Toward God's Heart
How do I cultivate the “peace that
surpasses all understanding” Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7? During the
next couple of weekends, I’ll be trimming my rose brushes, lavender plants, and
hydrangeas: pruning and cutting back. Likewise, the Holy Spirit lets me know
when I need “cutting off" or turning away from something. Yet, repentance is
more than turning away from; in turning away, one must also turn toward.
The
other day, I felt a twinge of rejection. A good friend looked pass me and onto
the next person as if I wasn’t even there. My thoughts began to breed vain
imaginings. “Why
did she treat me that way? What did I do to deserve that? Who does she think
she is, Lord?” I found myself tense and negative in thought.
I
had a choice: harbor self-pity, which could easily boil over to resentment,
then anger; or, I could repent. I silently asked God what He saw. He showed me my heart.
Thorns had sprouted and poked out--instead of soft petals created to release a
sweet fragrance.
“She’s
my daughter, just like you are.” He whispered. Ouch! I knew what I had to do. Hebrews 12:11 reminded me, “No
discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it
produces a harvest of righteousness and
peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Through my harvest of repentance, I
turned away from and back to, the peaceful, joyful heart of God.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
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Harvesting Your Repentance
This week, as the foliage all around becomes richer in earth tone colors, leaves will fall, acorns drop, and wild life snuggle into outdoor dens. It’s a time when I love to open my windows at night, put the extra blankets on my bed, and burrow myself into position before drifting off to sleep—in peace. Thus, this week we will reflect on what our own personal harvest of repentance looks like in order to bring and maintain a level of “peace that surpasses all understanding.”
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Sunday, October 13, 2013
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