Father, You awaken me this morning with the thought that the greatest need we have on this earth is also the greatest privilege we have on this earth and it is Your greatest delight - and that need, privilege and delight is being in Your presence and sitting at Your feet! From that place, You make Streams in the Desert and You make All Things New.
Yesterday morning I was desiring a word from You to minister to my heart and I sat down and picked up, “Breaking Free,” the new Beth Moore study.” I ended up all that way over in chapter nine - by Your design I know - and the chapter was entitled, “The Steadfast Mind!” What a great title. I read through the chapter about “re-wallpapering our minds with truth and tearing down the lies the enemy has placed in our minds. Growing in our spiritual lives to have the mind of Christ is a choice we make as we submit ourselves to the power of Your Holy Spirit within us. We choose to give ourselves over to You so that You can grow in us the Mind of Christ.
In the section entitled “Stand in Agreement with God” was this paragraph:
“Nothing could be more natural than a mother grieving the loss of a child. However, if 10 years later the mother is still completely consumed with the loss and bitterness that has eclipsed all comfort and healing, she has wedged a stronghold between appropriate grief and gradual restoration. The enemy will capitalize on normal emotions of love or loss to swell them out of healthy proportion. They can consume our very lives if we’re not aware of his schemes. Loving is never sin. However, obsession that flows from putting something in the place of God is sin. Likewise, grief is never sin, but disallowing God to minister comfort and healing to you over the passage of much time is.”
It was just so amazing to me Lord that of all the chapters I could have turned to, that was the place I ended up. And Father, there is so much truth in that statement. The scripture that literally jumped off the pages to me was Romans 8:6 - “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace!!!” Wow, Father, what a word!!! If we allow our minds to be controlled by our flesh, the result will be death. The result will be despair, separation, despondency, hopelessness, shortsightedness, etc. But Father, if we allow our minds to be controlled by Your Spirit, the result is always life - fruitfulness!!! What a blessing!!!
And You know what Lord? I’ve made my choice! I make it anew every day but in the big scheme of things, I have made my choice!! And my choice is to believe You, to trust You, to watch You, to anticipate what You will do in and through my life as I give myself over and over to You again! Bless Your name, Jesus!!
You bring to mind the words of a song I have recently come to love that also speaks of that “choice,” that “decision” to be led by Your Spirit.
“I will sing praise, I will lift my voice, I will sing praise, I’ve made my choice. I will sing praise in all I do. I will sing praise to You.
“No matter the storms that come my way, no matter the trials I may face, You promised that You would see me through, so I will trust in You!!
It was an amazing privilege and blessing to be at the Gibbs Cancer Center this week sharing with Christian Caregivers about the blessing they had been in our lives during our journey with Hannah! The first time I was ever in the place was when I went several years ago with a friend who was receiving treatment for breast cancer. I remember saying to her how absolutely beautiful the surroundings were - the grand piano, the fountain, the flowers, etc. I remember that she didn’t completely share my enthusiasm that day as You had her in a different place of dependence upon You in her suffering! Now, I have had my own journey with my child through that place and certainly it strikes a entirely different chord than it did that day for me also. But You know, Lord, You were there and You were faithful! You have Your people stationed everywhere, don’t You? I encouraged them to be bold in their witness of You!! I reminded them that “there is no other hope! - Jesus, You are it!! The Hope, the Light, the Reason, the Purpose!! The only One who can transform our lowly minds into the Mind of Christ!
Oh Jesus, that is what I desire for You to do with my mind - make it like Yours!!
And today, Father, as I go the bedside of a friends father and leave to stand beside my sister-in-law who has a child that came to live with You this week, use my life in any way You deem best! In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!