Nancy Taylor Tate
Certain truths have been foundational in my walk with the Lord and the formation of who I am today. This is one of them! What I am about to share has helped me to overcome offense and keep its bitter roots from entangling my heart, that the door might stay open for God’s love and inner workings to continue deep within me.
First, is the understanding that “resurrection” is not a right. It’s the result of dying. In 1 Corinthians 15:31, Paul speaks of dying daily. This means there is a daily resurrection available also!
How glorious to learn to live on the “life” side of the cross, experiencing resurrection life and power. A new life in Christ Jesus! This is our testimony.
Our new life has power to break through the never-ending cycle of bitterness, hate, and retaliation. We now have a better way! As Christ and His love are touching hearts today, it is making a difference in the world. We, too, can make a difference.
We learn that love describes God’s nature and character. It is who He is. Following salvation, as I deny myself and follow after Him, my old, adamic nature is put to death. Now experientially, through the outworking of the cross in my life, His nature is alive and being matured and made perfect in me.
As we yield to His inner working in our lives day by day, we are becoming more and more “as He is” in this world (1 John 4:17). Christ’s love is seen more and more clearly through us—not because of any particular way that we are treated, but because He dwells in us, and He is love. Now He sits on the throne of our hearts and governs our actions.
This is a process. As we yield to the Lord, more of Christ is formed in us. When we don’t yield to Him, other attitudes can take root. Negative attitudes, if allowed, can become established and hinder His working and purpose being fulfilled in our lives.
Jesus is our example. He was not esteemed, yet He never reacted—He always responded, acting from a position of surety, being confident of the joy set before Him.
Neither did Jesus ever have a wounded spirit. He maintained unbroken communion and fellowship with His heavenly Father, acting from an understanding of His will and a desire to fulfill His purpose.
What a position to live from! A scripture I first heard John Wright Follette share on, which I love and have prayed into for years, is Isaiah 42:19–20.
“Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.”
From a deep, inner desire to know and identify with the Lord, there are times I have prayed, “Lord, help me to be blind and deaf to all but that which You are saying and doing! Help me not to react, but to respond, as You would have me to respond.”
May we learn to keep our eyes on Jesus! May we believe for hearing ears and understanding hearts, that we might know His ways. May we learn to respond as He would have us respond. As we do, Christ is formed in us (Colossians 1:27).
May we learn to stay focused! May our responses be rooted in Christ Jesus. May we guard our hearts from offense. Day by day, may more of God’s love be formed in us. Regardless of how we are treated, may genuine care, love, and respect for others be cultivated in our own lives.
Reactions, in a society where so much is being said and done, can be fatiguing and fruitless. May we stay focused on the Lord and what He is saying! May we understand what His Word says, and seek His wisdom. May the motive of our lives be, first and foremost, to please the Lord and see His Kingdom come, His will be done.
Let us be deaf, dumb, and blind to all but that which God is doing! May we not only die daily, to our own reactions, but resurrect daily, into His higher purposes.
May His love be formed in us as never before. Christ in us! This is the hope of His glory in the coming days. May His love sustain us, as it forms us, that Christ may be seen in us! May others experience His love through our lives, and come to know Him as their Lord and Savior.