Friday, January 9, 2009

Working out, not on....

It's funny how you're sometimes just rollin' along, minding your own business and WHAM! Out of the blue you see something or hear something and you get a revelation. I had one of those today. Just a small one, but a revelation none the less.

I've committed 2009 to taking a deep spiritual journey. Already, in just 9 shorts days, I have come a long way (if I do say so myself). I get a daily devotional via email from Rick Warren/Purpose Driven Life. Yes....he writes it just for me. If you get the email in your inbox, just know it was WRITTEN for me and just SHARED with you. Just kidding. Anyway, today's was titled: "Spritual Growth Must Be Intentional". (See. Written just for me. :0)

Check it out:
"The truth is that growth in the human soul requires a
commitment to grow. A person must want to grow,
decide to grow, and make an effort to grow. Spiritual
growth begins with a decision. It doesn’t have to be a
complex decision, but it does have to be sincere."
So there it is. You gotta want it. You gotta work for it. You gotta make it a priority.

The devotional went on to talk about how we should "work out our salvation" (Phil. 2:12). That was my revelation. Right there. The need to work OUT not work ON. In order to find my true heart, discover what's in there, I need to work OUT my salvation! Give of myself - my time, my finances, my energy, my heart to others. I can read the bible, attend church and pray like crazy (all really wonderful things and definitely a requirement in the spiritual process) but in the end, I need to pour OUT God who is in me to others....and there is where my treasure will be found. I need to INTENTIONALLY and SINCERELY turn my journey from just looking inside me and focusing on what needs tweaked in there towards what is outside me as well....teach and be taught, love and be loved, respect and be respected.

I'm not working ON my spritual journey anymore. I am working it OUT. Amen....and amen!

JC is my BFF!!!!

4 comments:

sharilyn said...

a good theme for january, too--working out. so many people do the 'get in shape', 'gotta work out' thing in january... but as the Word says, "...For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Tim 4:8. work it out...a great revelation!

Tim said...

Great post!

Philippians 2:12b-13 "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling ..."

In Isaiah 55:8-11 it says:

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word the goes out from My mouth. It will not return to me empty."

In our "fear and trembling" we come into His presence to know and understand His ways and thoughts. We come to know our Savior and in doing so we become like Him, bringing us peace and harmony.

The second part of this verse is "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work according to His good pleasure." Going back to the words of Isaiah "as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish.." so does God's Word and presence work and operate in us. As naturally as the growth of the earthly crops, we too grow and become changed and transformed.

Once the seed of our "salvation" has been sown we must merely seek the nourishment of God's Word and presence. There are no human works involved, yet as certain as the yielding of the earthly crop, we too will bring forth…seed for the sower and bread for the hungry ... and it remains that God's Word will not return to Him empty.

Like you said, "Working out not on ..."

Once again, thanks for posting this ... It meant something to me this morning!

Anonymous said...

Loved your post! Very inspirational...I agree with sharilyn's comments-a great way to work out!
Peace and Blessings...

Unknown said...

I like how salvation can become a WORK OUT. A workout to keep your mental edge on. Good stuff.