You have to go into it with the mindset, I'm going to leave in a body bag or with the money.
-Jon Woodard
With the above words my brother shot the tiny chance of competing in the extreme survival show Alone to death. He didn't have much, if any, chance to go and still honor and bless his wife to begin with, but seeing her face when he spoke the above sealed it. Because she knew, he wasn't talking, he was exposing the truth of who he is.
That's my brother. Once he sets his mind to do something he'd make a mule look wish washy. He's going to do it, or go to the point where he is beaten and has no option or God is going to have to clearly direct him into surrender and giving up, moving on or that he needs to do something else. Life has always been do or die with him much more than do till uncomfortable or not fun.
I would like to be more like that. I have a history of being easily attracted by the next thing, the other thing. If this isn't fun or doesn't feel good, maybe that will. Although the attitude I described my brother having and the one I have historically had both effect our will power, it's not really a matter of will power. What I mean by that, is the idea of will power is kind of like asking who can hold their breath longest. One person may be able to outlast another by quite a bit, but it doesn't matter really if I can hold my breath 30 seconds or longer more than you because what we both have in common is that before we die both of us will take a breath.
Without an external force preventing air flow, there is no one who can hold their breath to the point of death, no matter how determined, no matter how much will power they have. The same is true of walking with God. No matter how much we set ourselves to do it, no matter how determined or set our will is, we will fail eventually. My little brother may be able to go into a project or goal or even into faith with a mindset of I'm not turning back, I have decided that may carry him a few miles further down the road than us fickle folk, but he still can't finish the race without grace. His determination may take him twice the distance of others, but it is still an infinity away from finishing the race on his own.
So what's the point? Who cares and why bother? The difference in setting our mind to the place that no matter what happens we are not going to turn away, not going to return to slavery,, not going to stop following Jesus is not in the amount of grace we need. The one who sets their mind to obey needs as much grace as the one who is blown about by whim. The difference comes in the access to the needed grace. Not from God's point of view. He has made His grace equally available to the strong-willed and weak alike, to the determined and the undecided.
Setting our minds to do something won't give us the strength to do it, but it can put us in a place of recognizing our need for grace. When I have eliminated all options but to move forward with God, when forward is blocked or feels impossible or too hard, I know I need to cry out for help. I can't move forward and that's the only option so I need God to make a way where there seems to be no way in order to keep moving. But when I have not set my mind, the road gets a little hard or the journey becomes boring or unenjoyable and suddenly I find myself distracted by other options. I have slipped back into what I want over what He wants and usually get myself in a bind down a wrong path before I realize I need grace to get back to the King's Road and more grace to return to forward progress.
Today, let us set ourselves to walk with God come hell or high water. We will do what He wills rather than what we will or die trying. Then with that mindset and all other choices and options removed from the equation may we more quickly realize that we have no chance or ability to do what we have determined to do on our own and ask for grace and help from Him who is able. By grace we can move forward to do His will and carry out His purpose, but we can't do it if we keep looking for an easier, softer way than His way.
Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.
If you would like to have notifications of new Unshackled Moments and messages sent to you via email, send an email to dalynwoodard@mail.com requesting to be added to the list. You can also follow Dalyn Woodard (@Dalynsmsings) on Twitter or Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.
No comments:
Post a Comment