has my love become just a word, has it lost its spiritual connection? Its time for me to be "on guard," watchful for triggers that begin to emerge, and "en garde," ready to fight to eliminate them. Thank you God for loving me...not in spite of my faults, but because of who I am...your child. Thank you Beth for your spiritual insight and beautiful gift of love in every word.
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