Skip to main content

Letting Yourself Go



A friend had given me copies of old magazines and I'm Loving them.  An article by Gary Thomas in the Discipleship Journal Jan/Feb 2003 where he says,  "Spiritual health is marked by vibrant, others-centered compassion and concern."

 "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." 
1 Corinthians 9:19

Augustine said, God fashions us, that is, forms and creates us anew, not as men--for He has done that already--but as good men, which His grace is now doing. 

Being unselfish sets us free!  C.S. Lewis says, "Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.  Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.  Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay.  But look for Christ, and you will find Him and with Him everything else thrown in."

I see myself as a pretty giving person and find it easy to give away but Gary Thomas's article drove right to a spot that I need to give up.  He says, "Some people are imprisoned by their demand for comfort.  Some..are imprisoned by what we own.  Others are imprisoned by their demand to be noticed, appreciated, or respected." 

I don't care about comfort nor am I tied to what I own but I have a heart imprisoned by wanting to be valuable to others.  To be respected and found competent.  To be respected.  It does imprison me and tie me up.

Gary Thomas invites us to experience freedom found in ignoring our first selfish impulses and allow God's Spirit to give us a heart for others.  

That's my Heart's Cry for me, for my family and for my friends...

Letting Ourselves Go!!!!! 

Being and Living Free!!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Starting a Journey

September 3, 2010 Originally posted How to Begin a Journey 1. Pick a destination or simply start. 2. Plan a detailed itinerary or just take the first step. 3. Pack everything or travel lightly. I am choosing to just begin. To leave behind the baggage, pick up a day pack, and go. Several nights before we moved to Ogallala, I was praying about the transition when I heard that still, small voice of God. In that moment, I knew He heard my Heart's Cry. He hears every whispered plea, every unspoken longing. If I truly sit with that truth, it humbles me. What courage, boldness, passion, and decisiveness I have when I remember: He never leaves or forsakes me. He provides for my every need according to His riches in glory. My hope is to encourage you He hears your Heart's Cry too.
2 comments
Read more

1940 Canned Apple Butter: Family Root Cellar

I loved exploration as a child.  From opening the door and going down the stairs to get something from my Grandma's root cellar or exploring old homesteads while checking cows.  I credit my Mom with teaching us to appreciate those things that represented the people who had gone before us. When I moved with my husband and boys to a house on the family ranch-I began exploring immediately.  This was the house my Aunt and Uncle lived in during my childhood.  My Grandparents had lived there and many other families dating back to 1900 when it was built.   With two little boys in tow, I made my way to the root cellar and found a treasure cove.  Old text books belonging to the original family who had been a teacher, the original medicine cupboard, tools, trash and memorabilia.   I felt like an archeologist sifting through layers of debris representing generations and culture.  And I was.  I hauled truckloads of trash to the dump (some...
4 comments
Read more

Diabetes-Opened to Disease OR Open to Connecting to my Strengths

I've tried living in denial for two years after the big D diagnoses was handed over.  Honestly, I just don't want to talk about it.  Outwardly seemly calm and disconnected from it.  Inwardly terrified. As a plant that is stressed is open to disease, injury and death so to our bodies are.  I opened myself up to this.  Stress, lack of sleep, bad nutrition, overweight and lack of exercise.  For some reason I believed that if I ran fast enough and worked hard enough, I would outrun my family genes.  The tiny room in the back of my brain locked with a key has kept the fear of this disease at bay even though I could hear its screaming when life quieted down. My Aunt died piece by piece to this disease.  First a heart attack and quadruple by-pass.  Then a toe.  Next a foot.  Legs came next along with more heart attacks.  Kidneys shutting down.  She died very young. When I was little, my Aunt Ally gave herself s...
4 comments
Read more