In the midst of addressing an issue with my children today, God gave me a visual illustration to use to convey my point.
As I was speaking to them, a scene appeared in my mind of Jesus on the cross in the midst of His suffering. He was looking down at me as I stood at the foot of the cross looking up at Him. Only, I could not gaze up at him for long once I was overcome with the realization that He was watching me, every word, every deed, every choice of action while dying on that cross FOR ME. My guilt caused me to turn away quickly, and bow my head in shame. And yet, He called to me in a faint whisper, "Child, Child...I know, I know it ALL, and I still, in spite of it all, LOVE YOU with my LIFE! Can't you see what I am doing? IT"S FOR YOU! Please look up here. Look in my eyes and see the pain I have for you. You need not be ashamed. You need not hide from me. Look up here and see how much I love you for now and forever." I couldn't bear it. I wanted to look up but something kept me looking down. I was face to face with my redemption, and yet, unable to take a hold of it. WHY?
GUILT. It comes into our lives and eats us alive when we live under the condemnation of its fierce and heavy hand. Guilt blinds us and drives us further from our straight and narrow pathway. It confuses. It discourages. It misleads. It tears us up from the inside out. It is a form of bondage, a very real form of bondage. Clearly, if we are kept in bondage to our guilt, we will hesitate to lay a hold of what has already been set aside for us - freedom from sin. Our Enemy is so keenly aware of our ineffectiveness when we give in to wallowing in our guilt and shame and our false sense of humility and unworthiness. When we get it straight and learn it well, he knows we will not linger in a place of self- destruction. We will be able to live in freedom and accept our imperfections, and yet, we can live with the assurance that we are forgiven; it is forgotten; and, we are still able to glorify God through subsequent choices and actions. We MUST look up, immediately. We MUST look up when He beckons us to. When we hear His faint voice amidst all the chaos in and around us, we MUST look up to see Him and His cross without delay. If we delay, it could cost us dearly.
Much can be said of living the victorious Christian life, but I am concerned that not enough Christians do live in victory. I believe keeping a short list of transgressions with God, a daily confession, a momentary awareness of our words and deeds, is one key to daily living in victory. It is a matter of living like we are victorious, like we have been rescued, like we are dearly and affectionately loved by the the one and only God of the universe! It won't make us perfect this side of heaven, but it will set us free NOT to sin. How can we sincerely proclaim His name while we continue projecting a miserable existence. Is this not a contradiction between what we say we believe and how we live? Where is the joy? Mind you, I did not say happiness!
Once we realize how free we are...free to be and do what our heavenly Father desires, then we will see things and ourselves as He does - forgiven and loved. No longer do we have to do what we loathe or what is contrary to His will. We are no longer condemned and in bondage. And, though it may take some Christians years to realize it, once Jesus saves, there is instantaneous freedom. Learning to live in that freedom is a process. If we live as though we believe our destiny is sin, then, we certainly WILL struggle looking up at the cross.
As I stood at the cross, head bowed and shivering out of fear because of all my shame and guilt, once more I heard Him. However, this time, His voice, no longer a faint whisper, demanded my attention, though I found it strange as He now was even closer to the end of His agonizing experience and impending death. "CHILD, you are MINE and you BELONG to ME! GET UP, LOOK UP, and begin to LIVE like you are FREE, lest all my pain and suffering be taken for granted and you miss what blessings still await you. Look up so all who see you, see me through you. GET UP, LOOK UP and KNOW without one doubt WHO it is you belong to and WHO unconditionally loves you. I am waiting..."
I slowly started moving my head so as to look up as He had requested I do. As I did, I realized that the higher my head was lifted, the easier the movement became until I found myself gazing into his tear-filled eyes and bloodstained face. And, then I remembered, I WAS FREE. My guilt and shame were no more. Since I no longer stood in the way, God could again continue carrying on the business of conducting my sanctification without my self inflicted plan - a plan that involved beating myself up and pulling further away from the one who could actually sanctify me.
Guilt and shame are not of God. Conviction is a healthy response to sin. It helps us recognize we are not on target. But when not addressed in a timely manner, and might I add, with a sense of urgency, conviction can turn into a vicious cycle of guilt and shame...Got conviction? Get confession. Then, move forward...
Philippians 3:13 "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead"
Next time you wonder about your actions, words and deeds or sense any conviction about something you have done that doesn't line up with who you say you are in Christ, LOOK UP, please LOOK UP NOT DOWN. Remember His eyes, the cross, and His love for you. Refuse to use your own brand of sanctification - whatever it might look like. Do not waste one moment stuck in discouragement and defeat...They don't belong to you. Don't hand your victory over to your Enemy. It is yours! You are victorious....SO....live like it!
