Nugget 2.27 (4)
Receiving Joy Through Surrender and Moving in His Spirit
Dear Reader,
Today I invite you in to ‘the Joy we have in Christ’! Its not that there was no Joy in Christ before, but even Jesus said the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, ‘As far as they were able’. This is simply a reminder that we cannot be ‘FILLED with the Holy Spirit’ if any of our heart and mind are remaining with our own will and old ways of thinking!!
Its also a reminder to us, even further down the line, that ALL disbelief for example, has to come to the Light and surrender to the ‘not knowing’ of belief’ but the Presence of the Holy Spirit! And all the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (Love, Joy, gentleness, long-suffering etc) cannot take root in a bed of hatred, self-righteousness, bitterness, self-will etc. Just as in Spring gardeners have to clear our the weeds where new seeds are to be planted…. Everyday needs a time to be pruning, and weeding of the Spiritual ‘hotbed’ of our hearts.
Yet, dearest reader, lets not be deceived, here I was in 2020, still being carried by Christ, still trusting in Him to make the way for this purification, still trusting Him to give me the Will to choose for His Way, as I daily prayed, ‘I’m willing to be willing (to be willing x’N’) to do Your will.’
Subconsciously I was still to some extent running away from the pain, bitterness and anger, of the broken heart….yet daily I was being absorbed into His Love which was slowly fulfilling His Will because of my willingness.
Christ had borne a horrible amount of my self-righteousness, including shame/pride on His Cross, because I had been given grace to turn from the loneliness and powerlessness of shame, anger and bitterness and give my life to Him. And He had filled me with Love.
But as I found out later, with Him, I needed to come to acceptance of the pain, owning the suffering with Christ, and forgive as He forgave, for Love of God and all lost souls. Then I was free in Christ to receive God’s Love in Him, hidden in God in Eternal Life.
Today follow these baby steps of receiving His Joy and Strength to accomplish a move I did not choose, or desire. I was moving from a straggling three bedroomed flat on 3 floors, to a ‘purpose built’ one roomed flat with small kitchen, and shower room on the first floor of the re-furbished vicarage. But all my Strength and sense of purpose and directing came from my surrender and acceptance. Nothing but Love and grace carrying me. Glory to God.
