Its amazing how God can use the simple things to show us and teach us things as long as we are always looking for Him in the smallest areas. One thing I am realizing is that God is always present, and always speaking, but He makes you pay attention to the little details. Things that may be small, or just seem like coincidence often times probably should be taken as coincidence.
This has been happening to me since the beginning of the World Race. The World Race is not only something for people to go do ministry for other people, but its also a huge place for the racers to work on things they are struggling with personally. And God is using the simple things to show me and grow me in ways I need it. One of those ways has been through my gospel bracelet. I found it when I was cleaning the townhouse in Lynchburg before I moved out, and I found it sitting in the bathroom. At the time, I was in a stage where anything that could go on my wrist, went on my wrist, so I threw it on there to add to my collection of an already 10 bracelets. But, looking back, I’m glad I took it, because it has been teaching me so many things.
So after the World Race started, the beads started falling off slowly. At first I didnt think anything of it, but then I thought about what the colors meant. I got down to three colors at one point: Red, white and green. I thought to myself, “I bet by the end, the red will be the only thing left, cause it all comes back to Christ’s blood and what He did for us.” And while this is true, its not what God has for me to learn right now, as the red one fell off and left me with green and white. God struck my heart to an issue I have dealt with for a long time. Not feeling like Im forgiven and not growing like I should.
Last week, our squad leader Bill was here to visit, and during super feedback, he said something that struck home, and made me re-evaluate how I approach God that would keep me from being where I need to be with Him. He said, “How often do you spend time in prayer saying you are sorry to God for what you did or didnt do?” Although this question wasnt directed at me, it hit home, and I realized I spend way too much time apologizing. Guilt robs the intimacy that Christ longs to have with us, and if we spend our whole time saying sorry, we miss the positive and focus only on what we do wrong. God never said to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, love your neighbor as yourself, and spend all your time apologizing to God. Its not one of the greatest commands, so why do we let it take the majority of our time spent in talking with God? Why do we not live like we are redeemed and forgiven.
So there it is, the two colors on my bracelet staring me square in the face, telling me what I need to work on. It doesnt even matter what color falls off next, because both are things I need work on. Its either realizing im washed white as snow, and need to live like it, or the green is left and I need to focus on growing, and loving God and my neighbor instead of robbing the intimacy God wants with me by spending all my time with Him covered in guilt. God took our guilt and shame away.
This doesnt mean we never ask for forgiveness, but when our focus is on what we do right and what we should be doing, our life following Christ doesnt seem so much like Christ saying, “I dare you not to do this,” but instead its Christ saying,” its okay, I forgave you, keep pursuing Me.”
