The Way I See It #76 Posted on January 19, 2009 By pamela I suppose that I might have cause to celebrate. It’s a sunny day. The water surrounding our home receded at such a significant rate that we’re now able to see all of our property and much of the surrounding farmland. This is amazing. O, and I didn’t get Sbx cup #280. Maybe, had I gotten cup #280, I’d not have written the previous two posts this afternoon. I don’t know. So, today’s cup reads: TheWayISeeIt #76 “The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating – in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.” – Anne Morriss, Starbucks customer So, I’m thinking about the freedom in commitment. I don’t know the author’s intent in the above quote – but like most of the other Sbx cup quotes – this one got me thinking and thinking about so many things on so many levels. The freedom of commitment. I am committed to serving the Lord Jesus – and it is for freedom that He has set me free from the bonds of sin and death. My commitment to Him has brought me great comfort in that I am free from fear of rejection in death as well as in life. Now, there’s still that occasional tyranny from the internal critic – the critic that says I will fail bcz I have failed so many times before at so many things before. But the more I am rooted and grounded in faith and in the Word and in the Lord, the more that barrier is removed — that barrier of self — that barrier of fear or of pride or of doubt or of discontent. Ironically, the more *under* authority I am, the freer I am to live and move and exercise the gifts the Lord has given me. It is as I submit, I gain great freedom. This is true in my marriage — as I am committed to my husband, I am freer to love him, to encourage and respect him, to bless and serve him — as I have said to him many times… where else would I go? Commitment gives way to great trust and freedom. I am committed to my children — my commitment to them gives me great freedom to serve and teach them, to care for and provide for their needs. My commitment to them enables me to guard and guide them — to love and nurture them. I do not fear or have barriers that prevents me from loving them — as I am committed to their wellbeing. Fear truly does dress up and masquerade as rational hesitation. I mull that over and think: fear and faith cannot be carried in the same bucket. For to carry one necessitates dumping the other. If I am carrying a bucket of fear, I cannot also hope that faith is contained in that same bucket. So then, I see how great is the love the LORD has lavished on us that we would be called the children of the Highest (Luke 6.35). “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” psalm 37.5 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2.2 Devotionals
a battle of wills Posted on March 23, 2007 I was standing in the kitchen a little while ago and, as I do most every morning, I was waiting for my tea water to boil. Instantly, Doubter came in along with his friends, Sabotager and Shame to visit She-who-must-be-obeyed. You see, She-who-must-be-obeyed has been battling against My-will-to-obey and She-who-must-be-obeyed… Read More
pages of a letter; for such a time as this. Posted on October 11, 2011October 24, 2011 This has been a most interesting year. I wonder what I’ll think when I look back on this year — in years to come. I wonder if the rough edges will seem smooth later on and I wonder if the smooth days will be remembered with even more fondness. Hmmm. … Read More
Take no Thought Posted on October 23, 2006 Just as God is, and is in, the big picture, the devil is meddling in the minute details. God’s working all things together for our good and the devil’s working everything to confusion. It’s not so much that the enemy wants us to totally yield to him, it’s that he… Read More