“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:14-17
The Holy Spirit asked me one of His momentous, thought-provoking, earth-shattering questions this morning..."Are you willing for Me to wreck your plans to accomplish My purpose through you today? If not, are you really, truly, serving Me?"
My brutally honest answer would probably be a big fat NO, with a lot of whining and complaining to follow. Can't you just make things easy for me for once, God? I'm tired. Then comes His quiet, loving response that hits me like a punch in the gut: "You're not weary from your circumstances. You're weary from fighting Me. Give up control, walk in the Spirit, and see what I will do."
I know there's a scripture about walking in the Spirit, so I turn to Romans 8 and the message God is trying to get across to me today comes alive. He's amazing like that.
As I read, I remember that I am not my own. I am bought at a price. The Spirit of Christ resides within me bearing witness that I belong to him. I am an heir, not only to his glory, but also to his suffering. Neither suffering nor fear should deter me from my purpose. He is my strength and my helper. He searches my heart and knows every infirmity. Because I love him and am called by him all things work together for my good. Neither life, nor death, nor tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor peril will conquer me because nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
I think I’m starting to get it now. Though at first the Holy Spirit’s request to wreck my day felt intrusive and mean, I understand that he is searching my heart to see where my loyalties lie. He is realigning my heart with his as he has done so many times before. He understands that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. He knows that even though I truly want to follow him, I get distracted easily. It’s not that I’m doing a lot of bad things or living in blatant sin. My downfall is busyness with no real aim. It is in getting so comfortable with my blessings that maintaining them has become my reason for living. I don’t want to sacrifice. I want comfort and I will work my fingers to the bone to keep it. All the while I have unwittingly sacrificed the joy of walking in step with the Spirit. Still tired. Still overwhelmed. Still unfulfilled.
My dad recognized this shortcoming in me when I was young. He knew that my intentions were mostly pure and noble and that I wanted to please God with my life. However, he also saw the many moments when my ambitions far outweighed the ability to perform them and I would get overwhelmed, crumbling emotionally. It was then that he would often say, “Tiffany, remember to keep the main thing the main thing.” Those words continue to resound within me as an adult who still fails to learn her lesson.
What exactly is the main thing? As heirs to Christ’s glory and sufferings, we are called to further his purpose upon the earth. Therefore, if what I’m working for does not align with what He is working for, then my focus is off. The following passage from Isaiah is a prophecy of the anointing that God-made-flesh would have and fulfill on the earth, but it is a dual prophecy for those who would follow Him as well: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).
The purpose of Christ is to seek and save the lost. In turn, the purpose of Christ brings purpose to his children. In Him, suffering makes sense. Sacrifice makes sense. Weakness turns to strength. Fear turns to boldness. Weeping turns to joy. And it’s all worth it because we get to help the world around us find their hope and their home in Him, too. With all of that in mind, I think I’ve changed my answer….
“Yes, Lord, you can wreck my plans anytime you want to!”
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