Saturday, February 15, 2014

MeccaMusing: Tired of Me, Part III - The Continuous and Victori...

MeccaMusing: Tired of Me, Part III - The Continuous and Victori...: Good Evening, Dear Ones - Soooooooo, anyway, as I was saying (back in September), I had been praying,  "Lord Jesus, I am asking for all...

Tired of Me, Part III - The Continuous and Victorious Work of the Holy Spirit

Good Evening, Dear Ones - Soooooooo, anyway, as I was saying (back in September), I had been praying, "Lord Jesus, I am asking for all of You, and none of me, no matter the cost."  Now you will understand why it has been so long since I have written.  Apparently, there was a lot of "me" to get rid of.  I have known for about the past month that it was time for me to start writing again, since every day the Lord has been prompting me to share what He has so lovingly accomplished in my life.  When Frank told me he had been praying I would start blogging again, I knew it was time.

I believe there are many of us going through crucibles and trials, and that the Lord used my time in the fire to provide comfort and blessing to others going through a similar experience.  The readership on the last two blogs was the highest of any blogs I had written.  That's when you know the Lord is using it, when others read and pass it to someone else.  

I am grateful because anything truly good "cometh down from the Father of lights in whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning." James 1:17.  What a firm foundation for living that promise provides.  The realization and constant reminder that anything good that happens is because of Him and not because of any merit of my own - provide a constant source of humility and dependency on Him.  By the way, being in a constant state of humility and dependence on the only sure thing in this life is a respite for my soul and fills my life with joy.

If you have just a few minutes, keep reading so I can share about the continuous and victorious work of the Holy Spirit in my life.  

The main lesson that I learned during my time of testing was that I often got the cart before the horse in my prayer life.  Here's the simple but profound truth that penetrated my heart like never before.  When I truly prayed, "Lord, today - every moment of this day, let my desire be, 'all of You and none of me,'" all other prayers seemed so much purer and more honoring to the Lord.  He commands us to pray according to His will. Have you ever wondered if your heart's desire and the thing for which you were praying was His will?  How often have I prayed, "Lord help me keep my mouth shut today."  "Lord, help me to be disciplined." "Lord, help me to love you more."  "Lord, help me to desire what you desire."  "Lord, help me to be a better wife."  "Lord, help me to lose weight."  

None of those requests are bad, just faulty since I was asking the Lord to dig through the garbage of my heart to "help me."  Here's what my precious Heavenly Daddy reminded me of night and day.  "Faithful is He who has called you who also will surely do it." I Thes. 5:24. How precious is that.  I know He has called me to "set a watch before my mouth," "love the Lord my God with all of my heart, soul...."   I know He wants me to take care of my temple and to love my husband more than I love myself.  So, I know all of those prayer requests were things that would honor Him - that is, if that was my intent in requesting those things.  

Here is what I realized.  When my heart's desire is "Lord, all of you and none of me,"  the more I feed my soul on Him, the less "me" there is to help, and He shows Himself mighty by "doing it."  That's what He means when He says, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt. 11:30.  When He does a thing, I am released from the weight of it. When I have to get a massage because my shoulders, neck and back are knotted up from anxiety, I have taken on a weight and burden my Heavenly Daddy never intended for me to carry. That's what all of me and none of Him will do for ya.  

When He commands me to forgive, it is only when He is reigning in my heart that I forgive - because He does it through me.  When that is a reality to me, there is no way I can take credit, be arrogant or proud.  The only way I know to describe when I know the Lord is King of my heart and reigning supreme is "gentle rest and peace."  There is truly no reason for worry, because the more of Him and less of me, the more He shows Himself faithful.  I'm telling you right now, there's nothing like that kind of peace - the kind the world cannot comprehend.  Makes me want to shout.  

Here is the other simple yet profound truth I have known all of my life.  There are powerful results of being saturated with the Holy Spirit - filled with all of Him and none of me.  You know them as the fruits of the spirit - love, peace, faithfulness, joy, goodness, gentleness, patience, self-control, kindness.  I actually had someone at work tell me the other day that there is a "gentle beauty" about me lately.  Do you know how honoring that was to the Lord and humbling to me - that in spite of my frailty, He wanted to prove Himself faithful?  What shone through was His glory.  I have found myself being patient, overlooking things that would normally send me into a "tizzy," having peace when everything around me was quaking, having self-control.  When we are exhibiting the fruits of the spirit, people are drawn to the light within us.  Then, we have the awesome opportunity to be used by our Heavenly Daddy to profess Him before men by explaining the light.  I have had the privilege of doing that very thing lately in a more powerful way than ever before.

When the Lord is doing through me what He has called me to do, He does a better job of choosing what to eat and when to exercise. When He is doing a thing, I don't crave and am not obsessed with those things that tend to weigh me down when it is more of me and less of Him, and I am asking for His help as I try to accomplish things in my own flesh.  

I am at this time in my life in a constant state of prayerful gratitude for all of God's unfailing kindness and constant promise to never leave or forsake me.  After I express my gratitude, my only request then becomes - "Lord all of you and none of me - let this my constant prayer be."  He takes care of the rest. I am rejoicing in Him.  The more I glory in Him and Him alone, the more crowns I have to lay at His feet.  This wonderful song by the Gettys expresses my heart this evening with more grace and clarity than I could possibly express.  I love you all.  Thanks for your prayers.  God is good all of the time. Joyfully yours - Mecca 

May this journey bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
And at the end of my heart's testing
With Your likeness let me wake

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor thro' the storm
You have called me to this passage
And I'll follow tho' I'm worn

Jesus guide me thro' the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure
When the midnight meets the morning
Let me love You even more

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go
And at the end of this long passage
Let me leave them at Your throne