My church got a new pastor 3 or 4 years ago, and, along with an updated wardrobe, Pastor Ernie Frey brought with him a desire to help people truly understand what Christ has to do with them. I have to say Ernie does this exceptionally well during our Communion services (which we have quarterly). Every time we have Communion, Ernie, via the Spirit, is able to bring us back to why we engage in this ritual. We aren't doing it for ritual's sake. We aren't doing it to earn points with God. We do it to remember how desperately we need Christ to be our Savior every single day, and to reflect on how He comes through for us like a knight in shining armor.
We took Communion yesterday. I'd been struggling all week with negative thinking about myself, about life in general, and about God. Upset with life circumstances, I've been basically telling God to take a hike for awhile so I can do what I want to do. And while I was pushing God away last week, blaming Him for my hurting heart, I knew what I was doing was wrong. It was wrong on a this-is-a-sin level, but it was wrong beyond that. When I am hurting, the only way to stop hurting is to go sit in the Father's lap and cry, letting him be the Comforter, and listening to the truth He wants to speak against the lies I've believed. But oftentimes when my heart hurts, I want to walk away from God because He caused/allowed the circumstances that are causing me pain. But walking away from God is walking away from relief. It is a logical inconsistency to turn away from the only One who can heal a broken heart when all you want is the pain to stop.
So, while I was pushing away God last week, knowing I was walking in the wrong direction, I became mad at myself for being such an idiot. My list of things I was mad at grew to include God, me, and the fact that life is just too hard most of the time. I was completely frustrated that despite being a Christ follower for almost 10 years, I am still as broken as I was in high school. I felt like I would never outgrow my self-destructive tendencies. Why would God even want to hang around a girl like that? I didn't even want to be with me last week - why would God, who deserves so much more praise, obedience, and love than I will ever be capable of giving him?
I carried all of this to church Sunday. And God met me there.
Via the Communion service, God said, "Yes, Kelly, you are that broken. You are bent toward hurting yourself and hurting others. And, although it grieves Me to watch you self-destruct, I love you. No matter how broken you are, I have more than enough grace to give you. Don't you get it? I will never run out of grace for you. You can't out do me; I will always have more grace than you have sin."
Romans 5:20-21 "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more...to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
6 comments:
great post today! everyone should have a read. What a great reminder of God's awesome & full covering GRACE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URpLvatq7rg
Was listening to this song in my car the other night, and thought of your post. Good words! Love ya!
Thanks for sharing this with me. Not only was it a beautiful testimony to the love of God but I also got a chuckle out of the updated wardrobe comment. How great is that to get comedy and inspiration in the same blog?
Your brokenness is beautiful in God's light. This inspires me. Thanks for sharing.
I am realizing sin is trying to divide me from another one of the only truly Christian members of my family.Although I realize it my heart is still heavy and I still don't feel like dealing with it and talking it out, but I have made up my mind that I WILL! With God's help I know our relationship will be restored and probably strengthened. Oh, Lord give me your kindness and strength. Help my heart WANT to be restored with them.
thank you so much for writing this! it is exactly what i needed to hear. i was also faced with the fact that last sunday i could NOT take communion. i had some anger issues that I was dealing with and was and am still working through. i did not come come to that realization until we were sitting in clas this past sunday. the Lord did a number on my heart and I started to cry. i know i need to forgive. what you wrote just reminded me that God is loving me through it.
Please continue to pray for me and my family ,, the devil has been busy with us.... but I know God means it all for our good.
Kelly what a wonderful post. You nailed it on the head in so many ways. It is also comforting to know others have gone through this. I was comforted by the fact that my (our) relationship to God is close and real enough, that we would not turn something so special into something we just do to go along, or not stand out.
Post a Comment