"He doesn’t wish we were something other than who we are."
I like to believe God shows up in a caring way by being the God we need him to be. Sometimes that's a merciful god with depthless understanding. When I was an alcoholic with a newborn son at 27 years old the last thing I needed was a God who didn't wish me to be anything other than what I was. I needed my God to show me the ugliness of what I was, to set before me the path of life or death. Deuteronomy 30:19 "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" NIV
And often becoming a better version of myself was a hard and joyless path, but on the other side of that path I found true joy in him. The road to that destination was not cobbled with joy, but sanctified suffering.
If you listen to the podcast with Kate Bowler I mention, they actually talk about joy not being something that we find all the time, but rather trying to figure out how to make that the bulls-eye of what we aim for. Not perfection but joy. It's a really good episode. I too have a hard past and lots I am not proud of, but I have found God to be faithful to me even when I have felt faithful. It's absurd. And amazing.
Thank you for sharing this, William! Praise God that he showed up for you in that time! Of course there are nuances to this phrase. He doesn't want us to have addictions or to feel all the wounds we have felt and I am overjoyed that he took you where you were and showed you what you COULD BE. How are you now? The verse you quote is one of my favorites because it's an incredible plea from the God of the universe. Choose life. I wish everyone did that. They don't have to choose death -- God wants otherwise for all of us. Too many of us are living in a way where we aren't really living, you know? It's like we are alive but not truly living. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to you and that you chose life.
Thanks for your quick reply. I'm doing well 5 years sober and choosing life one day at a time with 2 kids and a wonderful wife. I agree that it's easy to fall into a place of comparison to others "holiness" ie church attendance, prayer life, service etc. Just wanted to show the nuance that sometimes people need to be called into suffering and through that suffering we find joy. As with allot of things in this wobly life it must be pursued with discernment, seeing as some sufferings are self inflicted and not desired by God.
Yes, sanctification is important and hard. Sometimes we need to address sin, but I think it's important to remember that even when we have to deal with our sin, God starts with us from a found of love -- he wants us to be well and whole and not hurting ourselves and others. It's not because he wants us holy. It's because he wants us to experience all he has for us -- this includes not wanting us to hurt ourselves or others. Blessings upon you, William. Thank you for engaging! I am very grateful.
My choice was "more joy," and I've come to realize that our Abba knows that as we find our joy in him, he will use what he has uniquely given us to bring more and more joy and more and more honor to him. It's taken me 70+ years to realize this! What you wrote put into words what I have been discovering as well. THANK YOU!
I love this, Claudia! At the end of the podcast I mention here (listen to it - it's sooo good!), they talk about the difference between happiness and joy and what if, instead of our mark we are always trying to hit be perfection, what if it was joy? It's a remarkable thought! What if we lived in a way where we were trying to hit the bulls-eye of joy that God desires for us and that only he can give to us? So thankful you and me are on this journey of discovering more of God!
"He doesn’t wish we were something other than who we are."
I like to believe God shows up in a caring way by being the God we need him to be. Sometimes that's a merciful god with depthless understanding. When I was an alcoholic with a newborn son at 27 years old the last thing I needed was a God who didn't wish me to be anything other than what I was. I needed my God to show me the ugliness of what I was, to set before me the path of life or death. Deuteronomy 30:19 "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" NIV
And often becoming a better version of myself was a hard and joyless path, but on the other side of that path I found true joy in him. The road to that destination was not cobbled with joy, but sanctified suffering.
If you listen to the podcast with Kate Bowler I mention, they actually talk about joy not being something that we find all the time, but rather trying to figure out how to make that the bulls-eye of what we aim for. Not perfection but joy. It's a really good episode. I too have a hard past and lots I am not proud of, but I have found God to be faithful to me even when I have felt faithful. It's absurd. And amazing.
Thanks I'll check it out. Appreciate the sincerity and candor.
Thank you for sharing this, William! Praise God that he showed up for you in that time! Of course there are nuances to this phrase. He doesn't want us to have addictions or to feel all the wounds we have felt and I am overjoyed that he took you where you were and showed you what you COULD BE. How are you now? The verse you quote is one of my favorites because it's an incredible plea from the God of the universe. Choose life. I wish everyone did that. They don't have to choose death -- God wants otherwise for all of us. Too many of us are living in a way where we aren't really living, you know? It's like we are alive but not truly living. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to you and that you chose life.
Thanks for your quick reply. I'm doing well 5 years sober and choosing life one day at a time with 2 kids and a wonderful wife. I agree that it's easy to fall into a place of comparison to others "holiness" ie church attendance, prayer life, service etc. Just wanted to show the nuance that sometimes people need to be called into suffering and through that suffering we find joy. As with allot of things in this wobly life it must be pursued with discernment, seeing as some sufferings are self inflicted and not desired by God.
Yes, sanctification is important and hard. Sometimes we need to address sin, but I think it's important to remember that even when we have to deal with our sin, God starts with us from a found of love -- he wants us to be well and whole and not hurting ourselves and others. It's not because he wants us holy. It's because he wants us to experience all he has for us -- this includes not wanting us to hurt ourselves or others. Blessings upon you, William. Thank you for engaging! I am very grateful.
My choice was "more joy," and I've come to realize that our Abba knows that as we find our joy in him, he will use what he has uniquely given us to bring more and more joy and more and more honor to him. It's taken me 70+ years to realize this! What you wrote put into words what I have been discovering as well. THANK YOU!
I love this, Claudia! At the end of the podcast I mention here (listen to it - it's sooo good!), they talk about the difference between happiness and joy and what if, instead of our mark we are always trying to hit be perfection, what if it was joy? It's a remarkable thought! What if we lived in a way where we were trying to hit the bulls-eye of joy that God desires for us and that only he can give to us? So thankful you and me are on this journey of discovering more of God!