Sometimes we use the verses about God’s thoughts being greater than our thoughts, His ways greater than our ways, that His peace surpasses all understanding, etc. in a nonchalant way and don’t really recognize the grandness of those words.
Literally, anything we can think of– HE IS GREATER.
So, this has been on my heart when I realize the Lord has asked 48 of us to live together, do life together, and be the family He has called us to be. What does that look like, Lord? What does that demand of me? What are you asking me to do? What can I do to be a part of your work here?
However, the unfortunate part is that as humans we logically can put together reasons to NOT let people in. Reasons to NOT let vulnerability be a part of your life. Reasons NOT to tell your story. Reasons not to share your fears. Reasons not to call people into greatness. Reasons to not let the walls come crumbling down.
But you know what we keep doing?
We keep logically making sense why the hurt from our past gives us reasons not to let people in. Why the pain from our wounds makes vulnerability nearly impossible. Why our story hurt too much to live through once, you can’t possibly explain it again. Our fears have this death grip on us that letting someone in and letting them know those isn’t even in the possibilities. We have let the past define us so much that we aren’t even letting the Lord use us to help call people into His definition of worth. We are using the nails in our side to hammer into the walls of our past and refuse to let them come down.
We live behind excuses so much and don’t walk in what the Lord has for us because we can logically make sense as to why we are scared, fearful, hesitant, etc. But doesn’t God want more for us? Doesn’t God want something greater than the facts of our lives overruling the greatness of His truth?
So today, I ask you–I get why you are SCARED to do it, I get why it makes SENSE not to do it, but what about what God can do through you? What about what God wants? What about what God has created you and put you right here for? What happens then? What happens when we drop free of the facts this world and our lives have presented to us and we grip and hold on to the truth and beauty the Lord speaks of? Aren’t lives changed then? Aren’t chains broken? Aren’t the joys overcoming and overflowing into our lives? Isn’t closeness a product of this life? Isn’t life together all that’s left to do?
Isn’t obedience to HIM SO much more important and rewarding than being obedient to what our EMOTIONS, FEARS, LIES, AND DOUBTS tell us?
There’s got to be more than living in our past– can I dare you to walk in this present season with me?
Because I KNOW now that the truth of God has more power than the facts of my circumstances.
And that no matter what, in Jesus’ name, it will be beautiful and worth it.
And please don’t mistake me–this doesn’t make your pain small, your story little, or your wounds all the way healed.
What it does though, is it makes your pain, story, wounds and past bow down to your God and know that in Jesus’ name they have not gone unused but because of His faithfulness, He is bringing it to FULL RESTORATION to be used for His glory.
Our past is nothing, but with the name of the Lord stamped on it–it’s everything. It’s purpose. It’s His. It’s redemption. It’s a testimony. It’s recovery. It’s healing. It’s so much more than our thoughts could paint.
He truly is bigger than any fact. His truth is the only way.
