"Nothing prepares us for enormous blessing and impact like a season of humbling." - Kelly Minter, Ruth: Love, Loss, and Legacy
I am currently going through a bible study on Ruth, and it's hitting me in ways I didn't foresee. I like doing bible studies, especially those focused on books of the bible, because I love history, and I love to learn more about the culture and characters of the bible. Every time I do a bible study, I am surprised more by the life transformation than the knowledge I acquire. I shouldn't be surprised because doesn't the Bible say that it is the "breath of life" and has transforming power, yet I always receive more than I expect. Isn't God great like that?
Anyway, in today's excerpt, I came across the quote above, and it hit home. Again, I wasn't expecting it. In fact, if I'm being honest I was planning on having a quick study this morning, read a little word, fill in all the blanks kind-of-a-day. God, of course, had other plans. The reason this quote stuck out to me is because I am in the middle of a humbling season myself. In fact, I feel that it has been more of an era than a season. Every few months, I get excited and feel like something big is on the horizon, and God continues to humble me in different areas of my life. Now, don't feel sorry for me. I have a great life and have been extremely blessed, but I know God has more for me, and in my impatient, selfish nature, I want to have it right now. I can feel God using different situations and people to shape and mold me and my character, but sometimes, I just want to say, "Ok, God. I'm all done now (or ah duh as Landry says). You can give me that big blessing you've got waiting for me."
Kelly Minter goes on to say that the Lord uses situations to humble us because he wants the posture of our heart to be fully surrendered to him. In my impatient, selfish nature, my heart is not fully surrendered. God wants us to be focused fully on Him and His kingdom and not our own, always thinking about how we can be blessed or live a better life. The blessings he promises us are not rewards for enduring a hardship or season of humbling. He blesses us because he loves us, and his ultimate blessing is using us to further His kingdom. That's where the season of humbling becomes necessary. So instead of sitting around waiting for that promised blessing to come, I will choose to be thankful for this season and the lessons I'm learning and the character that is being built in me and will take joy in the fact that when the blessings come, my heart will be in the posture to give God all the thanks and not take the credit for myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment