In the swirl of your new life with the Father, the next awakening may feel more like a step backward than a step forward. God is offering you something you want and need—a welcome home. But something inside you may want to resist. Being welcomed home by your heavenly Father and received into the family—no questions asked—may seem totally unrealistic for someone who has wandered so far and so long.
We call this stage of your journey your awakening to love. At this point, we start by saying, “I don’t deserve this.” God’s acceptance is just too unbelievable. But what God says and does is so entirely opposite of what we think we deserve that we are moved to the most amazing realization: “God loves me deeply after all.”
You can see why we say that a spiritual tug of war accompanies our homecoming. We have one set of convictions about ourselves, and God has another. We look at our past filled with failure and shame, and he looks at who we are with love and compassion.
That’s why this awakening is a huge breakthrough. We are realizing, perhaps for the first time, that none of us deserve a second chance, none of us deserve to be forgiven, and we certainly don’t deserve to be loved unconditionally. But we are! You are! You don’t deserve it, but God gives it to you anyway.
If you’re like most of us, you know all about the soundtrack of shame. Shame whispers, “You don’t really matter” and “You are not lovable.” Shame shouts, “No more chances for you!” Shame brings self-condemnation, and when we first encounter grace, we find ourselves repeating, “I don’t deserve this.”
Do not let your past mistakes and failures define you. That is the voice of shame. You aren’t what you’ve done or not done. You are not what’s been done to you. You are who God says you are. His child.
Do you feel a spiritual tug of war going on inside you? If so, how would you describe it?
Yes of course I do especially if I'm searching for the Lord I feel there is sometimes opposition. But I do have confidence in the Lord and of his promise when he said "he would never leave me or forsake me".. " He who began a good work in me will be faithful in completing it".
ReplyDeleteThe Lord is my strength even though I get spiritual oppositions in my life.. I try to be faithful in my prayer life. My struggle is still with the spiritual realm... With discernment.. Vigilance..and dominion.. But the Lord is working with me in these areas.
I just Praise and Love him daily by being obedient to his word and directions for my life.
Please pray for me that The Lord's will for my life will continue and come to its fulfillment here on earth.
I know I still have alot to grow in and do but I take it a step and a lesson at a time.
Thank you for hearing me out. God Bless :)
Thank you for sharing Irene! You just said it best by saying taking it one step and lesson at a time. I pray the Lord will continue to use you and build you for glory of His kingdom, and strengthen you in times of trials during this spiritual warfare in Jesus name!!
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