I’m linking up for this week’s Five Minute Friday prompt … “Mess”, and sharing a bit about my mess.
I thought it would never change.
I thought I would never change.
Years and years after salvation, my trying to change produced nothing…but discouragement.
The constant failure to be what I wanted to be,
what God wanted, commanded me to be was…
exasperating,
excruciating,
exhausting.
Then, finally, I realized the truth…
that it had already changed,
that I had already been changed.
Some One else had changed everything….so very long ago. Little did I know the key to my “no longer being a slave of sin” was in
“knowing this, that our (my) old man was crucified with Him“ (Romans 6:5-6)
Knowing that and acknowledging that, well, it made all the difference. Somehow, someway, remarkably with no effort on my part, change came. No one was more surprised than me.
In the field of faith I finally found my harvest of righteousness.
Not the field of hard work
or good works…
but of faith in His work.
“What must we do to work the works of God?” the disciples asked. The Master’s reply… “This is the work of God, to believe…”
It was a long time in coming, but finally
my trying turned to triumph,
my stumbling block became my stepping stone,
my mess became my message.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17
It’s evident that Christ has anointed you to share the message of the freedom found through a relationship with Him. This is beautiful.
Keep shining His light so beautifully!
Amy
How kind of you, Amy. Thanks ever so much for visiting and taking the time to read, comment, and encourage. (I tried to leave a comment at your site but I’m having trouble for some reason. I’ll keep trying. Your post was a-mazing!)
“My mess became my message.” AMEN to that. You speak this message with honesty, truth and life. What amazing grace, that all of our messes can become our messages, to the glory of his praise.
And AMEN to “to the glory of His praise”! What a privilege, right? Thanks for dropping by, Amber.
Love this….and you!
Ahhh…thank you. That’s so great to know. I need it. And I love you too…so, so much.
Lisa, yes! You and I were inspired similarly on this FMF. I love it when God does that. Powerful words that need to be proclaimed: “Not the field of hard work or good works…but of faith in His work.” Thanks for sharing your beautiful post.
Thanks for stopping by, Julie. It’s a pleasure to “meet” you. I agree…faith in His work needs to be proclaimed AND practiced. I love Ezra 7:10…Ezra set his mind to study, practice, and teach. To practice is more difficult than to proclaim, isn’t it? 🙂
Wonderful. “My mess became my message”. Wow. Perfect. Women need to hear this! Just came back from our women’s retreat and heard a lot about messes and shame. Now I have words to share that will be full of Hope and Joy. Their mess CAN become their message with NO shame. Thank you, Lisa. What a blessing you are to me.
Hi, Debbie! I love seeing you here. Thanks so much for taking time to spread your encouragement. I SO appreciate it!! The retreat sounds like it was terrific and liberating. I’m sure you’ll continue to spill over onto others as you’ve been filled yourself. One of my favorite verses concerning shame is Isaiah 54:4. When the Lord directed me to that promise years ago I could hardly believe it would ever be possible. Way too many years of failure screamed otherwise. Oh, but God!