I am good at organizing my faith. It means I line up all the little pieces of my life in a straight line and expect them to fall like perfect dominos.
I expect my plans to fall into place.
I expect that the dominos will hit the ground – and not me as I sin.
I expect that my perfectly placed pieces will keep my faith in a straight line.
Perhaps, this is why I feel so devastated, so demolished and so pushed over when I do wrong. It is as if all my attempts to control my faith, my sin and my progress press on my shoulders, compacted and ruined.
It’s nearly back-breaking.
How can God’s ways be light when this work seems so hard?
Is this light-load wording really even truth?
Because if it is, I am living by a lie. Again and again, my faith falls and I do too.
But, what if? What if? I am looking at everything all wrong?
What if my inability to carry, isn’t so much because of him – but, because of me?
One with the weight of shame,
can’t really pass out the grace of Christ.One whose hands cover her face,
can’t let God hold her hand.One who laying down in despair,
can’t see up in hope.One lining everything up,
can’t help but take everything personally when it all falls down.
And, in a heart-pumping way, I can’t help but think, maybe this line of thinking is real progress.
Because my way = the wrong way.
God’s way = a chance to see his work at play.
God’s way is his Word and it restructures our approach:
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. . . Jude 1:24
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God. Jude 1:20
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Luke 17:5
And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace. Lu. 7:50
He makes us stand before his presence.
He grants us joy.
He keeps us from stumbling.
He holds us in the love of God as we pray in the Spirit.
He increases our faith as we ask him.
He makes our faith win when we rely on him.
We don’t need us, we just need him. We don’t need strategy, we just need prayers. We don’t need plans, we just need the Spirit. We don’t need holy roller practices, we just need help.
Every time, we need his help.
All the time, we need his help.
Every hour, we need his help.
Bottom line, as our heart cries out for faith by his Spirit, he will keep us and help us. He makes our load light as we lay our load on him.
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Kelly, I soooo relate to your posts! Thank you for putting into words what I could never express and encouraging me to carry on in His mighty love and care. ♡
You bet! It is a joy to share my heart and his truth that changes it all.
I’ve been working on learning that God is enough. Thank you for being Gods helper today.
Thank you Jenny!
Wow! Provocative title sure hooked me!
Thank you for your real words — written from the heart!
I am so glad it caught your attention Michele. Thank you for joining me today.
Such a powerful word today. Because my way= the wrong way. so stuck a chord in me when I read it…. “If only God would do it the way I had it all planned out” – yep that is something I used to say – so crazy right? right – but we do it anyway. My take away – Bottom Line – “He’s got this!” I need to let Him and let go of my stuff, my way. Thanks for hosting and encouraging!
Praise God that he is alive and active and speaking to us all. I love sharing what he is sharing in me; best gift of my life. Thanks for joining and commenting Debbie!
Thanks once more Maite Kelly, your words just goes straight into my heart. Stay blessed as you bless many. …I love you!
hank you Sally! Let’s keep on blessing!
Thanks for sharing your heart. Honest and true words! God Bless, Lisa:)
You bet. Thank you Lisa.
I think this is real progress. It’s so great when we begin to see how He is working in our lives, how our hearts are maturing and beating more in line with His. I just left a conference and normally I would come home and try to line up all my dominoes. But instead, I’m just keeping my eyes focused on Him to lead my way, trusting that He will show me which way to move. So much better to follow His plans.