Have you ever had such encouraging conversations with friends that you do not want to hang up but stay on the phone chatting even if the silence gets awkward? The other day this was that kind of conversation because it was so life-giving and uplifting.
Or have you ever been to a friend's house and you do not want to leave or get up because just being in their presence brings you such joy and comfort you do not have to talk the whole time but can enjoy the silence in between?
So I had a conversation this week that was very encouraging with friends in how God puts things in our hearts to share with others. Especially, the things God put's on our hearts to write that need to be shared in how we should not become numb to what God put there.
Let me put it this way, do not become numb to the story God has called you to write. It is very easy to become numb to things or distant from them because it takes time to write the story God places on your heart.
It takes time to not just write it but living it out can be hard which takes perseverance to live out what God has called us to. And it takes the grit of our faith to stand our ground to not lose hope in the promises of God.
However, if we become distant or cold to what God has called us to write then the power of the impact becomes less vibrant and duller. Instead, we need to be diligent in standing firm on what God has called us to write, what He has called us to live out, and what He has called us to speak.
It is about being diligent to thrive in the truth. Now I am not talking about the trend of the world of "my truth is not the same as your truth" of the self-indulgent self-love culture of today. I am talking about the absolute truth of God that proves itself true every single time.
For example, it is easy to let fear or insecurity paralyze us or make us immobile. Yet, it is the love of God that frees us from fear and insecurity. It is the love of God that frees us to thrive in sharing what He puts on our hearts. How do I know this?
Because it is God's love that has helped me become Un-paralyzed from the insecurity of seeing myself less than others in comparison. For many years I allowed my own insecurities to hinder me from seeing who I am in Christ. And for many years I also let those insecurities hinder my thinking.
But I am here to tell you, you do not have to go down this same path. You can be free in Jesus and not be numb or desensitized by fear or insecurities. You can thrive in God's unfailing love. You can thrive in what God has called you to do and write.
God's word and truth can burn in your heart to ignite a burning passion to share the story He has placed there.
To burn with passion for God's truth we need to seek Him to know Him. If we do not know or seek Him then we will not be able to share what He is placing on our hearts because we have let fear hinder us.
Sometimes for God to get the fear out of our hearts and minds we need to be like Mary and sit in His presence. See Mary did not want to miss what Jesus was going to speak over her and she did not want to miss out on resting before Jesus either.
Instead of making ourselves busy with little things that do not amount to much in the end. Whereas Martha did, she was so busy trying to serve everyone and be the perfect servant that she forgot to just sit in the presence of Jesus to be able to thrive.
Although, when we flourish within God's love, we shine His light so other people can know and experience His love as well. God's love is meant to be shared with others. The story God has placed on our hearts to write needs room to flourish for God to illuminate what we need to share with others.
Moreover, when we thrive in the safety of God's love we get to become Un-numb from what life has thrown at us. God's love is that powerful to make us become Un-numb and come alive in Him.
Here's the thing God never promised us that life would be easy-breezy but He did promise there would be trials and tribulation. But He also promised we do not have to go it alone for He is with us. Even Paul makes this clear throughout all of his letters in the New Testament.
However, when things in life come at us, we can depend on God's love to help us thrive and flourish where He plants us to bloom. Yet, we cannot be led astray by the lies of the enemy nor can we be led astray by the false truths by those who claim to be Christians in name only.
To thrive in Jesus we must dig deep in God's word to remain rooted in abiding in His love. If we toss and sway when trials or tribulations come at us in life, then we can become double-minded which is not good.
But also, if we toss and sway we can become immobilized in fear which is the opposite of what God's love does within us. It is God's love that takes away the cold insensible fear of the unknown to fill us with His unending love that helps us thrive in this temporary journey on earth before we get to spend eternity with Him.
Thriving in Jesus also looks like digging deep into His word and finding fellowship with other believers who lift you up in encouragement. But also who can speak correction in love, not slander or crooked speech. There is a difference between the two.
Those who are believers that are encouraging will be able to lead you to draw closer to God but also will be able to speak in love without being afraid of confrontation. On the other hand, those who are not encouraging will either toss blame onto someone else without taking responsibility or owning up to their mistakes.
Thriving also looks like letting God's love burn like fire in our hearts so that it pours out onto others by sharing the gospel.
When we share the gospel with others we gain a fresh perspective of how God can move differently in people's lives. We also gain a fresh outlook on the story God wants us to share or write with others so that we do not become numb to it.
"Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, declares the LORD."(Jeremiah 23:28-31ESV).
We need to not just speak God's word faithfully. But also, we need to speak and share the story God has placed on our hearts. The Word of God is like the fire that can pierce our hearts to the core so that His love can reign through.
God's Word is also like a hammer that can break down any walls we try to put up between us. He knocks them down with just a tap of His finger. His Word and love can break down the toughest walls that seem impossible to tear down.
There is another point that I want to make in how the false prophets and those who do not keep the Word of God faithfully.
In their hearts who lead God's people astray are those who have not humbled themselves before God and have let themselves become numb without feeling. It is like their hearts have become cold to the fire of God's Word. And have put up walls to keep people at arm's length.
Yet, when God's love burns like fire in our hearts the hearts that are ready to become Un-numb to the things of this world are people who are ready to keep His word faithfully. This is what we need to do and be like Mary sit in the presence of Jesus to thrive where He plants us.
References:
English Standard Version Study Bible (2008) Crossway Publishing, Wheaton ILL,
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