My Mind & Body Are Under Reconstruction ...The Oxymoron Of Growth In Absence 🕊🌹

Growth in the presence of absence sounds to be quite the oxymoron... feels like it too. 

But it’s the work that has to be done when the Love of God becomes the desire of one’s heart. When we arrive at the place when His desires have become our own— there’s no turning back. We can’t run or hide no matter how much we may want to sometimes. 

 King David asked, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7) It is at this point in one’s  relationship with Christ when we realize that we have gone beyond the shallow waters of carnality and surface Christianity into the deep waters with God. It’s at this point where we realize we have gone from milk to meat [Hebrews 5:12], that laying aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and running with endurance the race that is set before us has become our reality. [Hebrews 12:1]. However, another reality that many of “us” Christians are ambiguous about sharing is that sometimes that weight and sin which easily ensnared us, felt good to us. And despite not being righteous, not being good, not allowing us to fulfill the best versions of ourselves—- it hurts— it’s painful and hard letting go. And beyond the letting go, we skip over the physiological aspects of that process for the purposes of “Glorifying God.” We articulate the running of our race towards our higher calling as if it’s so saturated with the “blood” that we ourselves don’t feel a figurative or the proverbial moments of “sweating blood.” [Luke 22:44]. We skip past the reality that “renewed minds” [Romans 12:12] take time, practice, consistency, determination,  and persistence. But here’s a truth... sometimes [in fact most times] laying down the weights and sins that are impairing us, regardless of how adverse it is to spiritual growth, can be difficult and it’s often why we revert back to the familiar because growth in the absence of the weight and sin that we’ve laid down so that we can run our race, is often hard. And often imposes physical and mental (emotional) upheaval. Ask anyone that has ever had to withdraw from anything albeit chemical substance, sex, (a relationship), food, etc. But like an athlete we must keep focus, train, and practice endurance... keep our eyes, thoughts and minds on the prize of our higher calling, our better versions of ourselves because far be it from us to profess one thing and disqualify ourselves by doing another. And despite our best efforts (unlike an athlete), in our own strength, we will constantly find ourselves picking up, putting down, letting go while holding on, reaching forward while looking back. Consequently, running our race on the wrong track. This race can’t be won without fervent prayer, fasting and studying the Word and His precepts— regardless of what you may otherwise believe.

I run my race with the hope in ...The promises of God are yes and amen. [2 Corinthians 1:20]

~selah~🕊

Love always,🌹

Christie

Copyright © 2020 by Christie Shaw