Frozen

One of my favorite authors once said, "An integral part of Satan's deceptive scheme is to convince humankind of the lie that our behavior determines our value." Try closing your eyes and think of a time you demonstrated the most horrendous behavior. Now, imagine being in the crowd that beheld God hanging from the cross as those around you spit curses in disgust at the One who saved many but refused to save Himself. What happens next? Did God forsake those who hated Him? Did their evil behavior change God? Luke 23:34, "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing.'"...

No matter what we do or say or think, it will not, cannot change God. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8. So don't be carried away with strange teachings that suggest that God can be manipulated (pleased) by acting "good." He sees us as we are and won't feed us a line - in other words, God can be and is brutally honest with the state of our nature. He encourages us to live in reality and longs to show reality to those (which is most of the human race by the way) who are under the Adversaries "spell."

Galatians 5 instructs us to live by the Holy Spirit's power but how does one do that? I mean, we can know that God loves us and even agree that His ways make sense and adore the principles of His government but then all of the sudden we feel as though we've hit a brick wall. Our once articulate prayers, seem to bounce off the sky back into our lap and in silence we sulk or dive into deep despair. Galatians 5:13 says,"...you were chosen to be free. But don't use your freedom as an excuse to live in sin. Instead, serve one another in love." Ah ha! There it is! We were chosen to be free! We have been handed a responsibility to live accountable lives and that is good news!

Contrary to what Satan tells us, we are not slaves to poor choices and we are not forever train wrecks because we made them. "Yes, but I am still struggling with x,y, and z - why is it that even though I've devoted myself to truth I still struggle?" How many of us have asked that question?! Vs. 17 tells us, "The sinful nature does not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the sinful nature delights in. The two are at war with each other. That's what makes you do what you don't want to do." And since God created us, He knows better than anyone what makes us tick, what damages us, what heals us and how long it will take. Your healing process (what some refer to as sanctification) is not on any timeline other than yours and the Master Physician's - not your neighbor's, brother's, pastor's, priest's, or church's - period.

Did God promise us that when we chose to apply truth to our minds that our past would magically evaporate? That we would suddenly desire to read the bible hours on end and sing hymns of praise no matter what trial lay before us? Number one, God is not into lobotomies. He is into taking His hurting children as they are and whispering all His love into their aching ears and telling them they are worthy of 100% of His attention and tender care. But He won't force us to heal and like the words penned by Belgian songwriter Salvatore Acquaviva, "You're frozen... when your heart's not open" it is true, when we are not willing to admit we are in need of a doctor, we become immobilized and incapable of receiving the antidote for sin. Do you wish to be healed of the damage done so you can experience all the love God has in store for you? Galatians 5:24 says,"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful nature to his cross. They don't want what their sinful nature loves and longs for." Perhaps you are one of those people Paul refers to in this passage, tired of doing things as you've always done them and witnessing the same harmful results over and over and want to change. Good! You can begin your treatment as soon as right now!

When you are enveloped in one of those moments (or weeks) where it seems as though God has departed from you, rely not on your feelings but on what you know to be true. Remember God's own words, "I will never leave you. I will never desert you." Deut. 31:6 and also, "The Lord helps me. I will not be afraid." Psalm 118:6. Hide these promises in your heart and never let go for in them, darkness is disspelled and dawn will break.