What is the essence of the Christian life? Or what is the main thing God wants of me today, tomorrow or the rest of my days?
Important to understand is what He desires to see come out of my life versus what he expects me to personally action in my life. These two are different since most of what He wishes to see flow out of my life will be a result of His grace – thus His ability working on my behalf producing what He desires.
For example loving God and loving people is His will for us. Yet, all our love is the result of Him loving us and that love overflowing in our lives. Likewise holiness is the result of His light and holiness being reflected from our lives.
The key change from the old to the new covenant is that He gave each us the ability to personally journey with Him in our hearts. He gave us the Holy Spirit as the guide for this journey. Love, holiness and purpose are all by-products of this journey with the Spirit of God. None should be pursued as goals lest it become works of self leading to religious self glorification. No, what must be produced in our lives must be by Him, through grace alone.
Therefore, what are the things that I must action on this journey? Firstly, I must daily seek Him and His Path. This involves speaking and listening – basic communication. Don’t do this religiously. Do it naturally as part of everyday life. The path is not found through religious activities, but is rather discovered in everyday life. It is here in daily living where He desires to spread His love, light and holiness to others.
Secondly, when I come to a crossroad where my own desire and that of the Spirit differs, I must learn to yield to Him. I must learn to submit to His leading since He is both the Path and the Light for the Path. He is both the Beginning and the End of every Path, and knows all things.
Wisdom chooses His way. Wisdom follows Him for He is Wisdom. When I follow the Path, all that I might think He desires from me is being fulfilled. As I stay on the Path, I experience His ability (grace) empowering me to fulfill His desire. This yoke is easy and its burden is light because His ability is fulfilling all requirements. It is the life-giving Spirit that becomes my righteousness, holiness and power.
When I miss the path or go my own way, I experience darkness, loss and frustration. These are not the signs that God is angry or disappointed, but that I am not following the correct path. What I must do is to speak to Him in seeking to find Him as the Path. Many might seek Him at such times for relieve or to somehow please an angry and distant God, without realizing that what He desires to give them is a different path of life. In all cases He will answer with the call to follow Him.
This call to follow is not one of work, purpose or prosperity. It is the basic call to relationship and the Way of Life. Along the way we all do things for God, but this is not the purpose for the call.
No, He calls us to follow since it is His way of leading us through all of life, teaching and training us in His ways and transforming us into His image.
Seek the Path as if your life depend on it. It is the Path of Life and the only way life will ever make sense.
Courage to all!
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
(Isaiah 30:21)