Ever onward into chapter 24 of Thin Within by Arthur and Judy Halliday!
I found this chapter encouraging and very practical. I don’t know about you, but I have found myself challenged in a new way to maintain my resolve to godly boundaries that will help me to accomplish the godly goals that God moved me to establish at the beginning of June.
During the past week, I have found myself being challenged emotionally and spiritually from sources that I had thought I never would. It is disheartening, disquieting and extremely challenging in a new way.
God wants me to cling to him, cling to him, cling to him. In humility, I do that. When I don’t cling to him, it is because I have allowed pride to rise up in me to say “I know best how to handle this!” or “I deserve to be comforted!” or some such malarkey! God is growing me to see how subtly pride can continue to filter into my responses to people and situations.
I am reminded by the authors that:
…the most effective forming and shaping of our character takes place during times of suffering. Thin Within, page 254
At least I am encouraged that my character must really be getting “shaped and formed” right now! LOL! sigh…
I love the reminder that it isn’t my job to release weight. Instead, it is my responsibility to be in relationship with God and to seek His guidance. (page 258).
As I make GOD my priority, drawing close to Him, praising, thanking, giving gratitude to Him, as I continue to pursue a heart of constant forgiveness (something I have an opportunity to do lately), then I am fulfilling that to which HE calls. HE will do the rest! The pressure is off!
If you are doing the study with us, I hope that you did the activity on pages 260-261. This is where the rubber hits the road! I have included as some of my action steps that I will incorporate an additional “check in with God” time mid-afternoon. My morning quiet times always nourish and focus me on the Lord, but by mid-day, I am off track, my thinking is skewed and I have my shorts in a bunch about something. :-/ So, maybe if I just mentally “start my day” about 2pm with a quiet time and a shower 🙂 I will have the mercies that are new every day begin again about the time I usually start falling to pieces.
Anyhow, I plan to give that a try. I know it has helped me in the past. If nothing else, I will take some time to refocus. To fix my eyes on Jesus…
How about you? What action steps are you going to take to really work toward change? What adjustments to your godly goals do you feel the Lord leading you to make? What babysteps can you take to get there within the next couple of weeks?
Let’s not give up! He is doing a work in our character. Let’s welcome that. Let’s take on our responsibility to connect with God, to obey Him, to repent when necessary and to fix our eyes on Him…to maintain our relationship with the Lover of our Souls. We can leave the rest to Him to take care of! 🙂
