Do you want to be used of God? The simple answer for believers is…yes! But we don’t stop and think just what that opens us up to.
If you have followed my journey at all over the last few years you know that the Lord has taken me through three verses – one building upon another…
- Matt 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
- Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
- Rom 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
He got my attention with Matthew in 2001 and He would not let me think about anything else until I got that planted deep in my spirit; one day at a time. In 2007 He used Revelation to instill in me the message that while many consider this verse reaching out to an unbelieving world, He showed me something else. He is standing outside the door to the heart of His bride, who is not growing in her relationship with Him; not maturing spiritually. And in 2008 the Lord gave me the critical reason why… it’s all about allowing the Holy Spirit manifest in us the very character of Jesus that was instilled in us the moment we were born again.
In the process we have all become well acquainted with the impact that Romans 8:28 has on all of this… all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. So all these experiences we are going through are meant for us… right?… maybe not! We might want to consider that maybe they are meant to “make us useful” in His hands, to enable us to understand what is happening in the lives of others.
The deepening of our relationship with Jesus is the key to putting these verses together. It is only when we are closely related to Him that we can understand what He is doing in our life. So, are we truly partakers in Christ’s suffering? Are we prepared for God to drastically change us, transform us, and mold us into His image?
We never realize what God is putting us through at the moment; we just need to stand firm and go through it. It is only at some point in the future, at some interaction with someone, that the light comes on… oh, that’s what that was all about.
That’s spiritual maturity!