And like Icarus I collide...
June 15th
No man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character, he has to make character.
Isn't that the truth? Life would be so much easier if I were simply born with the character God wants for me. But then, it wouldn't take any faith or trust in Him to get me there, would it? I think too often I fall into the mindset that if I don't sin, God will improve my character. Unfortunately, it's not really that simple, is it? You can't just not be bad, you have to form good habits. Look for opportunities to glorify Him and serve Him.
So many times I say to myself, "I'm going to look for ways to serve Him. I'll go volunteer somewhere or do a 'Pay It Forward' type of thing for someone." And yet, here I am, months later, not having done any of that. I know that I have served Him in some ways, but not in anyway as to promote spiritual growth within myself. I'm doing alright, I guess, but if I do something good out of habit, I'm not becoming any better. It's still good, but it's not growth.
Do not expect God always to give you His thrilling minutes, but learn to live in the domain of drudgery by the power of God.
This hits home right now. I feel like Monday through Thursday of every week so far this summer have been the same exact day. It's boring. It's routine. And yet I'm sure I have missed opportunities to be spontaneous and to serve someone because I let myself become content within the "daily round." I need to be more aware of my surroundings with an eye for bringing Him glory. That is how I will find growth.
If I do my duty, not for duty's sake, but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience the whole superb grace of God is mine through the Atonement.
June 16th
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him.
I don't have a whole lot to journal about this entry, except that it's really cool. John 15:13 is one of my favorite Bible verses, but I've always read "lay down his life" as "die". But if it is true that "it is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling," then that verse is even more powerful. And I think it is true. If someone put a gun to my head and asked me if I believe in God, I'm pretty confident that I would say yes. But when asked to proclaim His name through my daily life...it's not quite as easy. I have to daily sacrifice my selfish desires and lay down my life for the sake of His Will.
John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it.
Pretty much, I'm just gonna agree with that statement.
Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.
Very, very cool.