I can look at the many progressions in my life ::
Age 14 and wanting to be someone who is loved and known
Age 16 and trying so hard to be known and loved by the "it" crowd
Age 18 and doing my best to keep up the facades and deceit
Age 19 and cycling this roundabout of discontentment
Age 20 and realizing my life of hypocrisy
Age 21 and experiencing sin go sour within my stomach
Age 22 and allowing Truth to disintegrate the chains that bind me
Age 23 and encountering a God who restores and brings meaning
Age 24 and remaining in the realities of my heart
:: I love what God asks of His disciples, because as you remain obedient in His precepts, breakthrough and progression is inevitable.
Psalm 19:7-9 ::
"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous."
As I recognized all the ways in which God ushers in breakthroughs, I also thought a moment about the times in which I've retrogressed into old habits and mindsets. As frustrating as those moments are, I am favored as God reveals why this happens.
The moments I find my mind reverting back to any old mindset, I'm reminded of the flawless wisdom God has given to us in Psalm 19:7-9. In what ways am I failing to grasp the reality and validity of these verses?
God's authority says ::
( Psalm 19:7-9 )
When you obey my laws your soul will be revived.
My laws will remain steadfast and the wisdom they hold is apparent
What I say is free from error and in that find comfort and merriment
Continue under my resplendent authority so that I may reveal sin for what it truly is
The wonder and mystery of who I am will eternally remain unequivocal
When I can allege to God's authority and place myself under it, in all of my thoughts and decisions, any retrogression will cease to exist.
May you see the perfect commands of a God who overrides the meaninglessness of our lives and liberates His people from themselves.
ah, thank you so much, caydin. i really needed to read some of this. it applies to frustrations i've been having at work and i feel like this is what God would've wanted me to hear. thank you for sharing your heart with us.
ReplyDeletewisdom. love it.
ReplyDeleteThis post really reminded me of how patient God is with us...
Our relationship with Him truly is symbolized in the picture of a father and his son/daughter. He disciplines us, because He loves us. He gives us gifts out of love and is patient because He knows that we are slowly learning:)
so good.
i love what you said, " I love what God asks of His disciples, because as you remain obedient in His precepts, breakthrough and progression is inevitable." it reminds me of the passage in Luke about the cost of discipleship, the cost is not a bunch of rules, but rather steps that will lead us naturally into a wholehearted following after Christ. good stuff. love your words, love your heart :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Caydin! You are really good at carrying a thought throughout. Thanks for your clarity!
ReplyDeleteWhen I retrogress;) which i do way to often and respond old-self-like on something that the Lord had previously revealed to me - I get so frustrated because I feel, "billy you're an idiot, God already showed you that and you didn't listen and act on it to grow in it."
The fact that we get mad and defeated when we retrogress shows how much we think it's performance-based:(
"When I can allege to God's authority and place myself under it, in all of my thoughts and decisions, any retrogression will cease to exist." - that is good stuff:)
Father, show us ourselves as we really are, 'reveal sin for what it truly is,' show us more and more how much we CAN'T do it. Continue to break down our misunderstandings of our DOING having anything to do with our righteousness and transformation. SAVE us from sitting in guilt and disappointment and laying ugly and stagnant. Let us see more of what the cross meant, and teach us to STAY there, where we belong.
amen! seek God and retrogression will cease to exist. love it.
ReplyDeleteWOW.
ReplyDeleteokay, so about 2 days ago I read this and really felt like I couldn't digest it for what I should have. I had to turn away from it but knew it held something special.
today I was talking with God and telling Him how frustrated I was because of regression with trusting Him... and then I kinda randomly thought I should read your blog because I didn't finish it before. so I did. and OH how He works. : ) amazing. this is what circles is all about. : )
wow caydin so good. i loved your wisdom about why we slip back into these old mindsets, the ones that always hurt us. this is so good. im going to meditate on psalm 19 for a while and really pray the Lord would engrave it into my being. thanks :)
ReplyDeleteSo cool how you are able to look at the progression in your life over the years of how God has been transforming you. I love what you wrote "I love what God asks of His disciples, because as you remain obedient in His precepts, breakthrough and progression is inevitable." It is so true. Thank you Jesus! Your post is so encouraging to me. Thanks:)
ReplyDelete