Lots of things have been going on in my life this week, not the least of which is the sale of our old house falling through. It was for the best, but of course I'm anxious and a bit frustrated about the whole situation.
Nevertheless, I take great comfort in these words from the Lord Most High:
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)
"Hello???" you say. "What the heck does that have to do with not selling your house?!"
Well, for one thing, it reminds me that I have been created for His purpose, and that His purpose cannot be frustrated. It may not be revealed to me, it may seem like it's delayed, it may appear contrary to all human sensibilities - but it is His purpose, and He will perform it. So these set-backs and irritations, as I see them in my life, must therefore be within His plan for my life.
I may not (I'm certainly not!) be His best servant, but I know that "...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." I know that His purpose is to make me like His Son - and that's not always an easy thing. And yet, through all my faults and failures - which are many - He has promised to finish His work in me.
Another way this comforts me is the reminder of where I was, and where I'm going. I was dead. I was helpless. I was cast off. I was headed for the condemnation of God's wrath.
Yet now, I am adopted into His family, I have His power in my life, and I am alive with true life in Him. I am no longer under the terror of eternity; I can only be subject to the disappointment and discipline of my perfect and loving Father, not the eternal judgement and wrath of the Sovereign King. I am free to make my mistakes and to fail, because I can run to my true Dad and ask for forgiveness and help.
And yet, because I know His great love and care for me, I long to serve Him and obey Him in joy and thanksgiving for all His great grace to me. I'm not a servant, I'm family!
Finally, this passage from the Greatest of Books comforts me because it tells me that it's not about me. I have been saved by His grace, which gave me my faith. It is nothing of myself - how can a corpse do anything? - but He made me alive to Him, called me to Him, and brought me in to His family.
It is He.
(...and I know that looks grammatically odd, but it's the proper form. Trust me.)
Looking at all those things, how can I not be comforted? How can I not trust myself to my Father, to do with me as He wills? Whatever comes from His hand, I know that He will glorify Himself and teach me to be more like His Son.
And so I remember
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Thank You, Lord, for Your grace and for Your discipline. Your ways are not ours, and Your thoughts are higher than ours - and yet, You are altogether good, loving, righteous, and holy.
Thanks for reading my little wrestle with God, a little window in my earnest struggle for the Faith given to me. I offer it in humbleness, hoping that God may use it to help some other of His children, as it has helped me.
(Crossposted at the Wide Awakes)
