“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
I absolutely love the phrase say what you mean and mean what you say. In certain times in my life, I have lived by it. I would quote it to someone whose actions didn't line up with what their words indicated they would or would not do. I would say it as a warning to my students before allowing them to answer one of my pointed questions.
"Do not waste your breath with what you think I want to hear. Say what you mean and you better mean what you say." In those moments, I turned on my best angry teacher look and dared them to say something that had no weight. I know that this technique was effective. Many a confession came tumbling out shortly thereafter. But, I never thought to look in the mirror and say it to myself.
I am very good at expressing how things should be, but what happens when my own words don't hold meaning for me? I have encountered this in the past two weeks. I've shared stories about how God has helped me to overcome one obstacle after the other. They were all true stories. The problem is I no longer believed them.
I no longer believed that I was an overcomer even though that's exactly what I said I was. My words sounded like someone who was on fire for the Lord, but the power in their declaration fizzled before the words left my mouth and reached my own ears. I knew that God was indeed a deliverer, but I allowed my own shortcomings to infiltrate the message. I had also forgotten that delivering the message that God will deliver you was fuel for my faith and not just a series of words for my friends.
In those moments, my words sizzled like chicken in a hot frying pan. The problem was I had turned down the stove. I had shifted into the realm of the lukewarm Christian. You know the one who is neither hot or cold. The one who lines up with God when things are going good, but turns a blind eye to Jesus when serving is too hard or inconvenient. I never thought it would be me, but facing the fact that it was helped me to repent and refocus.
Revelation 3:16 NIV
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Adayinthelife:-)
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