Lately (for quite some time actually), it has felt like the communication lines between heaven and my ears have been a little clogged. When I pray for others, the lines are open. But with decisions in my life, I have felt very much unclear.
This morning I woke and asked myself, do I have any sin in my life? Of course there are always things to repent about so I repented of some thoughts of my mind.
Am I walking in unforgiveness toward anyone? I don’t think so. I still have a bitter taste in my mouth to someone that needs a lot of boundaries, but I don’t think there’s unforgiveness in my heart. (That took a few years to get there).
So what is it?
Then I opened my Bible and was reading Rom 12:1-3. You know the Scripture:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Two things stood out for me. Actually three.
First, the worship of God with our bodies. This is hardly the season to read that verse as it is a season of feasting, which I think is fine with the Lord. There are many feasts in the Bible. The problem is the feasting all year round.
With health issues the last few years my ability to exercise, even walk, has been almost short of nothing. Add to that that I’m sitting all day caring for someone, and the weight has added on.
But to offer my body to the Lord is worship, and pleasing and good. I know there is greater meaning here as well, but the fact remains: our bodies are part of our worship.
Two, our thoughts are part of worship as well. We are not to conform to the pattern of this world in our thoughts.
We mostly interpret this as making sure our thoughts are nurturing plans to sin. But is that the case? When I walk in frustration, despair and hopelessness, am I not also walking in the patterns of this world? When difficulties arise and I stress out about what is ahead, am I not also walking in the thoughts of this world.
It’s not that we don’t have real feelings, but what are we thinking? Am I putting my hope in the known God with my unknown future? Am I walking in faith that God is with me, helping me and guiding me or am I despairing because I’m acting as if it all depends on me?
How I approach problems, trials and sufferings very much reveals whether I’m thinking in the line of the pattern of this world or the pattern of God. And it really matters.
And lastly, when we give God our bodies and think the thoughts of faith and hope, it says then we will be able to discern God’s will for us. Perhaps the static on the lines between God and myself have been about this very thing: my physical body as worship and my thoughts of life, hope and faith.
Hm.
