This is the October writing challenge from Five Minute Friday. The plan is to successfully post everyday. We write for five minutes (unedited and that’s a challenge) and stop. Visit FMF to see more posts.
Go –
Ezekial 36:25-27 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.[b] 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. (NLT)
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (ESV)
I’ve already confessed, in an earlier installment, to being a reformed idol worshiper. My identity was in my position and accomplishments, always seeking approval and respect based on those things. I was captured, like a prisoner, in wrong thinking. I was messed up but God corrected the situation by bringing me to a place of humility like I had never experienced. I was Oh! so low, but it needed to happen.
Like the Israelites that were scattered among the nations I had their same stony and stubborn heart, always confident in myself and my “idols”. Well, God wasn’t having it any more. He called me to Himself, ripped away the idols and washed me clean. He didn’t do it so much from me, or them, but to protect His holy name (Ez 36:22). When we put anything before God, it’s an idol. It hurts God and displays a prideful boldness in ourselves and complete lack of reverence for who He is. This is BAD on so many levels. God hates pride (Prov 8:13).
I needed a new heart, a Spirit-led heart captured for Jesus. I believe that’s what I’m getting. Make no mistake, I know this is ongoing. I pray for humility every day because I don’t want to go back and repeat this fall (Prov 16:18). I’m still bruised.
This course correction began about three years ago, years after I already accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. It makes me wonder, as a saved child of God, how did I get so far off the path? Hold up, we’re not going there right now. Over the course of what I believe were divinely appointed changes in my life, both personally and professionally, my focus shifted to the new path. My plans and desires began falling away and are being replaced with His.
I’m delighting myself in the Lord and experiencing a true heart-change because of it and I am grateful.
Stop –
