Back to Gethsemane
The internal workings of our souls are hidden from us, unless the light of His Spirit reveals them. He exposed some things in me to show me that they were getting in the way of the work He wants to do. I was surprised that these seemingly "good" things could interfer in any way. To explain what they were, I will call them "emotional idols" or "human longings."
First of all, these desires were something that were driving my very existence, on a deep level that I didn't even realize. I will list them:
1) I have wanted my husband to love me with a perfect love.
2) I have wanted other people to never be angry with me.
3) I have wanted agreement from other people to make me feel secure and accepted by them.
4) I have wanted other people to draw me out by asking my thoughts and feelings about things.
5) I have wanted to be loved no matter how I behaved towards others.
6) I have wanted others to take the first step in having a relationship. (Afterall, didn't they know I was shy and insecure?)
These are just a few of the expectations of my heart which I have "held out for" as I journeyed through life. Only problem was that they got in the way of God's desires to have His way in me and it causes me to have ill feelings towards others whenever they didn't live up to the standards which I thought I so desperately needed and couldn't live without. Of course, I was living without them, because people aren't going to relate to me the way that I want (or expect or demand) them to. It obviously created much disharmony, not only in me, but also in my relationships. Most importantly, though, it has put these immense walls up, (which I unknowingly refused to let go of) that has greatly hindered the work of God in me.
I was recently sharing with a friend about how God, through His Spirit, has highlighted a certain Scripture for me. It was, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus......" He said that the word "let" meant to "not hinder" the mind of Christ which is in us. I've been meditating on that for a couple of weeks now, and with that, He was able to show me my "emotional idols" which were doing just that. By me holding onto these desires, which I felt I needed to survive, I was hindering the mind of Christ, which I have available in me. Plainly, it caused me to focus on myself, and what I thought I needed, and then, what I didn't have causing a sadness, resulting from "hope being deferred" time and time again. Only problem was that my hope was in the wrong things. Oh, to come to the point to put all our hope in Christ!!!
The Scripture goes on to say that this mind of Christ was one of Him humbling himself, being completely obedient to death. As long as I was trying to hold onto these idols, I couldn't let His will be done in me, because I was wanting my will!!!
I'm grateful for His discerning eye to help me see, and His precision timing and wisdom. I find it amazing that He knows when to reveal something to us, and that He is the one who has worked in us for us to be able to accept what He shows us.
He only asks us to "let go" when He shows us these hidden things, and then trust Him to do the work. Since He's shown me these things and I have offered them to Him, I am beginning to see His fountain flowing in and through me. He is indeed at work in me "to will and to act according to His good pleasure. "
First of all, these desires were something that were driving my very existence, on a deep level that I didn't even realize. I will list them:
1) I have wanted my husband to love me with a perfect love.
2) I have wanted other people to never be angry with me.
3) I have wanted agreement from other people to make me feel secure and accepted by them.
4) I have wanted other people to draw me out by asking my thoughts and feelings about things.
5) I have wanted to be loved no matter how I behaved towards others.
6) I have wanted others to take the first step in having a relationship. (Afterall, didn't they know I was shy and insecure?)
These are just a few of the expectations of my heart which I have "held out for" as I journeyed through life. Only problem was that they got in the way of God's desires to have His way in me and it causes me to have ill feelings towards others whenever they didn't live up to the standards which I thought I so desperately needed and couldn't live without. Of course, I was living without them, because people aren't going to relate to me the way that I want (or expect or demand) them to. It obviously created much disharmony, not only in me, but also in my relationships. Most importantly, though, it has put these immense walls up, (which I unknowingly refused to let go of) that has greatly hindered the work of God in me.
I was recently sharing with a friend about how God, through His Spirit, has highlighted a certain Scripture for me. It was, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus......" He said that the word "let" meant to "not hinder" the mind of Christ which is in us. I've been meditating on that for a couple of weeks now, and with that, He was able to show me my "emotional idols" which were doing just that. By me holding onto these desires, which I felt I needed to survive, I was hindering the mind of Christ, which I have available in me. Plainly, it caused me to focus on myself, and what I thought I needed, and then, what I didn't have causing a sadness, resulting from "hope being deferred" time and time again. Only problem was that my hope was in the wrong things. Oh, to come to the point to put all our hope in Christ!!!
The Scripture goes on to say that this mind of Christ was one of Him humbling himself, being completely obedient to death. As long as I was trying to hold onto these idols, I couldn't let His will be done in me, because I was wanting my will!!!
I'm grateful for His discerning eye to help me see, and His precision timing and wisdom. I find it amazing that He knows when to reveal something to us, and that He is the one who has worked in us for us to be able to accept what He shows us.
He only asks us to "let go" when He shows us these hidden things, and then trust Him to do the work. Since He's shown me these things and I have offered them to Him, I am beginning to see His fountain flowing in and through me. He is indeed at work in me "to will and to act according to His good pleasure. "
posted by Patti Blount @ 6:27 AM
2 Comments:
At 9/18/2009 7:42 AM ,
Anonymous said...
Patti, We all have some if not all of these thoughts at some time. We strive for perfection in things and people around us. Well that probably will never happen in this life.So what do we do? Romans 12:1-2 Tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This means we yield to the Holy Spirit and let Him fix us. We can't fix others so we have to let that be kept in Gods hands. All we can do is be the witness of the newness of life in us through the Holy Spirit. Also II Corinthians says when these thoughts come we need to cast them down and bring our thoughts captive to the mind of Christ.Very good article and thanks for being open and honest. That is why most of us never grow in Christ is we never make ourselves vulnerable to others but seek to build ourselves up. I struggle daily with this issue because I wasn't taught that way. Society messes people up. Especially in this country and in our holier than thou bless me God I'm saved society.Just let go and let God as you say.
God bless! bill4367@bellsouth.net
At 10/20/2009 3:00 PM ,
Chris said...
Reminds me of another place where I had read in the Bible where people were looking at themselves and not having the mind of Christ.
This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” Jn 6:58,61-66.
It is the mind of Christ and the drawing of the Spirit that keeps us in "check" with our true self (flesh) and what God's will is for us. People are always wanting what's easier. Where the rubber meets the road,(should I say, where the nail meets the hand), when people decide to put away those things they're more attracted to and actually follow Christ, then the blessing is going to be there. To really walk the road to Damascus takes great spiritual discipline, in which is why I agree that no one can do it without the mind of Christ. Great point and revelation.
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