Who am I to think I am called? Plus more...
Who do I think I am to lead people in prayer and just go out into the community and minister? I’ve been challenged by these doubts, on and off over the last 6 months. Challenges have come from a few different angles and conversations. Challenges that have left me asking myself, “What am I doing?”
How has He handled me when I’ve spun like a top in doubt and fear? He redirects and reframes what I am looking at and who I am listening to.
For dealing with arrows of doubt being launched my way, He has given simple responses along the lines of, “Human thought, pay no attention; keep going.” He’s been matter-of-fact; and, I’ve increasingly noticed, He never panders to doubt.
He has grounded me to scripture, reminding me of Peter and John. He has assured me it is fine to be ordinary and unschooled, as long as it stays evident I spend time with Him and reflect Him, Acts 4:13. He has reminded me of Paul and that it’s okay to be nervous and fearful and stumble in my words, 1 Corinthians 2:3-5.
This is a simple lesson about the character and love of God to be with us for each stage of our need and growth. He is faithful. He will reframe our reality based upon His perception and power.
REFRAMING is absolutely necessary, because very often WE ARE WRONG. He has to tear down a flawed framework built on an intricate web of lies mixed with truth.
Reframing is how He has gently led me through countless situations requiring I forgive. Reframing is a supernatural shift in thinking. It’s the miraculous gift mentioned in Romans 12:2, Heaven sent with God’s thoughts. Reframing is a key survival skill, as long as it is based upon God’s perspective and Christ’s life. (Note: Reframing and releasing is the model of the meditation on forgiveness on April 30th. We will go through some scripture about forgiveness. We walk through questions to pinpoint issues. We’ll ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to reframe them, and practice exercises to release the issues into His hand. Sign up on the calendar page.)
Last week I was at a point when I had to make a decision about going forward in this ministry call, either I am in, or I am out. I was in prayer lamenting about it when in my spirit I heard, “Get out of the boat.” I was dumbfounded. “I’m not out of the boat yet?!!!” The answer was no.
I thought I was out of the boat already! I WAS WRONG. He reframed; and let me know I was still in the boat. Why was this important? I needed to see as He saw. Up to this point, I’ve found strength through reason and ability to calculate resources. But now I’m approaching the time of calculation, when it will be all God. He wanted to clarify that I’ve been looking with more human perception than I realized. It blew my mind; but redirected me and reframed my key to survival. Christ will not be revealed in greater measure to me or others if I stay grounded in the natural. It’s a call to get out of the boat and stand where I don’t have human ability to save myself, Matthew 14:28.
We talk about God doing the impossible. We quote God’s response to Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the LORD…?” We quote Jesus, “… with God all things are possible.” We sing, “Call me out on to the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail…” But when the rubber meets the road in our lives, sometime He shows us the end point of our trust in God. He has to ask multiple times in multiple ways, “Do you love me?” He has to yank out deep roots tied to an intellectual system of processing through logic. “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:19)
Christ trusted His Heavenly Father’s power to resurrect him from the grave. He didn’t rely on limits of human ability to execute his call. Can you imagine if He started out this way? Instead of miraculously manifesting 120-180 gallons of wine at the wedding in Cana, perhaps He would have suggested making tea or lemonade. He would have put a compress on the forehead of Peter’s mother-in-law to heal her fever. Of course this is ridiculous. We certainly wouldn’t be following Jesus 2000+ years later if He attempted to reveal himself through limits of human reasoning and accessible resources.
Christ admittedly did nothing on his own, John 8:28. He prioritized time with His Father in prayer. He didn’t operate alone. He was led by instruction from Heaven, Luke 6:12, Mark 1:35. He didn’t make his own decisions.
Are you operating alone? Are you filled with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the HOLY SPIRIT gives (Colossians 1:9)? Where are you stuck mentally processing within your own limited reasoning? Are you receiving perspective from God’s thoughts that challenge you and fill you with Christ’s peace and love?
Where are you fixing your eyes? Are you more like Eve who desired what her eyes saw or are you more like the man who cried out to Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Hebrews 12:2- fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Watchman Nee wrote in his book Release of the Spirit, “It takes many breakings in many areas of our lives for us to attain to a place of usefulness… Our spirit is released according to the degree of our brokenness… Spiritual sensitivity comes about only through many dealings. Are we really profited if we preserve ourselves? ‘For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it.’ We must ask the Lord not to withdraw His hand from us. How tragic not to recognize what the Lord is doing…”
This is the power of God reframing our thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. We will recognize more clearly what He is doing and how we are intricately knit into His redemptive work while temporarily trapped in this thing called time. He will continually reassure us that we are not alone. We are comforted by His presence. We will get out of the boat.
Bring your reasoning and emotion to Him in prayer; learn how to tune to His voice. Let him redirect your thoughts and reframe them from His perspective. Please come to either the April 30th meditation on Forgiveness or the May 14th meditation on Psalm 23. Go to the CALENDAR page to sign up! FINAL NOTE: Have these blogs been a blessing to you? There is a new page under the “More” tab called “Ministry Offering”. Would you be open to seeding into the ministry? Yes right now, it is a love offering. Steps are going forward to form as a non-profit. Help is needed in the transitional period. If you follow this link, you can see simple ways to keep ministry going and help the Lord reach people beyond my current contacts. I appreciate your help! Blessings upon cheerful givers!
