Lay Yourself Down and Rise Up in Victory: A Challenge to Live the Gospel Daily

            My thoughts began lining up, in typical fashion, to prepare for skydiving their way from my brain, with my heart as their target.  And they were armed with bombs.  I could see them.  There was Miss Burden, with her head hanging in shame, sidling up to the edge.  Behind her was Miss Lonely, with tears streaming down her face.  Miss Pity Party, Miss Annoying, Miss Broken…they were all in attendance.  I cringed, waiting for them to start their descent.  But then, by God’s grace and the power of the Spirit, something new happened. 

            I distinctly remember hitting pause and thinking, “I can sit here and let this be about me.  I can let the same pattern occur, just like every other time before.  Or I can think of my friend right now.  What is she feeling?  What is she dealing with?  How can I let her know that I’m here for her?  Yes, I’m starting to believe the lies that signal for the dive-bombing thoughts to take their place, but what if I choose to say ‘No’ to those lies?  What if I choose to believe in His Truth, instead?”

            As I walked away from my curled up spot on the couch, ascended the stairs, and sat down on the bed across from my sweet friend, I watched the thoughts, with their bombs, flee.  I sought how to be there for her, even though I wanted her to be there for me, and God showed up.  Who knew victory was found in surrender – in the dying to self – in the burying of your desires in the moment?  Oh, that’s right – Jesus. 

            Guys, this lesson that God’s been revealing to me has been brewing in my mind and heart for a couple of weeks now, and it has me so, so excited!  I’ve been letting it steep for a while – seeing how it works out in daily life, and I’m insanely encouraged to see the faithfulness of the Father. 

            At the end of last month, when I started combing through the Scriptures for victory verses, I found so many that were wrapped up in God’s grace.  In my last post about victory, I stated the reason for this – because it all points back to the Gospel: Christ’s sinless life, His death, His burial, and His glorious resurrection and ascension.  It’s all a free gift.  But then I started thinking more about this victory that we are able to claim.  The victory is real because He was raised from the dead.  But how do I get to partake in that on a daily basis?  I can share in Christ’s resurrection – but I realized I also have to share in His death and burial. 

            Spiritually speaking, when I placed my faith in Jesus back in July 2011 on Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, I recognized that I was already dead and cried out for my only help to raise me to life.  I chose to believe that He really did die on the cross for my sins and has offered me forgiveness for eternity, and I wanted to lay down my life as I had been living it and be found in Him.  The Gospel.  It’s powerful stuff.  But I’m starting to see that my coming to Christ, and my baptism, aren’t the only times where I can play out the Gospel.  We’re invited to play out the Gospel in our every day lives – and this is how we can walk in victory. 

            There have been so many times in the past couple of weeks where I’ve had the option right in my face.  Crave my own desires and make it about me, or choose to lay myself down and ask God what He’d rather me do.  I’ve had hard, awkward, challenging conversations because God said, “Stay and speak,” when my flesh and heart said, “Shut up and run.”  I’ve chosen to forgive when God convicted me of bitterness and pride, even though my flesh and heart said, “He doesn’t deserve it.”  I’ve chosen to adopt a grateful mindset instead of complaining about getting into a challenging program that I chose to apply to.  And all of this has been a conscious effort, but all of it fueled by God’s grace and Holy Spirit.  It’s not my own doing – but God is working in my heart as I surrender to His leading. 

            And the life!  Oh, the sweet and beautiful life that God blesses me with as I continue to choose to lay my selfish desires down is such a gift!  And can I tell you the real secret that He’s speaking to me through this?  It’s not that I’m playing a martyr – it’s not me thinking that I’m less than my friend – that she deserves more than I do.  Not at all.  God’s growing in me this knowledge: He’s the One who satisfies me and meets my needs.  He’s going to take care of me.  So I don’t have to constantly be looking out for myself.  I am so done looking to other people and things in this world to fill me – I want to be “rooted and grounded in love...to have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that [I] may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).  To be filled with fullness of God!  That is my heart’s desire.  That way, He can overflow onto those around me.  I can be free to be used by Him to do the works that He has prepared for me.  Instead of looking to things that will disappoint and are temporary – why not look to the One who never disappoints and is eternal? 

            It’s not always easy.  And sometimes I fail.  But that’s when Christ reminds me that is exactly why I need Him and the cross.  And I’m inviting you to join me in this journey of looking to God and role-playing of the Gospel.  Also, if you can pray for me, that would be wonderful.  I’m heading back to classes tomorrow – and it’s tempting to give in to worry, lies, and negativity.  But I feel God doing something new in me, and I’m clinging to the hope that He’s helping me grow in the self-discipline to choose the hard but glorious things in this life.  And His way is hard but glorious.  So here’s to chasing Him! 

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” ~ Colossians 3:1-4

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order hat I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith – that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” ~ Philippians 3:7-11