Tag: trust

Temptation

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The temptation for the believer is to look without instead of within. Biographies of great saints are great. Sermons are great. They become a problem when we take what is said and try to apply it to our life like plugging in numbers to a formula in order to solve a physics equation. Life in the Spirit is not like this.

I am not you, and you are not me. I have a different daily routine, different responsibilities, different human relationships, different resources all specific to me, and so do you.

We can go after God trying to make Him do for us as we would like. Or we can sit and wait for Him to come to us. Pursue us. Lead us. Guide us.

This takes trust. And I have to admit, I am not there–yet. I want to be there. Sometimes I think I am, but sometimes I fall back into the religious mindset of cause and effect–sowing and reaping. But if that is religion, then what does life in the Spirit look like?

I think it looks more like Sonship. It looks like resting in the knowledge that I am a Son, that I am loved unconditionally. My only responsibilities are to do as I see my Father doing and speak only as my Father speaks. My privilege is His provision for all my needs, for all that belongs to the Father is mine.

Letting Go

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She picked up the stone she had been carrying in her pocket. It was smooth from rubbing with her fingers and cool to the touch. It was her favorite stone, the only stone she had left.

“Can I have it, little one?”

“Why, I don’t know that I could part with it. I love it so, you see. I found it a long time ago and I don’t remember life without it. What would I have in its place?”

“Ah, but you see, that is precisely why I want it. Perhaps you are meant to know what loss of a thing feels like. I will tell you this, If you give me the rock, I’ll give you more of me. And I’ll still have the rock, but I’m very good at keeping things safe.”

“Well…maybe.”

And then, looking into his deep brown eyes, she could see the love he had for her, how he wanted her trust in even this seemingly small thing, so she opened her hand and offered the last thing in the world she had to call her own.

And she immediately felt light, and free–like the world was so full of possibility. Like she had so many options for how to be in this world than she thought possible while holding on to that one thing she had cherished for so long.

She was starting from scratch; rediscovering herself and what life could possibly be in this rockless world. And instead of feeling dread over her loss, she just felt peace, a little apprehensive, but sure that she’d made the right decision, and that maybe when she was ready he would give back her rock and it would fit with her new life that she was setting out to discover.

But for now, she had given everything over to his care. Her faith was simple and small, and she felt good.

He held out his hand, and she clasped it tightly. They would be going on this adventure together. She would never be alone again.