Go Back To Truth

As explorers, or people on a journey, sometimes we'll find ourselves in a land that must be conquered. It can be difficult, lots of lesson to be learned (often times painful), but finally we do it His way and alas it is conquered. We put up our flag and go on our way. Thinking, finally, I can leave this land and move on. Then why is it, after traveling for awhile, do we find ourselves walking around in very familiar territory? It's like we suddenly feel like..."I've been here before, I've already conquered this? What is going on?" Then we look around to see the flag we posted...yes..indeed we are back..again! UGH!

One of my superheroes will often say to me (when it comes to his particular mountain that he must climb)..."Mom, I know I'm supposed to do this, but it is really hard...I mess up and I just can't help it." For me, its not messing up, its more..listening to the lies! Why do I even entertain the lies? So...what do we do when we find ourselves facing the same thing we thought we conquered? We go back to the Truth. It's the same thing I just told my sweet young superhero the other day as he sat at the table trying so hard not to let his flesh get the better of him. 

The Truth: Through the power of His Holy Spirit, God will enable us to do anything He commands us to do!

You can find it right in the book of Truth...the Bible. Philippians 2:13 says "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." God does not command us to do anything that He does not give us the grace to obey, as we depend on Him. That means, there is no one we cannot forgive, no one that we cannot love, we CAN give thanks in all things and we can be content in every circumstance. 

The issue is not that we can't obey God--that we can't forgive that person or parent who hurt us so deeply, that we can't love that co-worker, that we can't give thanks in the midst of the storm, or that we can't be content with our meager finances, or we can't help it... (whatever the case may be in your life).

The real issue is that we won't forgive, we are unwilling to love, and we refuse to give thanks and to be content with what God has provided. Obedience is a choice made in dependence on the supernatural power of God. By the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to forgive, choose to let Him love others through us, choose to give thanks in every circumstance, and choose to be content.

In the end, the truth doesn't really change the tangible things that we see. The fact is, the flag is still staring us in the face, you may very well be back at this place again! The truth however will eventually change us! I have found when I am facing that flag again, all I need to recall is the truth...then somehow, miraculously, like in the first book of the Chronicles of Narnia...in between the wood...I am in another place..back on my journey. The more quickly we go back to truth...the more quickly we can move on. See ya...I'm on a journey!