Bruised. Given the choice to sit like a victim, feeling beat up and left. BUT given the chance to choose trusting and faith- I start to see those bruises change colors. They start black but soon change to blue. Then purple. Then pink. Then gray. Then yellow.
People look and ask “What happened!? Where did that come from!?” And this very question that I feared answering before- I now REJOICE in answering!
I can say “YEAH look how God is changing me! Look at the work God has done and it doing!” He’s given me the opportunity to say “I trust your healing process, in fact, I LOVE the bruises! They show me where you picked me up, where you healed.”
I want everyone to know about the blue
The purple
The pink
The gray
The yellow
Because its not about me! And the more we put our focus on the purpose itself, when we put our focus on a God who is living and active- the bruises become what I like to call glory stories. And every testimony of God’s healing faithfulness is meant to be shared, not hidden.
Jeremiah 29:11 has never resonated so true. His plans are to prosper us, not to harm us. To give us hope and a future. To cast away doubt with His faithfulness!
Then there’s bacteria in my colon and stomach. Two types of bad bacteria that I contracted while in Honduras last summer. Then funny thing is- my attempts to fix my pain were actually making things worse. We self diagnosed my stomach pain as a gluten intolerance. So I stopped eating bread last semester and mainly ate fruits and veggies. The fiber in all that was actually making my situation worse- I was feeding the bacteria the fiber it needed to grow.
Sound familiar?
God is so GRACIOUS and RELENTLESS. He identifies every bacteria hidden inside of us. He calls them out by name, exposes them to the light, and casts their harmful side effects away from us. And He knows we want to help, so He even let’s us try to tamper with our problems and self diagnose.He sees in us what we don’t even realize we are feeding. Those deep hidden sins that we would rather not expose. But when God exposes it, calls out each bacteria by name, He is able to purge us of all ungodliness. Never to create unseen pain, silence, fear, anxiety, distrust, or hurt again.
Exposed, rid of, expelled forever.
Because much like our sin, satan’s lies that can sit dormant within us. I know what they feel like now though. I know their name. And I know they are lies that I will not host anymore! There’s no room for lies in the light of God’s kingdom!
“You have shattered the yoke that burdened them!” Silent fear has no place for this warrior!
There is good and bad types of bacteria. I chose to feed the bad and listen to it determining the course of my life and the extent of my faith in God.
But good bacteria is meant for good! It keeps the bad bacteria in check. It is present to cleanse us. Choose this day whom you will serve, but I will feed the good bacteria, the faith filled thoughts. And I will expose the bad bacteria for what it really is- call those lies into the light by name and allow God to envelop them with the truth of who He is and what HE has in mind.
He doesn’t give up.
He won’t relent until every little thing is exposed.
Until he has every part of us.
And that relentless pursuit is the most beautiful thing I could ever ask to be a part of.
Your decisions have to be based on something deeper than your self. I discovered really quickly that relying on my own justified decisions is exhausting. Confusing. Lost.
Because my desires change!
I doubt and waver, making me like a wave of the sea: blown and tossed by every wind. My decisions have to be based on achieving a purpose far beyond self! That’s why God offers us truth, solidity, and His presence.
When our goal in every decision is to exalt The Lord and bring him glory, decisions aren’t so hard after all!
One purpose. One goal. One God, alive and active.
God offers us this adventure: Living off the unseen, not depending on consistency in the seen! Not focused on what should be done or what makes sense, but saying God’s kingdom come and will be done!
What is unseen is temporary but what is seen is eternal.
🙂
