The Lord is One masterful artist who molds and shapes our heart that was once stone cold towards Him, and now is being transformed day by day into a beautiful piece of art. Sometimes we fail to see His work in us, but it is there and something we must keep in mind on our Journey Heavenward. The road, like for probably many of you, has been a rough and ragged one the last couple months. Sometimes it felt like I was rolling downhill and needed Christ to catch me, pointing me in the right direction.
Throughout that journey thus far, there were people in my life who were graciously pointing out sin in my heart and ways that I could grow in in the Lord. It pained my heart at the time and for most I became an emotional wreck as I tried to process through what was being said. I was hurt that I had hurt others without meaning to, and pained to know that I had been blind to my own flesh and sin.
Through much prayer and thinking I began to realize my sin and repent of it. I cannot say it was some easy one and done thing because it was not. My pride had to be knocked over. My self-centeredness slapped in the face. I couldn't come to the throne of God with any ounce of "me" in there. I saw how blind I was to others. I thought I cared. I thought I was doing pretty good as a Christian. I thought I tried hard enough. But do you know what is wrong with each of those statements? The letter 'i". There is no Christ-centeredness in any of those.
In my head I was doing good enough. In my head I was focused on Christ. But the truth is that my heart was the problem. My heart was focused on myself. My heart was making Christianity a "works-based" religion. My heart was filled with pride. Ironically I was too prideful to admit that though!
The Lord and His mercy has since shown me these things and I am grateful to be free from them because of the cross. This past Sunday through the sermon, communion, and talking with a friend, I began to realize my desperate need for Christ and the Cross. All I need is Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just Himself. I thought I also needed the body of Christ, or the church, but no. He alone IS sufficient. The body of Christ is there to encourage you and point you towards the Maker. So in the end, you'll end up turning to Him anyways. Wouldn't it be so much better though if you just went to the Lord first in every area of your life? He is your first love!
We all desperately need Christ. And instead of turning to what we've done or how good we look, why don't we choose to run to the cross? To fix our gaze on Christ. He freely gives grace and forgiveness...just repent of your sins and believe. We who are believers in Christ are no longer bound by the law or by sin, but are free under grace! What a wonderful gift.
This week my goal is to-by God's grace-keep my gaze on Christ and the cross, and not let anything hinder it. I want Christ to be at the center of my life...not the other way around. I want to find that joy that comes from just knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. When you leave your burden of sin, pride, selfishness, and bondage behind at the foot of the cross, the Lord really does flood your soul with a new kind of joy unlike before. The craving for His Word increases and your perspective on life may be quite different. It is a change in my life that I am grateful for. A change that I pray will not grow cold.
"I want to know Christ-yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
-Philippians 3:10-11
My prayer is that for you too, the Lord will mold you more into His image and that you will realize your need for Christ and the Cross. You've been forgiven. Now walk in it. The Lord sees your heart and knows your attitude so there is nothing you can hide from Him. Repent my friend. Trust and believe. Walk in His ways. And turn the focus back onto Christ, the center of it all.