As I was speaking to them, a scene appeared in my mind of Jesus on the cross in the midst of His suffering. He was looking down at me as I stood at the foot of the cross looking up at Him. Only, I could not gaze up at him for long once I was overcome with the realization that He was watching me, every word, every deed, every choice of action while dying on that cross FOR ME. My guilt caused me to turn away quickly, and bow my head in shame. And yet, He called to me in a faint whisper, "Child, Child...I know, I know it ALL, and I still, in spite of it all, LOVE YOU with my LIFE! Can't you see what I am doing? IT"S FOR YOU! Please look up here. Look in my eyes and see the pain I have for you. You need not be ashamed. You need not hide from me. Look up here and see how much I love you for now and forever." I couldn't bear it. I wanted to look up but something kept me looking down. I was face to face with my redemption, and yet, unable to take a hold of it. WHY?
GUILT. It comes into our lives and eats us alive when we live under the condemnation of its fierce and heavy hand. Guilt blinds us and drives us further from our straight and narrow pathway. It confuses. It discourages. It misleads. It tears us up from the inside out. It is a form of bondage, a very real form of bondage. Clearly, if we are kept in bondage to our guilt, we will hesitate to lay a hold of what has already been set aside for us - freedom from sin. Our Enemy is so keenly aware of our ineffectiveness when we give in to wallowing in our guilt and shame and our false sense of humility and unworthiness. When we get it straight and learn it well, he knows we will not linger in a place of self- destruction. We will be able to live in freedom and accept our imperfections, and yet, we can live with the assurance that we are forgiven; it is forgotten; and, we are still able to glorify God through subsequent choices and actions. We MUST look up, immediately. We MUST look up when He beckons us to. When we hear His faint voice amidst all the chaos in and around us, we MUST look up to see Him and His cross without delay. If we delay, it could cost us dearly.
Much can be said of living the victorious Christian life, but I am concerned that not enough Christians do live in victory. I believe keeping a short list of transgressions with God, a daily confession, a momentary awareness of our words and deeds, is one key to daily living in victory. It is a matter of living like we are victorious, like we have been rescued, like we are dearly and affectionately loved by the the one and only God of the universe! It won't make us perfect this side of heaven, but it will set us free NOT to sin. How can we sincerely proclaim His name while we continue projecting a miserable existence. Is this not a contradiction between what we say we believe and how we live? Where is the joy? Mind you, I did not say happiness!
Once we realize how free we are...free to be and do what our heavenly Father desires, then we will see things and ourselves as He does - forgiven and loved. No longer do we have to do what we loathe or what is contrary to His will. We are no longer condemned and in bondage. And, though it may take some Christians years to realize it, once Jesus saves, there is instantaneous freedom. Learning to live in that freedom is a process. If we live as though we believe our destiny is sin, then, we certainly WILL struggle looking up at the cross.
As I stood at the cross, head bowed and shivering out of fear because of all my shame and guilt, once more I heard Him. However, this time, His voice, no longer a faint whisper, demanded my attention, though I found it strange as He now was even closer to the end of His agonizing experience and impending death. "CHILD, you are MINE and you BELONG to ME! GET UP, LOOK UP, and begin to LIVE like you are FREE, lest all my pain and suffering be taken for granted and you miss what blessings still await you. Look up so all who see you, see me through you. GET UP, LOOK UP and KNOW without one doubt WHO it is you belong to and WHO unconditionally loves you. I am waiting..."
I slowly started moving my head so as to look up as He had requested I do. As I did, I realized that the higher my head was lifted, the easier the movement became until I found myself gazing into his tear-filled eyes and bloodstained face. And, then I remembered, I WAS FREE. My guilt and shame were no more. Since I no longer stood in the way, God could again continue carrying on the business of conducting my sanctification without my self inflicted plan - a plan that involved beating myself up and pulling further away from the one who could actually sanctify me.
Guilt and shame are not of God. Conviction is a healthy response to sin. It helps us recognize we are not on target. But when not addressed in a timely manner, and might I add, with a sense of urgency, conviction can turn into a vicious cycle of guilt and shame...Got conviction? Get confession. Then, move forward...
Philippians 3:13 "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead"
Next time you wonder about your actions, words and deeds or sense any conviction about something you have done that doesn't line up with who you say you are in Christ, LOOK UP, please LOOK UP NOT DOWN. Remember His eyes, the cross, and His love for you. Refuse to use your own brand of sanctification - whatever it might look like. Do not waste one moment stuck in discouragement and defeat...They don't belong to you. Don't hand your victory over to your Enemy. It is yours! You are victorious....SO....live like it!
