Friday, April 8, 2011

INS week 2 round-up

I'm on the road today - well, actually on a plane - to speak at a women's conference this weekend.  But tonight I'll return to my hotel room, put on my jeans, fix some tea and log on to read your comments & posts.

This was a challenging week of chapters.  It's hard to swallow our pride, or lay down our rights, or relinquish our desire to fight back when insulted. It's stinkin' hard! I haven't always done it. But I've found that when I do go to Christ for my comfort and strength, and trust Him with the situation, I feel empowered.  Empowered even though I'm not fighting back. It's a paradoxical, priceless feeling.

“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

So what have we learned this week? Stop competing for a share of "the good life." Stop trying to create a name and life for yourself - then you'll find the life He creates for you. That life is going to include humility and service.  It's not always an easy life, but it's a good life under the banner of His name. Besides, let's be honest - it was never easy trying to create life for ourselves on our own, asking God to bless it.

I have a note card taped up by my desk. On it I wrote this note-to-self: "The secret of true gospel change is being convinced that Jesus is the good life and the source of my joy." It's when I lose sight of that that I start comparing, competing and selling out to things not worth selling out to.

Maybe you'll want to write that down too, and put it somewhere you'll see it regularly.

So, got an INS related blog post you want to share?  I'd love to read it.



And if you haven't read Melissa Taylor's last post - it's worth the read.

9 comments:

  1. Oops...I guess I am an over-achiever...I managed to enter two links to my blog. Sorry! Stop clicking, Leah...just stop clicking! :-)

    As I commented previously, Chapter 4 really got me to thinking (and blogging). I am really looking forward to delving into more "secrets" and hearing the Holy Spirit whisper loudly to my heart in the coming weeks!

    Thank you for your insights, Rachel :-)

    Leah

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  2. I needed to hear the words in your last 2 posts. I'm dealing with a situation right now in which I'm finding it hard to practice what I know is right. "Stinkin' hard" as you put it. Thanks for the reminder to review these chapters in INS. As Lysa posted recently, "I must digest not only ingest" the truths. I'm still learning and growing....

    I know you will be a blessing to the women at the conference this weekend.

    Happy travels,
    Pam

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  3. Today is my catch up day... I've had an unusually busy week, so I am only half-way through chapter four and set to do the study portion this afternoon. I can't tell you what this book has meant to me so far... really can't put it into words! Thanks for writing it, Rachel! And have a safe trip!

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  4. Today's also a catch up day, Ive spent the week reading and re reading the chapters and digesting the teachings. Now to do the study questions and posting what I've uncovered besides better or newer isnt always better- especially If what you have gets the job done. just my nugget of truth learned.

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  5. Thank you for that verse today..that when we're weak, God is our strength. I especially need this as I feel so helpless watching my dad go through dialysis!

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  6. I love Rick Warren's words from the Purpose Driven Life, "It's not about me". I have committed to making these words real in my life so I hear them like a whisper in my ear when difficult situations arise. It is really hard to get mad when your are reminding yourself it isn't about you and instead thinking about the other person. All my defense mechanisms fade away and my perspective changes immediately when I say those words to myself.

    I love your challenge to stop trying to create a life for ourself and let God do it for us. And I love that you acknowledge how difficult that is for us competitive prideful personality types~but with God's help it is possible. :)

    Thank you Rachel.

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  7. I am really enjoying the bible study led by melissa. I was really struck by the first line of pg 91. In God's kingdom, painful situations are catalysts for glorious transformation. Very thought provoking. Thank you.

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  8. I was finally able to catch up this morning. The week was hectic.
    I have truly enjoyed every word and I'm letting the message sink in. But the phrase that I pray I will never forget is this one, "stop trying to create a life for myself". This is a lesson the Lord taught me last year and has made and incredible difference in my life. Thank you, Rachel, for putting the words in black and white.

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  9. Thanks for your book, Rachel. It is reminding me of some great lessons.

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