Peace With Ourselves on Eagles Wings Romans 12:1-8; 2 Corinthians 3:4-6; Isaiah 40:28-31 In the 12th chapter of Romans, Paul indicates that some people tend to think more highly of themselves than they should. It is also true that others are tempted to think more lowly of themselves than is appropriate. What thoughts should we have about ourselves? A godly sense of self-worth offers a valuable solution here. It lies at the heart of a peaceful life and provides the solid middle ground between the ditch of self-disparagement on the one hand and the precipice of self-exaltation on the other. This resting place in Jesus stems from simply seeing yourself the way the Lord sees you. When you are born again, God sees you as His beloved child and the owner of a new identity. Because your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), you can say that you are complete in Christ. And because of His Spirit within, it is possible for you to live a righteous life. At the same time, you retain old patterns of sin, which are still capable of expressing themselves. It is all right, therefore, to be grieved by some things you do while rejoicing over progress. That is how God feels. Keep in mind, however, that His delight or displeasure with your conduct in no way alters either His love for you or your identity as His. The Lord always sees you as His own and as a person of infinite worth. Ultimately, you’ll reach full spiritual maturity in Christ. But in the meantime, never forget that you are not what you do. You are what you are: a child of God (John 1:12). Life is filled with struggles that reveal our human inadequacy: Physical problems leave us weak and unable to cope; relational troubles bring confusion and stress; continual battles with bad habits and addictions make us feel defeated; and financial pressures damage our self-worth. No one likes the fear and frustration of dealing with challenges that are too big to handle, but God can use them for our good. Maybe you have never considered inadequacy a blessing. After all, it stirs up all sorts of uncomfortable emotions that make us feel insignificant and weak. But God can turn the negatives into blessings if we acknowledge our helplessness, depend on His strength, and step into our challenges with confidence in Him. Inadequacy can be a blessing since it: • Drives us to God as we recognize our helplessness. • Relieves us of the burden of trying to do God’s will in our own strength. • Motivates us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. • Provides an opportunity for the Lord to demonstrate what He can do. • Increases our usefulness to God by replacing pride with humility. • Allows Christ to receive all the glory. • Gives us peace as we rely on Him. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers have the ability to endure difficulty and accomplish whatever the Lord calls them to do. By claiming the adequacy of Christ, we can face every circumstance with a sense of confidence—not in ourselves but in God, who is capable. When I witnessed an eagle in flight, I understood why God used this bird to describe a relationship with Him. The eagle—which simply opens its wings and soars—is wholly dependent upon air currents to keep it aloft. In contrast, we oftentimes beat our wings trying to be better Christians. We resolve to read the Bible more or to improve at keeping our temper. We strive to escape old habits and temptations. But instead of flying to the mountaintops, we remain on the valley floor with tired wings. This is because we sometimes get confused about what makes a person spiritually mature. The godly believer isnt someone who tries and tries to do well. Ive been a believer long enough to know that I can’t live the Christian life. This flesh of mine isnt any better today than it was the day I was saved. Spiritual maturity means recognizing that we do not change ourselves. The flesh is corrupt, and it cannot be suppressed by any human means. But our omnipotent Father subdues our imperfect impulses through His Spirit. For example, God’s indwelling Spirit can calm anger and wield His strength to weaken the lure of temptations. While others tire from trying to be good, the mature believer relies on the Lord and will “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isa. 40:31). Isaiah reminds us that even young men stumble and grow weak. Anyone trying to change himself will burn out beating his wings against the world system and his own flesh. God did not make our human bodies, minds, or spirits to fly solo. He created us to soar on His strength.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 08:27:36 +0000
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