Livin’ It

I found myself reading this morning Paul’s words to the Christian people in Philippi.  He was making an appeal to them to stand firm, to continue trusting God the way they had in the beginning.  How often do I slowly slip down a path of losing trust and allowing my foundations to melt away?

He exhorts them to rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, always always always.  Not only when they feel comfortable or provided for, not only when they feel invincible and confident, but ALWAYS, in the moments of doubt and despair, or lust and loss, of pain and confusion…. ALWAYS.  I love that.

I struggle with this ALWAYS concept. It is easy to acknowledge God when things are going well, but when I am really hurting, I must continue to rejoice in suffering, in trial, persecution.  That is where my faith is really tested and purified!

He says, instead of being scared and reckless, to pray and ask for whatever it is you need. To stop letting the fear control and manipulate and build up walls and doors in your heart and to just PRAY.  Then he talks about the peace of God, strong enough to guard our hearts and minds in Christ.

More than anything, it is a spirit of FEAR that I continue to battle.  But it’s not really even the fear itself, but the source of the fear, and often I can’t even fully find the root of it all.  That’s where sins truly clenches it’s grip and pulls on us – in the root, the deep dark spot that no one else sees and often we don’t even allow ourselves to see.  What is it that I am really afraid of? What does Christ have to say about that thing?

And finally, he says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

Beautiful.