The Cage of Me.
I've found myself wading, struggling and sometimes nearly drowning in my own thoughts lately. I "what-if" a lot and was letting Satan use that against me. I hate sin. I actually kind of did this "freak out" goofy thing that my family found quite humorous. I'm such a dork. I tried to pass it off as my silliness, but it was a lack of trust and simply being self-focused.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
Today I was reminded by a gentle nudging to look to the needs of others. I responded, not without hesitation, and the fog cleared. This life isn't about me, my rights and my selfish ambition. I once memorized Philippians 2 and it quickly came to mind.
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
I can repeat the "what-ifs" all day long and worry over the maybes and possibilities, but I will be no closer to the truth. When I look to the needs of others, when I see how I can look to their interests I am set free from the cage of ME. I fail, I fail daily. I can rest in my Savior's love, striving to live in a way that trusts the future to the LORD.
Alissa
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