I am sure I am not the only Christian that struggles to understand what God is doing in my life. What good can come out of my situation? I pray and I pray. I ask God to help me understand. Why am I still in this situation? And God answered me.

Who can know what is on the mind of God? Even Jesus who was with God and is with God said there are somethings only the Father knows. The promise of “R E S T” (rest eternally secure today) is to not receive the grace of God in vain being careful not to fall short of the grace of God…you who attempt to be justified by the law.

At some point in every believers walk he, or she must flat line…that is to die to this world…to pursue the things of the world no longer…to not indulge in its lusts, or desire its sensuousness…to surrender not to its fears, to forsake the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, to consider such things no longer.   The carnal man must flat line to allow God in…to accept God’s will…and to surrender our will. Giving up our arms, our weapons for the army of the Lord.

But how can any man possibly surrender all? Surrender does not come easy to folks, at least not to me.

The father and son relationship is the only type of relationship where the giving and taking, (surrendering) comes natural, giving and taking out of love. We learn early on to surrender to our earthly father. It is a relationship not easily broken when established…and still mend-able when broken. As believers, we pray to our Father in Heaven. We cry to Abba, Father because He loves us.

Gal. 4: 6-7 “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Quite unlike a marital relationship where the wife gives herself to her husband, forsaking all others, submitting only to him, out of love, out of obedience because of that love, but it can go sour when trust is broken, adultery, not submitting one to another, or honoring one another. The love is what binds them, and when it’s gone it can reap bitterness, resentment, isolation and end in divorce, a broken covenant.

Eph. 5: 22- 33 The Marriage—Christ and the Church

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

God, the Creator, our Maker knows how to restore relationships. He loves unconditionally. We don’t. We can’t. We have expectations, obligations, prejudices, demands. We are easily ensnared by our own selfish desires, our own inadequacies. God’s love, mercy, and grace can restore us to Himself and us to those we must, but he expects us to walk in truth.

Granted, it’s easier said than done, but our God knows that well.

God sent His Son to save us and to show us how to love. It is in the name of Jesus that we can go to the Father. It cost Jesus His life and separation from His Father for us to gain access to God. Likewise, we are to sacrifice our life so that others may live, and that sacrifice can be different for all of us.

God teaches us how to love, and gives us the desire to want to love, but to love others requires sacrifice. If we don’t willingly, He fashions our days…brings us to our knees…still He shows us mercy and gives us grace…even in our disobedience. Jesus promised that no one that the Father has given Him will be lost. Every struggle, every trial and tribulation should reinforce that promise.

God worked six days when He created the heavens and the earth, man, and everything else. On the seventh day, He rested. Likewise, God is creating in us a new creation, a new mind, a new heart, but because we are full of sin and not empty and void, it takes a lot more time and effort to fashion the person He wants us/me to be. We have a will, and our will, our flesh gets in the way of us doing the works God has prepared for us to do… yet He is loving, He is patient, He is merciful and He gives us/me grace to accept His perfect will. In the proper time He will give rest.

Reminds me of a Rich Mullins song.

“Surrender don’t come natural to me I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want than to take what You give that I need and I’ve beat my head against so many walls now I’m falling down, I’m falling on my knees.” 

I can imagine myself as the child kicking and screaming to get my way and my Father trying to explain why I can’t…and all I want is my way. His Word is filled with promises and reminders of why we should desire His way.

Matthew 11:29-30

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Heb. 4:10

“He who has entered into God’s rest has himself also ceased from his work as God did from His.”

Thank you, my Creator!

Who can know the things of God? No man! Except… for the man to whom God will reveal His truths. God shows us the path we must walk. Sometimes it is for us to understand, and sometimes not. We cannot fathom the ways of God. And only when we die to the things of this world, only until we flat line can we begin to truly understand the nature of God and begin to accept the the unfathomable thoughts and the perfect will of the living God. God have mercy on me and mine. To God be the glory.

Be blessed.