And that's where it hits me, right between the eyes. My crappy mood, my perfectionism, my expectations, my plans are things of this world. I'm trying to create an image for myself, fulfill my desires, check off things on my to-do list. I want to see these people, I want to do this and I want to go there, etc. God calls us to not conform to this world, He says, "But be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2. Why am I not asking, "God, the author of perfection, what do you have for me today?"
It is such a trap to live in this world, surrounded by so many things that we can get our mind wrapped up around, but the ONLY escape is Jesus! HE IS PERFECTION! When we seek after the one who is perfection, we more clearly see the world and our place in it. We experience the fellowship of a relationship with Jesus that exceeds any that this world can offer. To clarify, I want to stress that we can't experience God solely through our actions. I could read countless bible verses or Christian books; I could listen to hundreds of sermons; I could invest my time in leading Bible Studies or serving in another ministry; I could fill my schedule with meetings to talk to people about Jesus; these can become overwhelming; we can feel overworked and underpaid. We have to open the door for God to work in ALL of our lives. We have to open our hearts to allowing God into those areas that we have been molding for ourselves. We know what they are, whether it is a relationship with a family member, a friend, a roommate, or a significant other or where we should invest our time in the coming months or where we should take our future or where our next meal is going to come from or how we are going to pay the bills or how we are going to find a job. The list could go on and on and on, but God knows our heart and He wants us to have peace and feel the comfort He has to offer.
From my own life experiences, I know that just because we have that peace and feel that comfort doesn't necessarily mean that God provides a job or mends the relationship, but it does mean that He can use our faith and joy in Him, despite our circumstances, to grow the Kingdom. The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13. Paul is saying that the triumphs and the troubles in his life have taught him to depend on God's strength, and not his own, at all times, and in that Paul can be content no matter where God takes him. And that's how we should learn to live.
