'Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”'
(Revelation 21:5)
Where do I start, dear Reader, with the outworking of such an awesome truth as this? And the answer is always the same when I ask BIG questions! Here! Now! This is where the Holy Spirit of Truth is ALIVE, and witnessing to the grace of Christ, making all things new. I have no future but in Christ, and that depends on my trust in Him right now. I need to constantly surrender my thinking.
So dear Reader I welcome the trials of each day, as they make opportunities for new growth! Despite, and because of the puppy which has now been part of my routine for a week, I need to use every grace He has taught me, to allow Him to bring Light into my darkness. For example, irritation which rises, with another mess to clear up, or changing half-hearted training attempts, into fully focussed play and engaging with her, to give her quality play, and training time! Had I ignored her? been too busy and not planned for her play-time when she made a mess?
Each new day builds on what He has purified, brought to the Light or given/done the previous day. Its like living with Life stepping stones - with the Holy Spirit a flowing stream washing and cleansing each step and providing all that is needful to amend and change my vision, aims, purposes!! And in amending and purifying my Heart everything is getting changed, day by day.
Through Him my past is not the same story as before. Instead of grumbling and blaming and wanting to shame...I give glory to God for the gift of all these trials and the wonder of how these brought me closer to God, and others, and to know His ways. Instead of wanting to be my own judge and jury and condemn everything I did or thought, (or make excuses with false gods) I find balance, understanding, compassion, and knowledge of 'times and purposes' in God's Ways and Life. I therefore can 'love my neighbour as myself' with understanding and forebearance and Love.
Instead of seeing any suffering in my heart as God punishing me, I recognise that I had been praying for the broken hearted, and this suffering - in Christ - may be a gift for some broken-hearted person who needs to face and overcome their pain, but cannot do it alone. So I see this 'agony' aligned with Christ who bore our sins. But I totally trust in God the Father for resurrection and redemption and I do not get anxious.
Whenever I feel 'a burden' - ie heaviness in my Heart - I pray and take the burden to the Cross of Christ, and confess my pride, or the false god I was seeking to serve. I had failed to lean on the Father and turn immediately to Him in humility with my sense of need - the Father promises to provide for our needs and ...indeed Jesus said, 'My yoke is easy; my burden is Light.' He only did what he saw the Father doing or what the Father told Him to do. So as we grow in Christ, the heaviness is lifted, and even when there is a lot of work to be done, in Christ, there is neither stress, strain nor pride. We know indeed that He is God.
In focussing on the here and now, it seems that it is very lowly things that are being changed. Yet in the hear and now are: the way we attend to our world and the people; our actions and purposes; our use of language and non-verbal communication with our bodies; our ability to perceive at all levels, including listening to the events of the world, and the voice of the people around us. Yet in being willing to be changed in all of these things we also begin to hear deep in our hearts the Voice/s of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Prayer by prayer, our Hearts and Souls are being restored to their Oneness in Christ (our True Selves made in God's Image). Our vision is changed; our purposes are renewed- and even the gifts that we were given early in our lives are renewed to fulfil new provision. As the Holy Spirit becomes embodied in us, more and more, we find all the 'grit' of our lives bathed in the grace and Love of Christ, and it becomes a seed pearl... if we are willing to persevere in love it will become a Pearl. And to God be the glory.
So dear Reader...don't be afraid of all your challenges, embrace them in Christ. Let Him into EVERY sense of pain and loss to continue to allow Him to lead you on those stepping stones being bathed in the Holy Spirit of love. If you want to read more about this process, go to 'Treasures of Darkness: Facing Pain and Finding the Light'
https://overcoming.live/treasures-of-darkness/. This book is the first of a Trilogy called, 'He Heals the Broken Hearted'.
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