Do I love it? Yes. Is it easy? No. But, I think that is okay. We've gotten so use to things in life being easy, that when things get hard, we think something is wrong.
God cannot mold us to who we need to be unless He first breaks us. He disciplines because He loves. God never said He would command only what was easy for us to fulfill, but that He would be with us. He never said we wouldn’t walk through fire, but that it wouldn’t consume us. (Isaiah 43:2)
Haiti has taught me more about God than I could have ever learned in a Bible class or by reading a theology book. Would I say I understand Him better? Not really. Maybe He is even more of a mystery to me now than ever before. Sitting around a table discussing God, life, theology and doctrine is easy. You can believe God is Sovereingly in control. And I do. To sit in your comfortable chairs, sipping coffee, and declare that God is in control of a hurting child in Haiti is one thing. To stare that child in the face is another thing. It changes things. It does not change what I believe to be Truth. However, it does make God all the more mysterious to me. But seeing things from this point of view, realizing how little I know of God, does not complicate things. It simplifies them, really. We can argue and debate these great mysteries of God. Or we can simply work on living out what Jesus referred to as the Great Commandment. To love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. We are called to live as Christ lived. We are called to deny oursevles. Jesus spent His time on earth showing compassion to the sick and hurting and teaching the gospel. Jesus lived His life serving people. And we are called to do the same. All the mysteries of God do not change that simple fact and command.
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13: 14-16
3 comments:
I was recently thinking along these same lines: The more I learn about God the less I know of Him.
BUT- as I purpose to know Him more, even though I understand Him less, I know I am being transformed (& that He is faithful to His promises to complete the work He began in me) because I find it easier love Him and others.
Does that make sense? Oy, I am tired. Bed time. Hugs to you, sister.
Thanks for this, Megan. I've been thinking about the easy/hard thing. I'm in a season of things being hard right now-spiritually and emotionally, but I still sip coffee from my nice comfy chair...so things are not hard in many ways....sometimes, I wonder if I am doing something wrong, because things are hard. Thanks for the reminder of God's refining work.
Thought-provoking at the very least Megan. Glad I ambled across this post.
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