Part one
Looking back, I confess being too busy to notice, to discern, to hold my thoughts captive against my knowledge of christ. The enemy disguised as light, fed me a lie. I barely gave it a few moments thought before accepting it as truth. I was fooled by his disguise and the fact that I wanted to believe this lie. I wanted it to be true and so I claimed it and it became a hidden weed rooted in my being. I believed his lie enough to dismiss any and all possibilities of Truth against it to enter my mind. See a lie that is purposefully and decidedly hidden is left to grow and devour goodness and truth within us without ever being noticed. Even if the ‘being devoured’ is noticed, the lie stays hidden. So the focus then becomes stop the pain and anguish inside, yet the attempts remain futile for the lie “root” remains hidden and intact.
Even as the evidence was mounting up unavoidably revealing the truth, I fought against it, tried to ignore it, spoke out against it and even rationalized its authenticity. The truth hurt and the lie was comfortable. The truth caused a humbling of heart and the lie fed my pride. The truth could hurt those I love and the lie would be well received rendering myself popularity and acceptance among those I love. The truth guaranteed struggle, hard work and would likely cause frustration while the lie allowed for me to stay rested, comfortable and safe from emotional distress.
I wanted to live a Christ centered life and I wanted to stay blind to the truth so I could bypass the pain of truth’s demand for change and growth within me. Well, no matter how convincing I could be trying to rationalize any truth from the devil’s subtle lie, the fact is truth prevailed. The absolute truth will make itself known. The only choice left for me to make is whether I would allow the truth to set me free or continue in bondage by choosing to stay blind to it.
Either way I was confronted with the truth written in,
Luke 12:52-53 (amp)For from now on one house there will be five divided (amongst themselves) three against two and two against three. They will be divided father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against Mother, Mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
And Matthew 10:21 (amp)Brother will deliver up brother unto death and father his child; and children will take a stand against their parents and will have them put to death.
And Micah 7:5-6 (amp)Trust not in a neighbor, put no confidence in a friend, keep the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies are the men members of his own house.
And finally, Matthew 24:10-12(amp) And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many and because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold.
The love of many shall wax cold!
Could it be?
Do these words now ring true even in my once so tight knit family? How long have I worn the Rose colored glasses? I wanted nothing more than to put them back on.
The truth is, so many of us speak the right words of love, loyalty, respect, family, etc. and at the same time conditions get thrown about like their terms of endearment.
The long and short of it is we need to understand, love cannot be earned it can only be freely given.
Counterfeit love can be bought, sold, weighed and measured. It can come and go with the slightest push or pull. Counterfeit love weighs on conditions and opinions with no set standard of measure. If love can be earned it is counterfeit.
True love is a gift of choice and works have no bearing on said choice.
Love although it can be felt, is not itself a feeling. Love is a willful act of service done for another’s benefit without any strings attached regardless of the giver’s personal feelings. Love willingly and eagerly seeks ways to be of service and then joyfully goes to work without complaint.
God never said love if, or love when, He said love.
It doesn’t matter if we like who we are serving out of love or how the one we serve has treated us. God didn’t say love so long as they too are loving or as long as they are Christians. God did not tell us to love only those who returned the favor and love us back. Also He didn’t tell us to love others whenever our own feelings and emotions agree or when we find ourselves in a good mood. And Lastly He never said it’s ok to hideaway in an effort to avoid the chance of failure because of our own moods or anxieties or illnesses that may be aiding in our lack of patience, goodness, kindness, self control, gentleness, joy, peace, faithfulness and love either.
No,…… Father God added no conditions at all.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44-48(amp) But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, to show that you are the children of your father who is in heaven: for he makes his sunrise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rainfall upon the upright and the wrong doers alike. For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the gentiles (the heathen) do that? You, therefore must be perfect (growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity,) as your heavenly father is perfect.
If we hide from life and the possibility of any troubles that may arise we are only shutting ourselves off from lessons meant to aid in the building of our character and we miss the pruning and watering meant to help us bear fruit.
It’s not the feeling God is asking us to obtain. It is our obedience in spite of what we do or do not feel that He is asking. We are meant to have faith, believing that He (GOD) is true and just. We’re also to have faith in the knowledge that He loves us and always has our best interest in mind. This faith will allow us to live obedient to Him even when we know our flesh is weak and can only fail.
Stay tuned for part two of Hearts wax cold.
Until next time may God bless you and keep you as you seek him with all your heart.