Journal Entry ~ 01/29/19

27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. - Colossians 1:27-29

Proclaiming the gospel to those in our lives can be defeating. We know from scripture that those who do not believe literally think Scripture is ridiculous - they cannot see the Truth. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18. It can be frustrating and heartbreaking to try to speak truth into the life of an unbeliever because they are blind to the truth. 

Even with a better understanding of the unbelievers in my life, the reality of this verse is still difficult to swallow at times.  To acknowledge our loved ones perishing, or to live in close contact with those challenging people who represent everything about this broken world we live in, or to struggle with professed believers who do not seem to be acting in accordance with His will, it can all be so heart breaking. We have to remember that we "are being saved" as this verse tells us, we are still a work in process as well. We wouldn't have those unbelievers in our lives if it wasn't a part of His plan, and we would have to rub up against those difficult people in our lives if it wasn't for our good as we are "being saved". 

He is refining us and growing us for our good in all of those interactions. We need to stop fighting or avoiding them, but rather lean into them and let Him grow us through those interactions. How we respond defines our heart, and it must represent the cross to all who witness. 

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. - 2 Corinthians 4:6 This verse helps us to understand the process. God shines His light into our hearts, and this is what brings us the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The God who created light at the very beginning of time does the same thing in the human heart, but instead of it being physical light, it is the light that brings the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is this light that allows us to see the truth, and to receive Christ for who He really is. Without it, we are nothing. Without it, we are foolish and bitter, and we struggle to find purpose or true connection and love in this world. Without that light, we are blind and perishing. 

This is where those unbelieving people we love are at, whether they acknowledge it or not. This is where those difficult people who challenge us at every turn are at, whether they are willing to listen to the truth or not. This is even where those people who profess to be believers, but who's actions say differently are even at - they are blind to the fact that the light is not shining into a dark part of their hearts. They all simply cannot see, and as heart breaking as that is, we must keep that in the forefront of our minds as we interact with them. 

Our greatest desire should only be to that the light to shine in their hearts so they see and receive Christ, and prayer is our greatest weapon in that battle. On my knees this morning praying that His light shines brightly on every unbeliever we collectively know. This is what I want for them - that He shines the light of the knowledge of the glory of God and Jesus Christ on all of them. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Medical Update ~ 09/27/17

Image
Today was a challenging day.  I met with the oncologist to discuss chemo as part of my treatment plan.  The oncologist explained there were 3 additional invasions discovered during surgery, so there were actually 4 isolated invasions in the breast tissue.  To review - my diagnosis is Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  All 4 of the invasions are HER2+ (aggressive) and hormone negative (recurrent).  My oncologist walked us through the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCM) guidelines for treatment of this type of aggressive, recurrent cancer - chemo and radiation. The good news is God had already moved the mountain in my heart opposing chemo, and rested me in a place of acceptance.  While my initial prayers focused on not having to have chemo as part of my treatment, after hearing I had multiple invasions, He moved me to a place of understanding that chemo is a necessary part of my treatment.  If there were 4 invasions in the sample they took, there co
Read more

My Journey Begins...

I am a believer in Christ, and I have breast cancer.     On August 17, 2017, I was diagnosed with an aggressive (HER2+), recurrent (hormone negative) type of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  At this point, they have not yet staged my cancer because they are waiting for the biopsy results from a suspicious spot in the second breast. The biopsy is scheduled for September 5th, with a lumpectomy to follow on September 7th.  They will formally stage my cancer after they biopsy my lymph nodes, which will be taken during the surgery.  It doesn't make any sense to me that I have a cancer diagnosis - I am a fairly healthy woman who runs 2 miles almost every day and eats a gluten-free, primarily paleo diet, with no family history at all.  But it makes sense to God, and so here I am. Update ~ They found 4 isolated invasions during the lumpectomy.  Due to the nature of my cancer (HER2+ and ER-), the recommended protocol is chemotherapy and radiation.  Beginning in October, my chemotherapy regime
Read more

Grace in Marriage

When we launched our new blog we had no idea if anyone would see it or be helped by it, but we knew that the LORD was prompting us to step out in faith and just do it. The response has been amazing and we are looking forward to how God will use this space for His glory. We have learned over many years of service in a variety of ministries, that God does not require human assistance to realize His plans for individuals, churches, nations, or the human race. But the story of the bible is the story of God’s will playing out through the words and actions of the His children. So…we pray, meditate on his Word, and write from the heart about the truths that mold our faith, guide our actions, and inspire our hearts and minds. Please visit the site and subscribe to continue receiving posts.  https://graceinmarriage.com/ It is our sincere hope that you are blessed by our work here and welcome your input on how we can make Grace in Marriage even better. Thank you for your support.
Read more