The world puts a lot of pressure on us to stand out, “break the mold.” Even in our Church culture, so much emphasis is placed on dreaming big. It’s dangerous to try to dream like that without having a proper perspective. If we don’t dream with God, our aspirations will be skewed and our vision tainted by selfish desire.
Recently, my heart has been kindled anew with a holy desire for conformity. You see, there is a man, a new man, who is me. God created me with gifts, talents and purposes. I want to know those things and mature in them. I was created to be like God in holiness and righteousness. It’s already been birthed in me. The more I conform to those ways, that brilliance, the very image of Christ, the more fulfilled I am. It’s the way I was designed!
Rebellion is a very subtle spirit. It gives false promises it never keeps. It silently whispers, “This is a good thing. This is fun. This will help you,” while step-by-faltering-step it leads you away from the heart of God. What futility of mind is that deception! We must cast that thing far away if our desire is for true greatness. Every hint must be removed.
It takes a lot of humility to submit ourselves to God, to surrender to His will. Honestly, it takes a complete laying down of our lives. But I am sure we’ll find, after all the death that must happen, that this new life in Christ is infinitely more glorious than anything we have ever dreamed. What depths of love and peace and joy are there to be discovered! I will declare that my glory is His glory! All my love belongs to Him!
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”–Ephesians 4:15-16
Leighton King
/ January 3, 2012We too saw, on the first days of 2012, the manifestation of a goal Lynette and I set just days earlier as we dreamed with God!! I echo that there is many excellent things in store for us this year. Love you brother.