It's time to Drop The Pacifier ♡♡♡

"Anyone who lives on milk, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" - Hebrews 5:12-14

Over this past week, I was struggling to do something I believe God was nudging me to do. As I prayed  and thought about it as the days progressed; I tried to explain my way out of the situation. Pushing it to the back of my mind, but this thing won't stay there. Stewed in my justification for maintaining my stance. Even tried to play the victim card, but looks like that didn't work either lol. From my point of view, I knew this very thing, that was being asked of me, would bruise my ego a little too much. I'm sorry God, not this one. Surely you must understand, why I can't. Long and short story, "two people later" I dropped the Pacifier.  One person gracious/tender in helping me navigate my -[hard lol] - heart struggles & the other friend pretty frank with me. I needed both. So although I gave myself a timeline to do the thing, the very next morning after my quiet time, I obeyed. Phew!- God was kind & gracious to me indeed. 

...."But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" - Hebrews 5:14

I'd like to draw our attention in scripture, to the word "constant use" and also the word "trained themselves". The word of God goes beyond mere feelings or our own personal inclinations. The word of God is instructive, relevant to our spiritual growth. The bible is not laced with only words of confession and promises, but also words that can help change our lives for the better, and also impact positively the lives of those around us. And yes sometimes, the things we are called to do, are hard things. Could we consider, that maybe we are stuck - [if you are stuck] - in the spiritual state that we are, because we are not making room, for the deep work of sanctification, God is working out in our lives? A tutor can spend all the time in the world, working on a curriculum for a particular semester, but if the student don't show up, study and apply the course as they should - [only see these classes as a nice fluffy one-more-thing-to-do] - they'd never grow or graduate out of that class, to move to the next. Following, they'd struggle to even pass whatever exams or tests set. 

As I reflected on other areas of my life that I have not fully surrendered or how I sometimes struggle to respond to God immediately on some matters; I thought about the fact that we are naive to think, we would always know before hand that we are being tested. Notice, how these tests never always come in the way that we think they should. You could be sitting there, and boom a tidal wave. We try to "philosophy" our way out of it, depending on what it is... instead of humbling out in prayer and asking for help. I mean what do you think? You are immersing yourself in God's word daily, shaking and nodding your head to all the beautiful treasures and hidden gems of such depth of glorious wisdom. Other times, you are "preach pastor, screeching" your way through sermons - All for nothing? - To whom much is given my friends, truly much is indeed expected. For some of us, we are comfortable in the safety net of - at-least-I-am-doing-ok-with-these-other-areas, and so somehow we don't bother much about all other areas of growth & sanctification God is calling us to. 

Not sure what your own struggle of "obedience" is at the moment. Forgiveness? lust? bitterness? fornication? addiction? gossip? pride? love? faithfulness? Whatever area of growth, there is just as much grace for you to work through these things. I yearn earnestly to move from the "timelines" I give God, for some of the things he is calling me to do in my life; to responding quickly in loving and reverential fear & honor of him. I appreciate that for some of those things, I would deeply need his help. What about you? May we never be caught stewing in the "cross shattering justification" of our disobedience. 

Friends, a thing is not good or bad because you or the world calls it either. It is good, because God calls it good, and it is bad because God calls it bad. For example, God might think it good, for you to reach out to a person that hurt you; show them love and try to make peace, when you or the world might think it foolish. On the other hand, God might think it bad for you to keep a relationship that turns you away from God, but you might think it good because they fill some kind of void in your life. 

Do you get? May we truly see that God is wise and  a lot of the times - all the time- we are not...

Happy Sunday With Love....

Shay