No, We Do Not Have the Right

What if what we are looking for to fill the gaps in our lives has been there all along? 

What if our desires have never been lacking?

What if the next best thing has nothing over the best thing you have already had?

What if the "more" you have been looking for was never lost, but just out of sight?

"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Job 40:2


Something that I have been struggling with for the past couple months is understanding self righteousness. Christians who have given his or her life to God and all that comes along with that, have taken on a life whose demands are great. Still being human, there seems to be some things missing--things desired and not yet attained. We look into the future and there seem to be pieces to the puzzle missing. What type of home are we to create? What type of career are we to posses? What type of people are we to reach? Who is to be our partner through it all?

Those are questions that others seem to get to ask without regard. However, when we ask, guilt creeps in. Maybe we should have asked a different question or asked that same question in a different way. Despite the guilt, the reason behind the question still lingers. The "more" that we want lingers in our heart.

We allow it to stay because it is apart of who we are. Why wouldn't I want to create a Godly home or have career that is more than a mere job? We are still human beings--beings with desires! So the "more" lingers in our hearts.

Self righteousness.

It was not the mourning that Job was dealing with that was the problem. He had lost everything! It was not the illness he had to daily endure that was bothering our Lord. God did not have a problem with Job feeling sad.

"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?" Job 40:2

It was that Job felt big enough to correct God for "messing up." So Job relinquished his trust and replaced it with condemnation. It seems so silly, wild, or even ludicrous to say that God messed up,yet let's not pretend as though we have never treated God the same way Job did. We often times have a mental picture of how God could have done things better or we settle for God's way.

This time was different. The Father had plenty to say, abut three chapters worth of things to say to Job and He delivered those words personally. Why? Because God wanted this lesson to be as clear as day--no human being has the right to say that God is done wrong. I know, blows your mind doesn't it? That is not what society believes today. It believes that it has the right to call wrong whatever it pleases. Lord forgive us. Job's pain had not elevated him to a place higher than the King of kings.

He had to be reminded that the one who fills gaps had been there all along and was beyond capable.

He had to recapture the vision of the desires that God has for him that more than satisfy his desires.

He had to hear from the maker Himself that there is no "next best thing" after the Creator.

He had to experience more to realize that "more" was code word for God.

We are going to feel a lot of things in this life, but seek to never let those emotions blindly lead you to try and remove God from His throne. No one would fit there but God himself. No matter how blameless we perceive self to be, we are not without sin. We DO NOT have the big picture, so we don't understand it all. Which means we do NOT have the right to be self righteous.

So when the demands of this life seem great and the struggle all to real, don't focus on the evils and get swept into the trap of self righteousness. Instead trade in your condemnation of God's methods for trust.

Don't just take my word for it, read Job 38-42.

"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things that I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know." Job 42:2-3

Our God is beautiful, wonderful, gracious, omnipotent, loving, all this and MORE God! The way that He wraps us in light and cools us with wind. He quenches our thirst with water and steadies our feet with a firm foundation. He divided the day from the night with the sun and the moon. What a great God!

How do you feel God is currently working in your life? In your favor? 
Let's recommit to trust Him through it all! Through all the ups and downs. Isn't He worth it?



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Paradigm Shift

I get this awesome idea of the ideal meal to cook. I am hungry and can't wait to consume the goodness. So, I toss some of this and that into a mixture and into the oven it goes. What if this happened next:

"Hey," says Mr. IAmAnEgg, "why am I not green like Mr. Greenpepper?"

"Because you are an egg," says Shana.

"But I can really envision how I would be so much better as a green egg."

"You are an egg just in the way that I need you to be. I wouldn't have it any other way," responds Shana.

"Ummm.... I mean I hear what you are saying chef, but how about considering my texture? Mr. Flour's texture would be ideal for me. Just recall how he felt between your fingers," says Mr. IAmAnEgg with confidence.

"Ok, Mr. IAmAnEgg, everything about you is the way that you were intended to be. From the very moment that you were concetualized, your design was right. Your design has no flaws. You scan through the other ingredients trying to put together this plan of what you should become. No need. You have been already crafted. Just allow yourself to be baked so that the useless parts of you are dead and gone and all that is left will be just what is needed for this dish."

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There needs to be a paradigm shift in our minds. We are not to seek who we are to become as if the perfect design wasn't in existence already. We are to ask God to reveal what He has created. Then as he refines us, more of His handiwork is revealed. Yes, sin is real and has messed things up, but it is written, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." ~Psalm 139:14

If we only embrace truly being God's creation instead of what "creation I wish I was," more people will look at us and only see Christ.

So, instead of asking God "why" because of our dislike for some of the changes He is doing in our lives, we need to say, "Reveal more Creator. Your creation is ready to be your instrument."

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5

"The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house." Isaiah 44:13

Who has God crafted you to be?

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Creator and Redeemer

     God has spoken creation into existence and the same power is flows through the Word of God to recreate and transform us if we are willing. 

     There is truly power in the name of Jesus. For we don't have to work and slave to be transformed. We don't lack a part in the process, but our part cannot be compared to all that our Father does daily to transform our insides. 

     We marvel in the beauty of what creation is and more so what is was originally. Why? Because it is just so beautiful, awesome, majestic, breathtaking, exciting, and more than meets the eye. Well, God's redeeming power is also majestic, breathtaking, exciting and more than meets the eye. 

     Holy holy is the Lord God Almighty! 

     Each day, allow God's essence to ignite your transformation and relationship with Him. He wants to be with us. Not just here and now, but for all of eternity.

Shana