Forthright Fixation

“There was no reason for me to be irritated. I just was. And then…I just burst into tears and flew out of the room, leaving the rest of them in stunned silence.”

Ever felt like that or seen anything like it? It’s pretty common. Humans aren’t terribly rational-girls least of all (although I do know guys who are far more emotional than I’ve ever been). When faced with something hard or troublesome, our tendency is to succumb to our emotions, and to allow them to dictate how we view our circumstances. Bad day? We’re grumpy and complain. Aching heart? We throw a pity-party and sit in the corner sniffling, or wander the house moping. A friendship has gone awry? We blame the other person for everything and steep in our righteous indignation.

Yet, we’ve been given the power of the Holy Spirit to help us to respond to these things as Christ would have us. Is a knee-jerk emotional response the right one? I think not. By the power of the Spirit, we are able to respond in ways that glorify God-in faith, in prayer, with peace, joy, and thanksgiving.

This God who promises to be our strength and our refuge from our own emotions is the same God who was a mighty Deliverer for Moses and the children of Israel, a shelter for David, and the loving Father that Christ has made known to us by His redemptive work on the cross.

“The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’” -Exodus 34:6-7, ESV

“I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” - Exodus 20:5b-6, ESV

He doesn’t change. Ever. And it is this God who has given us His power and His Spirit to help us overcome our flesh and grow more like Him.

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” -Hebrews 7:23-25, ESV

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” -Heb. 13:8, ESV

We have a great treasure in this. Let’s allow this unchanging God to change us to become like Him.

Filed under: Attributes of God, Faith, Knowing God