Chapter 4:: Appropriating What You Believe

AKA: when the rubber hits the road!!

Stop

When I read this little section on page 52, the words SELF-CONTROL are just glaring at me, begging me to give them a shot! I looked up self-control in the dictionary, this is what it says...  control or restraint of oneself or one's actions, feelings, etc.  How often is 'just stopping' not even an option because we simply can't control ourselves? We aren't able to put the pencil down. We aren't able to shut our mouth because nothing beneficial is coming from it! We aren't able to steer our minds away from every worst-case scenario that could happen. So, how do you gain self-control? Jesus, period. He's our only hope for anything! "After Christ saves us, we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6). We do not have to obey fear & anxiety as if they were our masters. Get off the emotional roller coaster!" (pg. 52) Amen! It's because of Jesus! It's because Jesus not only came that we might be justified (made right with Him), but also that we be sanctified (made more like Him)! Now that's good news!! 


Lord, you know my heart. You know that I'm so quick to give in to fear, anxiety, worry. It simply shows a lack of faith--that I don't trust you. Would you make me self-controlled? I want to be one who is able to just stop, take a deep breath & seek to gain Your perspective. But the first step -- pushing pause -- is sometimes the hardest part. So Lord, would you help me? Change me? Make me more like Yourself? You're self-controlled... would you teach me? 

Refocus

It's often the case that I just need a new pair of glasses. They're fogging up... things are getting a little blurry... or there's a glaring crack strait down the middle! It's ONLY by the grace of God that He lets us see from His perspective... that He gives us a glimpse of Himself & of what's to come -- an eternal perspective! So often I find myself holding --every so tightly-- onto something, someone, a situation, a thought, whatever it might be... Step 1 (stop) might mean looking down at my hands & recognizing there's a problem... I'm clenching onto something of this earth and it's idolatry! Step 2 (refocus) might look like loosening my grip, opening up my palms & offering that something, someone, or whatever it is to the Lord. It's humbling to read the section in Hebrews 11 & realize that, "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." Wow. They got it! It wasn't about them... it was about the Story God's writing throughout all of history. From Genesis to Revelation -- that's what it's really about! 


Lord I want to really consider myself a stranger on this earth, constantly looking toward my heavenly home, my eyes fixed on you. Why would I seek things on earth? I've died & my life is hidden with Christ in God! This reminds me of the C.S. Lewis quote-- I'm far too easily pleased. (pg. 39) Sometimes I just don't get it. I'm so entertained by the things of this world, even entertained by the worries of this world -- I'm far too easily pleased! Lord would YOU capture my heart? Would you give me an eternal perspective? Would you burn into my heart & my mind that YOU are the strength of my heart & my portion forever (ps. 73)? God, I thank you & rejoice that You're patient with me! You know, & yet You love me all the same. Your love & acceptance of me is not dependent on my ability, or lack there of, to be self controlled or to fix my eyes on you... but it's out of deep love for me that You long to guide me into something sooooo much better. You're so good to me!!

Practice

Let's be honest, I feel like the 'Practice' section is the same as the 'Refocus' one! Maybe it's just reinforcing the fact that this is an on-going process. It's done daily, even moment by moment & often at a time when your journal & pen aren't conveniently prepared to receive the dump truck full! Life gets hard! Love the illustration on page 56... "When my two dogs get excited, usually due to the presence of a cat or squirrel in their vicinity, they do not respond to anything I say. Often the only option I have for getting their attention is to grab their little chins & turn their faces back toward me. Only then do they get the message I am trying to communicate. Similarly, when I get excited and consumed by the emotional roller coaster of life, I need to figuratively grab my chin and turn my head back toward God. I need an eternal perspective that sees God as the ultimate reality. All else will pale in comparison when viewed against the backdrop of his eternal purposes." Amen! 


So what about you? Are their areas in your life, or situations you currently find yourself in that you need to stop & refocus? Get before the Lord... He looooooongs to meet you right where you're at & just love on you!


Many of the things God's teaching me as I've gone through this book line up & actually build upon what He's been teaching me the past couple months.  I recently read a book called Jesus + Nothing = Everything... I wrote on my blog about some things the Lord was teaching me through that book (strikingly similar to what He's teaching me here!). If you're interested... here's a link to my blog!