Security

 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. 1 John 3:2

Uncertainty carries with it the baggage of being a bad thing, but what if instead we could  embrace the good in what will always be. There is no promise of tomorrow, yet we sometimes live our lives as if we have everything under control, only seeking the Lord when we feel out of control. What if instead, we accept the true condition of life’s uncertainties and submit to the certainty of Christ. Rest in what we know to be real, the ever-present Lord, and don’t  strive over the ever-changing dynamics of relationships, work and the world in general. Let’s consider a fresh look at uncertainty as a bridge to God’s heart, not baggage full of fear and worry.

John, the disciple of love, understood he was a work in process, not fully grasping the certainties of what Christ had for him. He knew he was a child of God, but the Lord had not yet fully revealed to him who he would ultimately become. He might have been reflecting on the words of Jesus when He wisely instructed the growing disciples of the process of maturing in the faith. Some truths are only learned and internalized over time. Wisdom is learned by exercising trust in the crucible of life’s uncertainties. As you are ready, God will reveal more of Himself. 

“I [Jesus] still have many things to say to you. You are not strong enough to understand them now” (John 16:12, NLV).

The security of knowing and doing the next right thing keeps you dependent on Jesus. The certainty of His presence allows you to surrender to Him. Oswald Chambers punctuates this idea: “As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.” The uncertain adventure of following Jesus is filled with surprises. Good surprises—surprises in the divine rewards of  trust in God in the face of uncertainty. What good surprises might your generous heavenly Father have in store for you His beloved child? Surprised by joy. Surprised by healing. Surprised by provision. Surprised by love. Heaven’s certain surprises smother the striving over life’s uncertainties, as your soul inhales sweet peace.

Trying to live a life of certainty is limited by your common sense and wisdom. But choosing to follow Christ through life’s uncertainties is resourced by the Lord’s living waters,  divinely imagining what might be. Focus on the certainty of your belovedness and allow your capacity to love to expand your Kingdom focus. Certainly, the man of sorrows is with you in your pain. Certainly, your loving heavenly Father stands with open arms to forgive and celebrate with you. Certainly, your helper and guide, the Holy Spirit, will show you the way. Certainty in God grows confidence, confidence feeds faith, faith grows hope, hope lives at peace. 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

Transformed

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. . . 1 Peter 1:14 

Transformed. I like the sound of that word, don’t you? Webster’s Dictionary defines it this way: to change (something) completely and usually in a good way. See what I mean? Great word. 

There’s a lot of confusion out there about being transformed. Do we do it, or does God do it? Do we wait for Him to change us, or do we change ourselves? Ultimately, we are in control of very little. But there are some things that we can control. Could our own transformation be one of those things? 

Romans 12:2 gives us perspective on these questions. This verse says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” If our personal transformation was something we have zero control over, if it was something God  alone was in charge of and we were little lumps without a will, this command would not be in Scripture. But there it is—and it’s a great reminder that our personal transformation is something we are called to actively participate in. Transformation is not a call to passivity. It’s a call to action. It’s not a call to sit back and say that we can’t do this or that and wait for God to show up to do all our spiritual work for us. 

I recently read a meme on the Internet that said, “Some things don’t need prayer, they need discipline. God already told you what to do, you’re just procrastinating.” Ouch. Did you feel that too? When we continue to call out to God when He has already given us the power to do what we need to do, it can be a sign of owning a victim mentality. A victim mentality can make us abdicate the responsibilities and power Christ has given us to live an overcoming life. 

When God made the bird, He made it capable of finding its own food. Imagine if the bird were to sit in its nest and cry out, “God, please bring me food!” the bird would not be acting in accordance with how it has been created. We are the same. There are some things we can control, and some things we can’t. Our personal transformation falls into the first category as we participate in the renewing of our minds as Romans 12:2 indicates we can do. 

I don’t know about you, but this truth makes me want to shout “Hallelujah!” This means we are not victims. We are not incapable. We don’t have to wait around feeling bad about ourselves. There is power in the way we think, and we can have sinful thoughts or God thoughts and God is saying, “You have a choice. Be transformed!” 

So, choosing to be transformed is a first step, then asking ourselves what we can do to be transformed is the next step, and then finally, taking that step toward transformation is the final step. 

What step are you going to take today? 

“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).