i am hanging out in lifechurch.tv’s internet campus this morning after a roller coaster week. i woke up late from crashing hard last night but not late enough for god to speak some amazing words to me…at the end of the message, craig was reading this quote:
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. (From a Franciscan Benediction)
this brought tears to my sleep-crusted eyes as i feel these exact words have been circulating in my spirit the last several months. i think it probably started when we went to austin in early march, and only intensified through each step chris and i have taken since then. last night, sitting alone in the chapel at the airport in dallas for several hours, i was reading and journaling and i promise you half of those words i scribbled down; yet more in question form than answer.
so to hear these words today as a confirmation of what our hearts (both mine and chris’) have been burdened with is both terrifying and exciting. as a couple, we are both slowly, prayerfully reconsidering and reevaluating so many assumptions we have made in our lives – what it means to die to ourselves, our wants, our so-called needs. what it means to find your tribe (please read that post if you haven’t). and to be honest with ourselves about what god is stirring up in our hearts, sacrifices he is requiring us to make.
what’s god been saying to you lately?
Related posts:
God has told me to step out of the realm of the comfortable and to get ready for a wild ride. I need to say the things that others are afraid to say, I need to speak truth with grace, and I need to be prepared to be insignificant for Him. Basically, He has told me that life will not be comfortable and boring…it will be wild, erratic and full of The Spirit. I’m anxious, nervous and excited.
I’m glad that you had such a great morning. Sometimes the greatest truths come to me from others when I am too tired to put up my usual barriers and filters.
god has really been showing me that I am so incredibly selfish. That god commands us to love and see the great things that people can be wethere or not you like them or if you think they have what it takes.
God is really showing me that he would love each and every person and take the time to get to know their story…but I get caught up in wanting them to know my story.
God is asking me to humble myself and just love his people.
God has been showing me that everyone has a story and I really don’t know the pain and hurt others have experienced. There are reasons behind hurtful words and hardened hearts.
He is teaching me to be quiet, and slow when I am asessing others. He is showing me to wait for any judgement (if even necessary), and try to see others through the eyes of Christ. So like others have said, He is simply teaching me to love.
Wow. that Franciscan Benediction quote is so powerful. God has been stirring in me lately as well, revealing fears that i live submitted to day in and day out…shattering those fears…recovering the truth in my life that I am not inadequate, but because of Him I am more than enough to accomplish what he wants me to do to further His kingdom. I am not insufficient or unable, but he has qualified me because he is the one who instilled this searing passion deep inside me.
Thanks for posting this!!
Craig sharing that Franciscan Benediction was powerful during all of our Experiences, this weekend. God has been stirring me up to lead radically. Craig’s “Burden†message provided the perfect opportunity for me to be confrontational and to really challenge the people at NW Oklahoma City Campus to get engaged. We are blessed w/ a burden!
God has been showing me (read: slapping me about the head and face) that, in regards to the job I hold, it’s time to step out and really lead, rather that continuing to busy myself with the details of maintaining what has been in place for a while.
God has also been showing me (with a good deal more gentleness) glimpses of my lack of discipline.
It’s quite an effective strategy God has taken with me: *SMACK* here’s what I want you to do. And if you take a look through this glass dimly, you’ll see yourself and why it is that you’re not going to be able to do it unless you surrender your willful lack of focus.
That it’s not about me.
He’s been saying “Stop hiding from me. Stop asking me to show you a sign when I have shown you 100 signs and you choose to look the other way becuase you are too scared to accept what it is I want you to do.” He says, “Stop being so attached the the wrong things and get more attached to me.”
Submit. Listen. Learn. and do.
God’s been speaking to me about boldness. I am desperate to let go of my people-pleasing flesh and be a friend who speaks the truth even when it’s not what people want t hear.
Hop to it, Carol!
F – ully
R- ely
O- n
G- od
That God is jealous – there’s no second place.
That I’m not the only one hurting from hateful words. That saying, I’m leaving this with you, Lord and not doing it only hurts me. That the energy that I should use to passionately persue Him is being misdirected…again.
Only wishing I could get this one ‘down’ so I wouldn’t have to stay up till 3 in the morning “working it out”.
After two years of preaching at a church plant, I learned today its all about love, true authentic, accepting, beautiful love.
Love from a creator that would love me in spite of my self. Love that should flow through me into the least of these.
I spoke bare foot the second gathering today, because I knew I was standing on Holy Ground. It was a beautiful day.
