Have you ever lived in a season of life where you lived under an umbrella of unrealistic spiritual expectations? Me. Me. and Me. It is important to note for me these "expectations" are self-imposed. In previous seasons, my spirituality could be understood as seasons of plently. I was able to prepare a feast and host in the most extravagant of places. But today, right now, I don't even have a place to host and all I have to share is a few gimpy fish and a couple thin pieces of white bread.
This is how I feel spiritually on most days--desiring to be in one and place and living day-to-day in another place. Wishing that if phrases like spiritual disciples, and godliness, missional living, and uber-spritualness was in my outward vocabulary that somehow God would be more pleased.
But what I am most encouraged by is that "God wastes nothing."
God.
Wastes.
Nothing.
He uses every failure, every triumph, every conversation, every movement forward primarily for His glory but even more mysteriously for my sanctification.
Curtis, my pastor is teaching through 1 Peter this semester. [side note: it has been awesome and meaty]. But in 1 Peter 2:4-5, he mentions the Old Testament practice of offering up sacrifices.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I recently have been really encouraged by this concept of spiritual sacrifices. I love that I can bring an extravagant meal or a just minuscule bread crumbs to the table and Christ somehow accepts it and makes it a pleasing aroma. He doesn't waste it. He uses intentionality, choices, relationships, as simple as they are, and receives them as beautiful worship, as spiritual sacrifice that puts off a sweet and pleasing aroma. Our sacrifice translates as pleasing to the Creator of the Universe.
This translates in my life that I wish that I was running 5 miles everyday, that I was studying an hour in the Word daily, journaling, and interceding on behalf of my brothers and sisters both here and abroad, that I was dieting, that I was fasting for my current ministries and future ministries, that I was being a great housemate that always cleaned everything perfectly and made my bed every morning, and that I was investing perfectly in all my co-workers Do you see what I mean by unrealistic expectations? These are great places to strive for but I can't expect to get there overnight. I need to give myself double doses of grace to get there over time.
But when I remember that God just wants what we have to offer, in that moment, it gives this tangibility and practicality in my life. So instead I am working on giving God one mile of running so that I get to five, or start with one verse in Scripture that gets me in the door, or utilizing my time in the car to Worship, etc... If I give God what I have for that day for that moment then I give it as a spiritual sacrifice and trust that God will see it as worship and use it.
It takes the mundane physical things of this world and somehow transcends them to the spiritual places. So today, I choose to offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. Even if they feel pathetic and not worthy of a Holy and perfect God...trusting that He wastes nothing.
This is how I feel spiritually on most days--desiring to be in one and place and living day-to-day in another place. Wishing that if phrases like spiritual disciples, and godliness, missional living, and uber-spritualness was in my outward vocabulary that somehow God would be more pleased.
But what I am most encouraged by is that "God wastes nothing."
God.
Wastes.
Nothing.
He uses every failure, every triumph, every conversation, every movement forward primarily for His glory but even more mysteriously for my sanctification.
Curtis, my pastor is teaching through 1 Peter this semester. [side note: it has been awesome and meaty]. But in 1 Peter 2:4-5, he mentions the Old Testament practice of offering up sacrifices.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I recently have been really encouraged by this concept of spiritual sacrifices. I love that I can bring an extravagant meal or a just minuscule bread crumbs to the table and Christ somehow accepts it and makes it a pleasing aroma. He doesn't waste it. He uses intentionality, choices, relationships, as simple as they are, and receives them as beautiful worship, as spiritual sacrifice that puts off a sweet and pleasing aroma. Our sacrifice translates as pleasing to the Creator of the Universe.
This translates in my life that I wish that I was running 5 miles everyday, that I was studying an hour in the Word daily, journaling, and interceding on behalf of my brothers and sisters both here and abroad, that I was dieting, that I was fasting for my current ministries and future ministries, that I was being a great housemate that always cleaned everything perfectly and made my bed every morning, and that I was investing perfectly in all my co-workers Do you see what I mean by unrealistic expectations? These are great places to strive for but I can't expect to get there overnight. I need to give myself double doses of grace to get there over time.
But when I remember that God just wants what we have to offer, in that moment, it gives this tangibility and practicality in my life. So instead I am working on giving God one mile of running so that I get to five, or start with one verse in Scripture that gets me in the door, or utilizing my time in the car to Worship, etc... If I give God what I have for that day for that moment then I give it as a spiritual sacrifice and trust that God will see it as worship and use it.
It takes the mundane physical things of this world and somehow transcends them to the spiritual places. So today, I choose to offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. Even if they feel pathetic and not worthy of a Holy and perfect God...trusting that He wastes nothing.
2 comments:
i. love. this. post. thank you friend.
Catching up. :) So good. Keep it coming, sister.
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