Saturday, January 22, 2011

AMAZING GRACE

My plans for the past few days screeched to a sudden halt when I woke up thursday morning with my throat so red and puffy I was unable to speak without pain. I had felt a twinge of rawness that comes with the beginning of a sore throat on Wednesday but because there were no cold symptoms, I simply assumed I had scratched the back of my throat and carried on with my day. Thursday morning my dad drove me to the doctor to be tested for strep throat. Thankfully, the results came back negative. However, my throat remains inflamed so the past few days have consisted of resting, mindless activities, and meals consisting of slurpees and mac n' cheese. That part wasn't so bad... I love slurpees and mac n' cheese.

Do I type this to receive sympathy from my faithful readers?
Yes.

But I also wanted to share something God shared with me when I finally slowed down enough to listen. (You would be surprised at the amount of listening you're capable of when you can't speak.)

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17 

Odds are fairly decent you have read or heard this verse before. And if you're like me, it may have caused a twinge of sadness. Trapped in my legalistic mindset, I always took this verse to mean the things I placed my hope in would be gone so I should do better to make sure I desire only what God desires. I think this is part of it. I think going through the process of sanctification involves the shifting of our desires and that is a good thing. However, there is a message of hope in this verse that was hidden from me. I missed it.  However, after reading this verse at the end of an entire day of being silent, God blew my mind with a fresh perspective. Read the beginning again...

The world and its desires pass away...

Do you see it?

The world and its desires pass away. 

My desires keep me in bondage. I am consumed by them. They become my god. I constantly battle desiring things more then God himself. And I think... "If I could only force myself to not want what this world has to offer me." Taking our thoughts captive is important, but that night it was like God whispered to me...

"Hannah, there will be a day when you won't desire anything but me. Not that you will be master over your desires... they won't be there. Nothing but a desire for me will be there."

Praise God.

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