Spark2Flame

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. –Galatians 5:7-8

This is sort of a continuation of Monday's post, but as I continue reading through Galatians, I keep being hit by these things (in a good way).

I think it’s interesting that we blame God for so many things. Often chief among them, when our spiritual life falters. We may attribute it to God not giving us what we wanted (even though that thing seemed like His will). We may think it’s the disappointments and discouragements we’ve faced that aren’t fair.

People speak things to us that confirm our suspicions and feed our anxiety until we stop pursuing and wallow in our self-pity and confusion. At least that happens for me. Sometimes I don’t even need other people to help. I look at the “signs” and decide they all point toward God leaving or giving up on me. The longer I indulge the faster I lose my footing.

But I want to get this truth down deeper inside me—who has held me back from following the truth? Certainly isn’t God! He’s the one who called me to freedom in the first place. He’s the one who sent His Son to take my sin, guilt, and condemnation. He’s the one who made me righteous and offered relationship.

God does not cause our walk to stagnate, we allow such things to enter. I’m just so glad that once we see what’s going on, we can return to life in the Spirit and quit trying to please Him with our rule-following.

If we are hungering, thirsting, and pursuing righteousness then following the rules and following the truth lead us to different places. Why? Because if we could follow all the rules, we’d be able to boast about it and make our own way and wouldn’t need Jesus. As it is, working so hard to follow rules will leave us more frustrated, more anxious, and more complacent.

He called us to freedom and wants us to stay in freedom. We face dry and hard times, but with the certainty that they will not endure forever and it’s all part of the race we’re running.

It’s so important to see God in the light of truth, not the dimness of human understanding or frustrated experiences. Once we embrace this, the work of transformation begins.