A Time To Change Things Up

A few weeks ago we had a week-end of storms. A few pretty hectic ones. In fact I lost two trees on account of the strong winds. After the storms I took a walk around the garden to see if there was any more damage. I noticed that there was a tremendous amount of dead wood on the ground. The storms had pruned my trees. Then I noticed this tree.

Notice how all the dead wood has collected in the hollow.

This really got me thinking. In fact I have been meditating on this for the past week and a bit.

This year has been a stinker for me. So much has happened. My Gran passed away in April; we lost two of our pets, Wriggles who was part of our family for 10 years, and Angel, our Rotti, who was with us for 12 years. Our precious Zac also went to be with Jesus (I know that to be absent from the body, it to be present with Jesus! But I'm sad that he is not here with us.) There has been a tremendous strain on the family. Ash has missioned with her school work. I have not been as organised as I should have been, (as I was in years past.). This year for me has been a series of putting out fires left right and centre. Within myself it feels like my compass has been shaken about, my confidence has taken a knock! At times I have such high expectations of what I want to accomplish with my life.  These are set so high, that I am my own worst enemy! Silly, I know!

In my quiet time the other day, I said to my Abba, “shew I cannot wait for this year to end!!”

Then He reminded me of that tree.

He is showing me, that next year will probably be no different to next year, unless I let go of the ‘dead wood’ that I am carrying around.

OH no I thought!! NO MORE character building PLEASEEEEE!!

But the more I think about it, the more I know that this change in necessary.

This is my revelation, this is my truth…

I am starting to get the revelation of what Jesus did for me on the cross. Better late than never, hey!

Ephesians 1 (The Message) Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood pours out on the altar of the Cross; we’re a free people – free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free either. ABUNDANTLY FREE!

Why is it then that we persist, in holding onto baggage that keeps us from walking in the absolute freedom that Jesus paid such a high price for? It’s like we slap Him in the face, when we choose to hold onto our ‘stuff’.

What happened in the past is behind us. I’m not saying that our past doesn’t count. To a degree it has shaped us into the person who we are today. But there has to come a time when we take responsibility for our own lives, and CHOOSE Jesus. Choose a new way of thinking. We’re all damaged goods! Everyone one of us.

Perhaps we need to change how we see ourselves first.

Instead of seeing ourselves as no good, worthless, unlovable, dirty, sinful people. We need to see ourselves as Abba sees us.

He sees us as lovable and valuable. When he looks at us, He sees Jesus, because we are covered in His blood and we are one with Jesus. Jesus chose to pay for our freedom, so that we can have a relationship with Him and the Father.

I wonder if the reason we choose to hold onto the past, is that it has become comfortable for us? Like it has defined who we are.

As I look at it, I can see how the enemy works. He keeps us so focused on self, and all our short comings, that it becomes too difficult to look at Jesus. We get stuck on the treadmill. Going nowhere fast!

Romans 6.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

We’re all going to miss the mark. We cannot be defined by our failures. We are defined by what our Abba says we are.

Life is too short. It takes too much energy to see life from a victim’s point of view.

The truth is that none of us are victims. We choose! Choose Jesus. He knows you inside out. No matter what it is, He has been there and done that! You have never been alone. He is always by your side.

When we grasp that, life becomes an easier road. Things will happen that we don’t understand. But that’s okay, because Jesus does.

We need to have the courage to lean into Him. He is our Saviour.

I guess what I am trying to say is this. It’s all about perception, how we see things. It is difficult to change the habits that we have cultivated over the years. Our reactions to situations. But it is not impossible to change. It takes courage, to see things from a different point of view.

God's point of view.

For me, I want to live my life in abundant freedom. I don’t want to negate what Jesus did on the cross for me, by holding onto past hurts, things that were done to me, or said about me. He paid such a high price for me. I am valuable and precious to my Abba.  

So today I choose freedom.

Make it your choice too.

Today we start afresh (^^,)

Chat soon

Niqui xx