Grounding Our Lives in Jesus Christ
11.18.21 Grounding our Lives in Jesus Christ
To be grounded in Jesus Christ means that we are at peace no matter what our circumstances just because we know that He/God/The Holy Spirit are in charge of our lives and all that happens to us. We know that we can trust Him totally in everything. We can look to Him in everything for guidance and strength. Even when we are feeling most human, God is still in charge, He still loves us and forgives us for everything. We can count on His presence through all that we experience. This is what the Lord has promised us when we give our lives over to Him.
So how do we get to that wonderful point in our lives where we know in our hearts and minds and souls and bodies this truth? We give our lives over to Christ and then begin the lifelong journey (from whatever age we begin) to surrender the little stuff at first and then, gradually bigger and bigger issues, as we see them highlighted by God in our lives. And as we begin to obey His suggestions whispered to us in our minds, we begin to notice the small healings first, and, later, we can see the changes in how we deal with fear and anger and the outward nature of where we look for approval. Soon we are only looking to God for approval and direction.
Then, when the tsunamis of life hit us, as they will in the death of a loved one or some other great trauma, we look to God to get us through it. Just as an example, when my husband’s Lymphoma returned three months after he was declared cancer-free, I was devastated and only wished for this whole disease to go away. That’s when I heard this in my mind: “If you can just entertain all possible outcomes equally, well, then….” As I had years before given my life to Christ, and had been practicing small surrenders, I heard what He said to me deep in my soul. As soon as I could see that his death wasn’t the only possible outcome, I was at peace. And a few days later, I felt a gift of faith so huge that I felt like I was standing on the rock. As I went through the next few months, I felt at peace, able to help my husband, our adult kids, and our friends deal with what was happening.
He did die three months later, and then I dropped into the grief. But I was never angry about his death or resented it in any way. And then the Lord gave me a whole new life which has sustained and fulfilled me for the last 20 years!
In every incidence of pain and suffering that we go through, God has been there with us, even when we were totally unaware of His presence and His help. This we can count on! Thanks be to God! Amen.