God is telling me ‘more’….I have begun to allow Him to use me, yet my visions of what He will do are too limited. He keeps telling (and showing in many ways) that I should not limit what He is capable of doing, through me, if I am willing to simply keep listening and obeying.
Yes, like the very first comment here by Matt Singley, “He has told me that life will not be comfortable and boring…it will be wild, erratic and full of The Spirit. I’m anxious, nervous and excited.”
The best part is it has started…and it’s only beginning!!! :)
God keeps taking me to this verse…2 Tim 4:5b “Complete the ministry He has given you”. The passion I had when He first called me to do a specific work for Him I have let die out. He has been gently reminding me that He is serious…
God has been stripping me….showing me that in my heart so often I do things so that I can get approval, respect, admiration….rather than doing things out of love for God and others. It’s a painful realization but Jesus has been holding me in his arms for comfort.
Do it afraid.
That I need to start handing it all over to Him. That I can’t do it all. That I haven’t REALLY given my WHOLE life to Him yet. That it’s not about me. That I’m not stupid. That I have something to contribute and that He gave it to me to contribute. That He can be my strength. That our relationship can continue to grow.
I want a true, authentic relationship with God and I am not really sure what that looks like. I have been a Christian for most of my life, but I can say that the challenges I have faced recently have shaken my faith to its core.
So often in life I have been spiritually sleepwalking. That means just praying and going through the motions. I want more than that. The first step for me is getting involved in a church. That is a scary and intimidating thing for me and my family, but we are headed in that direction.
In addition that means spending time with God, which is a discipline that I have not mastered.
He calmly reminds me that He’s here… always.
Sometimes storms come and we panic and feel as if He’s not listening or He’s abandoned ship – but He’s in the boat, and we will get to the other side. Whether it seems like He’s sleeping or not, we must cling to His promise to never leave us nor forsake us.
He’s here.
Choose joy.
Sadly, the problem is not with Him, but with us. Many of us try to walk the walk without first understanding where we sit–sitting down–yes, sitting down. Eph. 2: 4-6 (V6)And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We sit with Him now, and to sit is to rest, relying on Him and His Word. Once we sit and realize where we sit, and who we sit with, then we can walk the walk with the confidence of a child of the King. We can walk, and overcome when everyone and everything else seems to be falling down. What is nice, is this time tomorrow it will be now too. It is tribe Jesus.
Good Question…
God has been telling me now that I spent 4 1/2 years of intense ministry thinking I was working for HIM (and I was) but I was mostly doing it for others.
He has forced me to STOP the insane pace that my ministry had done to my life and he has MADE ME lie down in green pastures. It is really strange…but I feel so much closer to HIM than ever.
He has also impressed upon my heart about “being still” and “silence”…
Lamentations 3:28 (The Message) – When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst.
Okay this has nothing to do with this post… sorta. The title of your post is “what have you been learning?” I’ve been learning all over the blogosphere that you and your hubby are experiencing something uncomfortable (in a good way). God moving in your midst. Just wanted to say I am praying for you and curiously looking forward to when you can elaborate more.
Have you heard the song Pray by Kendall Payne? I have a feeling you might like it.
I’ve been learning that God is good, but good doesn’t mean safe and good doesn’t mean easy.
My life isn’t ultimately about me and my comfort, it’s about Him and His glory.
God has been showing me how much I don’t know. How much he loves me, anyway. People are more important than busy stuff. That there are people He wants to love through me, and I’m too caught up in myself. That He is sovereign, and my Abba. That my savior lives, and He died for all my sins. That He is God. my God. His ways work, mine don’t.
RISK
God is asking me questions:
Why so overly cynical about people’s motives?
Why so self-absorbed?
Why so smarter-than-though?
Why so hyper-critical about the church?
Why so drawn to the easier-sides-of life?
The BIG one:
Do you love me anymore, D Rho?
My answers:
………………………………………………..
beautiful words Anne, ty for sharing them. Speaking of closings I also read this today as well http://wiki.ikon.org.uk/wiki/index.php/Closing_benediction
As for what God is saying – i have no idea, i’d like to have one, a nice big clear picture at the moment things happen and i’ve got no idea how they are fitting together which is frustrating but then again i’m also glad that they are…
So you’ll hear me singing along with Gary Jules…
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying
Are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It’s a very, very
Mad World
Thank you for posting this. I’m two days behind in reading, but still got it. Even now.
What a powerful quote…I am still chewing on it.
Great quote, Anne. Thanks for sharing it. I’m filing it away for later….