In the dark of morning I tossed around how to effectively communicate to each of you my heart. There is one word that keeps coming forward. Sacrifice.
There are circumstances, battles, situations we all face on this journey of life. The troubles that come with daily living are real. Some are overwhelming. We ride the rollercoaster of life with ups, downs, loops, and experience all the thrills, fears, and uncertainty associated with the ride. I’ve personally been excited to get on a ride at an amusement park and then quickly regretted the decision as we climbed that first big hill or looped around enough to feel queasy. I’ve prayed for God to get me safely off the ride with a promise to never put myself in the same situation again. But I’ve also found myself left with invigorating enthusiasm as we turned corners, climbed high into the air, or descended with great speed.
Life can be a lot like this. Some of it through decisions and choices I’ve made. Other times have come by no choice of my own. During these times I’ve wondered and asked the notorious questions: what, how, why, where, when, and who. What am I supposed to do. How do I do that. How did I even get here. Why is this. Where am I going. When will this end. Who am I supposed to become when I get on the other side or who am I supposed to be as I walk through this.
Recently, I’ve asked those questions. A lot. About a lot of life.
Colossians 3
I’ve read the third chapter of the book of Colossians several times over the course of a few weeks. I’m not sure if I missed the depth of the content before or this time I was seeking differently. But, it’s resonated with me.
Our new life in Christ looks vastly different than our old life before. And I’d like to think that my life does look different. Most days. Most times. Most moments. But, truthfully, sometimes it doesn’t.
We are instructed to set our sights on heaven. Let heaven fill our thoughts. As our real life is hidden Christ and when we reveal our real life to the whole world we share in his glory. (Colossians 3:2-4). Sometimes circumstances in life become overwhelming and shadow my life in Christ. I feel frustrated, worried, scared, and anxious. These are all very real feelings that are okay to acknowledge. But in the midst of the real feelings; my sights belong set on Christ. It’s easy to lose sight.
It’s important that we rid ourselves of the old nature of our life. All that old junk we carry around, struggle with, and may even be known for. Impurity. Lust. Shameful desires. Slander. Greed. Anger. Lying. Foul language. Malicious behavior. (Colossians 3:7-9). Wow. That’s hard stuff. Likely we don’t struggle with all and certainly not all at the same time. Different circumstances yield different characteristics of our old nature. Just about the time I think I’ve conquered something for good it creeps back up as I continue on the journey. It’s like an unseen rock or stick in the middle of the path that I trip on because it caught me off guard. Sometimes I fall. Sometimes I catch myself before the fall.
We are called to clothe ourselves with Christ like attributes recognizing he is all that matters in life. Tenderness. Mercy. Humility. Peace. Patience. Forgiveness. Making allowance for the shortcomings and flaws of others. Most importantly, love. Always thankful. (Colossians 3:10-15) This is what we strive for as Christians. To be Christ like. In all of life.
His words are to be used to counsel while I sing songs of praise with a thankful heart to God. (Colossians 3:16).
Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father”
The answer to my questions: what, how, why, where, when, and who are found embedded throughout the third chapter of the book of Colossians.
This is where I studied a little harder.
As I walk this journey I am to rid myself of the old me clothing myself in the new me resembling Christ while I counsel with his words singing praises from a thankful heart. That is my task at hand. For however long this path on the journey lasts. As I climb the mountain, walk through the valley, or twist and turn with the winding of the road.
With this truth, the question remains, how. How do I accomplish what feels like, at times, a daunting task to become who I am called to be during the journey and on the other side.
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him” Colossians 3:10
Every good thing
Along this passage of scripture we can see that every good thing comes after we renew ourselves learning to know our Creator and becoming like him. That takes work my friend. It takes sacrifice. We have to invest our time. Give attention to. Seek. Study. Chase after. Yield to. Prioritize. And go after the relationship. You only get to know, really know, someone after a level of engagement and effort has been put forth with an intention of getting to know that someone. Otherwise there is nothing more than a very surface experience with or about that someone.
Sacrifice. We have to be willing to sacrifice. Time. Personal thoughts, beliefs, assumptions, feelings, wants, and desires. We have to intentionally pursue who Christ is with a willingness to submit to his nature instead of our own. Our natural human responses is what we are called to rid ourselves of. We have to sacrifice satisfying our own personal nature to take on the attributes of Christ’s nature by subduing ours. Our desire might be to sleep more, study less. Say what we have to say because we feel better and they deserved it. Hold onto unforgiveness because we were wronged. Deeply. Painfully. Sacrifice. In order to know him we must seek him and his ways or we won’t really know him. We can’t resemble someone we don’t really know. All the while we’re on this journey we are to learn more and more about Christ to be like him.
Friend, today, I want to encourage you to become intentional in the renewal of yourself while you learn more and more about Christ to become like him. I have found it difficult to know where to start or begin. Difficult to understand what I’m supposed to learn through the trial while I feel like it’s never going to end. But I have learned if I will seek, he will answer. He will guide. Teach. Love. Share. Know that your testimony is in your journey. As you find him deeper than before. Clothing yourself in his attributes. Learning his words to counsel with. Singing praises with a thankful heart through the thick of the journey. Sharing in his glory. Reaching others along the journey to bring them with you out of darkness and into the light.
Bobbie
