As I was preparing this morning to share a small devotion this evening at a paint class, I knew exactly what God wanted me to say. I was drinking my coffee, chatting with the hubby and underling a few things in a book I wanted to read from this evening and I felt like God was telling me to go back to the book, so I opened it up and these are the words that were starting back at me:
Don’t be intimated by the thought of being holy. God isn’t expecting perfection. He just wants us perfectly surrender to His way and His Word. -Lysa TerKeurst, It’s Not Supposed to be This Way
The scripture was 1 Peter 1:14-16:
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Yes!!! This goes hand in hand with what God lavishly poured on my heart over the last several weeks. I have already finished this book, had read that line before…even underlined it! Yet, God knew I needed it today and that maybe someone else needed it, too! I know I have struggled with being a little intimated with the power of God in my life. Maybe because I am afraid that it will take me to places outside my comfort zone? Maybe because I am a little bit of a control freak and relinquishing control and burying self is hard sometimes? Today I am going to throw myself in the holy hole and wave my white flag of surrender to the Lord a little more. Maybe you need to do the same. It’s not about being perfect, friend. It’s about yielding…surrendering…and trusting Him completely. I know everything He has for me is good…but don’t we often get in our own way? I know I do.
Today, I’m gonna stay in that spiritual hole I have dug for myself…cause when you are standing in a hole, you can’t get in your own way! I’m going to wave the banner of Christ and be completely surrendered to His way and His Word. We can do it, friend! Remember, God wants to bless you in a mighty way! Why not throw up your white flag, too?!? There’s no time like the present to start digging in!
If you need me, I’ll be on my Holy hole today…soaking in as much wisdom as I can…letting go of my former ignorance with each wave of my flag.
I have been called to be holy. I shall be holy, for He is holy! That’s not a surrender of defeat, but one of amazing victory!
