Tear Down Those Walls

Philippians 1:6, 2:13 - ...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 

This is yet another great promise. When God has gotten hold of us, He will continue to work out those things in us that we need to let go of. He perfects constantly and we are changed, transformed. This is what God does! He turns us into who He sees us as not who we think we should be or who we see ourselves as.

What is it we are afraid of? What one thing have we put walls up around our hearts to protect ourselves from? What are we in need of healing of? Questions, questions. We may not even recognize what that thing is. We may think we have ourselves all together, but let me tell you, there is an issue somewhere. I'm sure we all have them.

I also believe we have come to a time in our lives where it is necessary to let these things go. It's time to let God strip us that we might allow ourselves to be healed. Let go, let go, let go. God has always desired we do this, but I think it is imperative these days (with the way the world is) to let go of our own preconceived ideas of what we should be and allow Him to take over and let the One who knows what's important, what's good for us, to let a transformation take place.

I believe mine is trust. I would have thought it was something else, but I think it is trust that is the culprit. As I thought so deeply about an incident that occurred Sunday and awoke in the wee hours of the morning twice now, I felt the answer come upon me. Trust. I'd been asking God to help me understand what happened and why. And so like Him, He did. The word trust entered my spirit and caused me to begin to think.

As I thought about trust, the word reject entered in. How often have I felt rejected by those closest to me? How often have I felt my spirit sticking out invisible arms as though to keep someone away instead of allowing them in? How often has my vain imagination conjured up tales of deception that has kept me from experiencing what I need most...to trust. Trust takes strength sometimes, especially when rejection can occur when you get too close.

Perhaps that's why I write this blog. I can express myself in ways I dare not--yet--speak out loud to others. God knows what we are in need of. He knows what we need to let go of. He knows when we are ready to let go. I can only pray that this is the time to begin to trust.

I can say I am trusting Him more and more. It's those in this world I've been unable to trust. It's easier to trust a stranger sometimes! You don't always expect much from them. It's those friends and family who have held back or say one thing and do another. It's those who have spoken unkind words or no words at all. And where has it put me? In a place of blocking. Walls have gone up to protect my heart. And has it helped? No. It appears that my heart has been wounded just the same. 

But God...would not want us to have those walls. He would rather we look to Him to remove those insecurities, those failures. He would rather we know that we know that as His child we are in good hands. He would rather we know that He is to be the One we can count on where all others fail. He would rather remind us that we are royalty as His children and to act like it.

I'd noticed lately that I've been keeping more and more to myself, holed up like a recluse in my own spirit, my own heart, only letting a small number enter in. I feel safe there. There is no one to criticize, no one to reject, no one to lie, no one to hurt me. A fear that this was where I would stay for the rest of my life brought me to my senses. I know I don't want that.

If there is truly a transformation taking place within me, like a butterfly working it's way out of it's cocoon, I will need to battle to break through that barrier. I will need to take a step of faith. I will shout to be released from the fears and the lies I've stored up for so long. He will be there reaching out, urging me on. This is the path I must take. Philippians 3:20-21 ...the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. [He has] made known to me the path of life; [He] will fill me with joy in [His] presence, with eternal pleasures at [His] right hand. (Philippians 3:20-21, Psalm 16:11)

He has brought healing. He has blessed me. He has allowed the wall to begin to crumble. I would love to say that it is completely fallen, but there's that part of me that still holds back a bit. One last, loud shout will bring down that wall. I think it should be my shout...like Joshua and his men who shouted and the walls of Jericho caved in. 

I thank God for giving us the power to do that. I thank God for the power He has awarded me that I must learn to exercise. It is my faith that He will be there in the midst of the battle. It is in our praise that He will be. When we take that first step, the Lord will step in also. He will be there to supply our needs at that moment, that strength, that peace, that love. I think of the Footprints poem.  

And so it goes. Life in Christ. Awakenings, rejoicing, healing, rejoicing, contentment, rejoicing, transformation, rejoicing. 

Philippians 3:12-14- Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.