Thursday, June 10, 2004
...trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all of your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight...
its been a few weeks since i've blog. things have been busy at work, but i've also not had so much on my mind that i needed to "process." God has been so gracious to me to give me a renewed perspective about some of the things i've been dealing with. He is gracious to bless the baby steps of surrender that i'm taking and encouraging me with Himself.
worship practice last night was incredible. andy chose "blessed be the name of the Lord" on my recommendation, and he picked the above passage from proverbs. its really interesting because with all that i've been struggling through, certain words like "trust," "heart," "fear" has grown a whole new dimension. i don't want to misread the text, but with my experience, the idea of 'trusting the Lord with all your heart' doesn't merely speak to the degree of which i am trusting the Lord (the way i've always understood that passage) but also, what i'm trusting Him with. am i trusting the Lord with my heart? my whole heart? do to with it what He pleases? to serve Him and His people in a manner that is worthy of Him even if it hurts?
... do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. it will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones...
in my hurt, i have attempted to act in a manner that is "wise in my own eyes." in "self-protection," i have chilled my heart in order to guard it. i don't think that's what God meant in saying "guard your heart for from it springs the well of life." that is a very life-giving imagery whereas my form of "guarding" is very sterile, very severe. i think the key to the sort of "guarding" that God talks about is in fearing the Lord. if i feared Him and understand that He is guarding my heart, the spring that flows is one that is life-giving and heart softening. it is risky and dangerous... but if we truly understand that these commands come with a promise, the promise that doing so will bring healing to our bodies and refreshment to my bones. it is only in holding firm to that in faith that we would be enabled to truly "trust the Lord with all of our hearts"...
...i am thankful that God is powerful and patient enough to continue to soften my heart...
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its been a few weeks since i've blog. things have been busy at work, but i've also not had so much on my mind that i needed to "process." God has been so gracious to me to give me a renewed perspective about some of the things i've been dealing with. He is gracious to bless the baby steps of surrender that i'm taking and encouraging me with Himself.
worship practice last night was incredible. andy chose "blessed be the name of the Lord" on my recommendation, and he picked the above passage from proverbs. its really interesting because with all that i've been struggling through, certain words like "trust," "heart," "fear" has grown a whole new dimension. i don't want to misread the text, but with my experience, the idea of 'trusting the Lord with all your heart' doesn't merely speak to the degree of which i am trusting the Lord (the way i've always understood that passage) but also, what i'm trusting Him with. am i trusting the Lord with my heart? my whole heart? do to with it what He pleases? to serve Him and His people in a manner that is worthy of Him even if it hurts?
... do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. it will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones...
in my hurt, i have attempted to act in a manner that is "wise in my own eyes." in "self-protection," i have chilled my heart in order to guard it. i don't think that's what God meant in saying "guard your heart for from it springs the well of life." that is a very life-giving imagery whereas my form of "guarding" is very sterile, very severe. i think the key to the sort of "guarding" that God talks about is in fearing the Lord. if i feared Him and understand that He is guarding my heart, the spring that flows is one that is life-giving and heart softening. it is risky and dangerous... but if we truly understand that these commands come with a promise, the promise that doing so will bring healing to our bodies and refreshment to my bones. it is only in holding firm to that in faith that we would be enabled to truly "trust the Lord with all of our hearts"...
...i am thankful that God is powerful and patient enough to continue to soften my heart...
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