The answer is YES!
To me my biggest issue is not how well I "succeed" at something. It’s not what others think of me, or even how many times I stumble or fall in my journey to be who I was created to be. The ultimate issue in my life is who, what or even how I choose to worship! And this process, this divine change, seems to be taking place in my life currently. As a result, I’m recognizing that it's causing my heart to become more wholly devoted to Christ. Unfortunately, for my fleshly nature, I’m also having to accept that this is not a quick fix, or fast transformation, as I often find myself longing for when my heart is feeling battle worn & weary from this "walk, stumble, repent, renew, begin again" routine I seem to be mastering. However, as I've been responding to the leadings of His spirit & receive His word, I begin to realize that true transformation IS a lengthy process. And that's just the way it must be for it to be effectual in my life.
Now I am a very visual person and as I type my mind is drawn to an image of a Waterfall. Over much time, the constant washing & rubbing of the waters powerful pressure begins to shape the rough, jagged rocks that have fallen from the surface of their source. And in time, as long as these stones haven’t been removed from the pressure, they're eventually transformed into something beautiful. As I think on this visual, I cannot help but think to myself that this is much like a part of the process we go through when walking in faith.
Recently I read that a victorious life (a life of worship in my mind) is taking one step at a time while leaning on God as your source & compass along the way. It's asking for the Holy Spirit to plant in my mind & heart the things that God desires & longs for. A victorious life comes with asking the Holy Spirit to fill me with right desires and EXPECTING Him to move. After all, God is not limited by my limitations. However, this path of transformation to a victorious life of worship isn't a path of continual successes as I normally thought it to be. There ARE successes, but they don’t always look like what I thought they would. More times than not it seems this transformative life comes as a result of multiple stumbles & failures. After all, this is how we learn, stretch and grow. However, thankfully, these failures (or pressures) are usually followed by a beautiful growth spurt, nourished by my increasing reliance on my creator & Savior. And because I’m not one to simply just take things at face value most of the time, I asked myself why this would be so? And I believe it is a result of making a personal choice, in the cold & warm seasons of life, to keep my heart's eyes, my spirit's song, focused on the only one/thing worthy of Worship...Christ! It’s a result from making the willful choice that even when I stumble, I will get back up, dust off my knees and take another step in His direction. I refuse to give up. And I willfully choose, despite how I feel, to NOT focus on MY weaknesses but focus on HIS GREATNESS.
Now I am a very visual person and as I type my mind is drawn to an image of a Waterfall. Over much time, the constant washing & rubbing of the waters powerful pressure begins to shape the rough, jagged rocks that have fallen from the surface of their source. And in time, as long as these stones haven’t been removed from the pressure, they're eventually transformed into something beautiful. As I think on this visual, I cannot help but think to myself that this is much like a part of the process we go through when walking in faith.
Recently I read that a victorious life (a life of worship in my mind) is taking one step at a time while leaning on God as your source & compass along the way. It's asking for the Holy Spirit to plant in my mind & heart the things that God desires & longs for. A victorious life comes with asking the Holy Spirit to fill me with right desires and EXPECTING Him to move. After all, God is not limited by my limitations. However, this path of transformation to a victorious life of worship isn't a path of continual successes as I normally thought it to be. There ARE successes, but they don’t always look like what I thought they would. More times than not it seems this transformative life comes as a result of multiple stumbles & failures. After all, this is how we learn, stretch and grow. However, thankfully, these failures (or pressures) are usually followed by a beautiful growth spurt, nourished by my increasing reliance on my creator & Savior. And because I’m not one to simply just take things at face value most of the time, I asked myself why this would be so? And I believe it is a result of making a personal choice, in the cold & warm seasons of life, to keep my heart's eyes, my spirit's song, focused on the only one/thing worthy of Worship...Christ! It’s a result from making the willful choice that even when I stumble, I will get back up, dust off my knees and take another step in His direction. I refuse to give up. And I willfully choose, despite how I feel, to NOT focus on MY weaknesses but focus on HIS GREATNESS.
In all this, eventually, I believe I will become a clearer reflection of His character and who He is to those that need His hope & salvation just as much as I do. In this world where I've become too emotionally or physically tired to carry on at times, I find Great encouragement in the truth that HE never leaves my side. Each day He walks this walk with me every step of the way encouraging, correcting and loving me because He NEVER loses sight of what I’m created to be...whole & His. I’m made to grow & shine His gracious, selfless love to a hurting and selfish world.
So, even in the stumbles, times of pressure and abundant joy...choose to Rejoice in Him! Choose to worship Him & not the situations. Choose to bring Him Glory regardless of the cost. After all, the cost paid for us to even be ABLE to walk this amazing life of transformation was SO much greater than anything we could ever pay.
This is the process of transformation. To me...bottom line...this process is a life of TRUE WORSHIP.
So, whether a Pastor, a Photographer or a Postmate...I will choose to Worship!
"A victorious life (a life of worship in my mind) is taking one step at a time while leaning on God as your source & compass along the way." I love this. And I love that you're blogging again! Welcome back to the webs! :)
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