Decorating the stone

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” (Michelangelo)

Michelangelo was a famous Renaissance artist. His best known works are the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the sculpture of David. According to Michelangelo, a good sculptor sees the figure inside the stone and chips away the extraneous parts.

What if our true selves were hidden beneath several superficial layers?  Who or what would carve out the excess? Would the process be painful?

Most of us attempt to mold ourselves and others around us to fit our vision. We lose weight, we sculpt our bodies through exercise, we change our make-up and hair, and make over our images to conform to current cultural trends. We pursue worldly success, accumulate wealth, and seek external validation.  Instead of chipping away at the superfluous, we merely decorate the stone.

“But whoever did want him, who believed He was who He claimed  and would do what He said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. (John 1:9-13 MSG)

Our true self is hidden underneath all the worldly excess. Since we are children of God, our true nature resembles the Divine. God, the master sculptor, chips away the superfluous, until our true selves are revealed.

Freaking Out

“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:39-40 NLT)

Here is my version of this story:

I am facing some challenges. The circumstances are stormy and unpredictable. Life seems like a boat that is about to capsize any moment. I am agitated, and Jesus seems to be asleep at the stern. I call out for help. He seems unconcerned that I am about to drown.

When he finally wakes up, He responds with the following question: Why are you freaking out? Don’t you trust ME? Do you not have confidence in ME?

My response: That is a totally unfair question! I have faith in You, Jesus--BUT, maybe you could respond a bit quicker? I do have confidence in Your abilities, but sometimes I’m not so sure of Your plans. Plus, I don’t trust humanity. You gave us ‘free will’--which leaves a lot of room for everyone to mess up.

Then, I realize that Jesus can influence nature--both external and internal. If He can alter the wind, rain, and the waves--He can also change individuals. He is the Redeemer--and no person or situation is unredeemable. Thus, I need to quit freaking out. Instead, I have to remain confident in Jesus. Even if my life is overturned, God can use that for His purposes.  And I have to learn to be okay with that.

Spiritual Fitness Coach

“Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.” (Ephesians 4:30 MSG)

I try to run daily. I wish I had a coach--a friend who would run beside me--encouraging me, supporting me, motivating me to run a bit harder, reminding me to stretch, to hydrate, and to stay free of injuries.

I like to think of the Holy Spirit as my Spiritual Fitness Coach--a constant friend--always helpful, inspiring, and spurring me closer to the goal. A coach who would motivate me to be disciplined and train my spirit daily. The Holy Spirit’s goal is to make me fit for God’s purposes. He moves and breathes with me, instructing my spirit every moment. I don’t want to disappoint my coach, so I try to show up daily and give Him my all. Anything less would be disrespectful. I have accepted my coach’s goal as my own. I trust Him. I am grateful for His constancy. I don’t ever want to take the Holy Spirit for granted.

Staying Committed

“Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.” (Psalm 37:5 NLT)

Commitment involves giving yourself over to a person, cause, or task. It requires discipline, trust, and submission. When we commit ourselves to a job, a relationship, or even a hobby--we have to relinquish a certain amount of control. We give up other opportunities and other relationships, as well as time and energy for other pursuits. We hesitate to make long-term commitments, because we aren’t sure how passionate we will feel about anything in the future.

Some people have difficulty making commitments; others have trouble keeping them. Staying committed, after the novelty and excitement have waned, requires more dedication and discipline than many of us can muster. Or, if you are overcommitted with too many responsibilities, you may not be able to follow through on all of them. No wonder we are plagued with commitment issues!

The solution is to make only ONE primary commitment. Hand yourself and everything you care about to God.  Entrust everything to Him. He will help you. Listen for directions and follow Him. Acknowledge that God is in charge. Invest all your energy into staying faithful and devoted to His cause. Trust God to point out any secondary commitments you may need to make. Rely on Him to give you the supernatural strength that is needed to maintain these commitments.

“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;   he’s the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:6 MSG)

The Critic

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.” (Matthew 7:-1-2 MSG)

What is the difference between discernment and judgmentalism? Discernment allows us to recognize truth; judgmentalism allows us to criticize others and feel superior. A discerning spirit is able to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. A critical spirit hones in on what is wrong in every person and in every situation. Discernment and judgmentalism are so closely related that both characteristics are often present in the same individuals.  

Unfortunately, I am one of these individuals. For every spoonful of discernment, I have pots full of judgmentalism. As I get older, I have learned to conceal my criticisms; however, I am still thinking these thoughts, whether I express them or not. And my critical spirit has boomeranged. I have become quite self-critical. As I judge others for their faults, I sense my own deficiencies.

I now recognize that we are all a big mess--just in different ways. We are like those animals that are covered in black sludge after an oil spill. Some can no longer fly; some can no longer swim; some can no longer grow. None can clean themselves or their environment. They need external help.

Similarly, humanity cannot clean itself up. Grace is the only effective solution to this mess. Grace dissolves our iniquities. Grace heals the critical spirit. Grace neutralizes sin.

Avalanche of Trouble

“When I am overwhelmed, You alone know the way I should turn.” (Psalm 143:3 NLT)

When was the last time you felt overwhelmed? Did you feel like you were buried in an avalanche of trouble? We all have different coping mechanisms when our life spins out of control. Some of us try to numb the pain with alcohol or drugs; others try to distract themselves with shopping, gambling, promiscuity, or other risky behavior. These choices merely pile on more misery.

When we are overwhelmed by an avalanche of adversity, our first instinct is to try to dig ourselves out.  Soon we realize that we are in over our heads.  At this point, it is tempting to succumb to despondency and give up. Yet, this can also be our turning point, for powerlessness allows us to surrender to God.

Lord, I am overwhelmed; I have no energy left; I don’t know what to do. Please take over. Show me what to do and grant me the strength and wisdom to do it.

1000th Post

This is the 1000th Post on this blog. I started publishing my daily musings on January 2012. I didn't expect that it would continue for so long.

I want to use this post to express my gratitude.

I thank God for continually enabling me to write. I thank all the regular readers, especially those who send me feedback. I thank my Sis and my friend Teri who convinced me to start this blog despite my hesitation to make my personal life more public. I thank my husband, who provides for our family, supports my writing, reads every post, listens to me as I process my thoughts, and puts up with me being unavailable for several hours each day. 

Finally, I have to thank my good friend Linda. She reads and edits every post ahead of time. She has been my mentor--prodding me to think deeply, challenging me to be a better person, and teaching me not to use commas whenever I feel like it. Even though her life is often hectic, she consistently makes time for me. Estoy muy agradecido, Chica. 

For those of you who have asked about a print book, I am working on it. However, I will be honest. I would rather spend my time writing new stuff than going back over old stuff. Thanks to all of those who have been helping with that project too. 

Meanwhile, I hope to continue writing as long as God allows me to do so.  Thank You for reading...