When I was in martial arts, I would go to class sometimes twice daily!
Why? Because I wanted to be strong, and I wanted to know how to fight. I did not want to go watch. I would not settle for being a spectator.
When all we do is go to church one day a week, ( ohhh I can already hear mummers... not me, I go to Bible study also) when all we do is go to a service one day a week, and MAYBE Bible study or prayer, all we are doing is being a spectator at a sporting event.
Who are you able to share YOUR insight with? Who is in our lives that we can really talk about what's going on, without fear of being judged by the "church?"
Do we all have people we can feel safe with? Are we willing to do what it takes to be safe for someone else? People who champion you? People who see the Jesus in you, and help become who you were made to be?
Do we have pastors watching over our souls? Or do we have people standing in the pulpit, who sometimes are NOT EVEN CHRISTIANS, preaching the GOSPEL?! MY LORD?!!
THIS is discipleship, and it happens at a very personal, very intimate level.
Are we ready and willing to be people like this, so others can grow? Are we ready to be like Paul in prison, who understands it was better he stay living so his people could grow, over his own desires?!
And, are we ready, also, to be discipled? We need each other.
Is this easy to do? NO!! It takes everything in me to submit more and more to His leadership, there are still wounds in all of us that we need healing for, it does not mean we cannot come along others, just because we are being sanctified, we are always going to be in the process. Are we willing to let the Lord disciple us? What does that even look like? I think it looks like, being honest with the Lord, and ourselves, I get to let the Lord show me where I have wounds from living in this world, past and present, future as well.
God is not angry at us for our wounds, He is only interested in seeing us become whole and healthy, and walk in our calling. He loves us, and He wants what is best for us.
I like to say it this way. If I'm a table manufacturer and I state on my web site this table can hold 1,000 lbs., then I would not just throw it on the market without testing it would I? My reputation as a table manufacturer would be ruined!! I want to test it to make sure it does what I created it to do. Hold 1,000 lbs. I'm not mad at the table if it cannot hold the full weight of the table. I have to put it through a series of tests, putting 500 lbs. 800 lbs. even 1300 lbs. to find out where the tables integrity is not as strong as it needs to be, in order to hold the full weight. I'm not mad at the table for buckling under the weight, but it shows me where, and what area of the table needs to be strengthened, so it CAN hold the full weight.
So, this is how it is with the Lord Jesus, It is His reputation, and His name at stake, He is looking for those places where we need to be strengthened, He has already approved us, and He wants us to be able to handle the full weight of the heaviness of His coming glory. He does NOT test us because He is mad at us, or wants to crush us to ruin. He wants us to be able to hold and carry the weight of His glory. He cannot afford to let us feel only good, how will we be of use to the Kingdom, if we are not willing to allow Him to test us, which is what strengthens us? We are His vessels, we are His holy vessels, holy, set apart, meaning, created for a purpose. Are we willing to let Him test us? Are we willing to let Him heal the hurts of this world? When we do, we are more equipped to carry the full weight.
Blessings, drop me a message if you want.
Luca
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