Not My Will, But Thine

I have been grieving so much lately over failing again in standing up for my rights at work. It is what I devoted my last post to. God is so gracious. He is loving and patient with this hard-headed child. I really don't want to be that way. And yes, He has soften and changed my heart so much. But I still struggle sometimes at work when things just don't make sense. Of course, if you read my last post, I had a pretty good talking to myself. The non-Christian would come away proud of themselves if they went to their boss and said, "Hey, could you rethink things here?" and the boss said "ok". You knew it wasn't fair how it was being done, and your logic had a better plan and the boss agreed. Wouldn't that be great? No, not if you are a child of God. What would be great is for you just to do what you've been given to do, and do it with all joy. Your coworkers know what's what. They know what's fair. They know who is going above and beyond and who isn't. And if you claim the name of Christ, they are just WAITING to see how you react. They are waiting to watch you work. And if you work with all joy, then they are astounded! And like I said in my last post, somebody will eventually turn to God, want to know Him, and know this joy that you have. It is hard sometimes. Sometimes I just want things to be "fair" at work. I'm here to tell you that it probably won't ever happen, and we shouldn't even be looking for it. We should be looking for more opportunities to be the salt, light, love and truth of Jesus. And those opportunities best present themselves when we are gracious in mistreatment or an unfair work load.
Just when I needed the grace of my God, He shows up in the biggest way. I went to Fellowship Memphis website again this past weekend to listen to some more sermons by Brian Loritts. He is so filled with the Holy Spirit! I get very charged up when I listen to God speak through Brian. He has been doing a series on the beatitudes. He spoke on a Christian's rights. He said the same thing I have said in a few of my posts. He spoke on laying down your rights. He also did a sermon on mercy that blew me away. These things were exactly what I needed to hear, exactly when I needed to hear them. God is so cool that way. He's such an awesome God! At the end of Brian's introductory sermon on the beatitudes, he prayed a prayer that had me spiritually broken. I want to write about that prayer today. Every time you see something in parentheses, it is part of his prayer. It may not be a complete quote, just some of it. He prayed for God to help us in the "slow death, the death to self....death to my rights." That's it exactly. It is a death, and it doesn't happen overnight. You have to die to self and live for nothing but Jesus. It goes against everything we're taught from society. It goes against all of our common sense from a world view. Look at the commercials. Even buying the more expensive hair color because you're "worth it". Or you should go buy a fancy car because you've worked hard. Get the bigger house because you deserve it. Go on that expensive vacation because you've earned it. Have you ever heard a grouchy old person talk terrible and say they've earned the right to do so because they've lived long enough? Baloney! We have to die to our rights to everything if we belong to Jesus. "In the process of dying that I'm never more alive!" AMEN! When I stand up for my rights, I am nothing but grieved. When I lay down my rights and put Jesus first, I am filled with all joy! And most of that joy is in knowing that my King is magnified and glorified. And some of that joy is knowing that Satan didn't win that round! "Laying down what is rightfully mine that I find LIFE!" That's what the life of a child of God is all about. That is pure, true living. Dying to self is living in Christ. Dying to self is letting the light of Christ live through you. "That's the gospel." That's right. "Here in the land of the free, may we follow the way of Jesus and be willing to be walked on." Like I have asked before, as Oswald Chambers asked, are you willing to be a doormat? Are you? Are you willing to never be thought of again? Are you willing to be obscure? Are you willing to be nothing and in doing so, pray that your King will be everything? "Is there a place for protecting ourselves? Yes. Teach us how to navigate that." I recently, through much prayer, had to do that. It only comes with peace when it is done with much prayer, seeking the will and face of God. "Strengthen the brethren to lay down their rights. Others will smell the fragrant aroma of Christ and the gospel. Pray for courage to lay down our rights." WOW!! AMEN & AMEN!! What a thought of laying down your rights being a fragrant aroma of Christ! That blows me away! Do you want to give off your own selfish aroma, or do you want to look and smell of the sweet Rose of Sharon? Do you want to stand in your own self-vindication, or do you want to lay it all down for the glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords? Do you want people to notice you and your good logic and your desire of "fairness" for yourself, or do you want them to see Jesus? How can something so glorifying to God be so hard to learn? Why do we struggle so with dying to self? Because it goes against human nature to not think of ourselves. It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in you to accomplish this. You can't do it on your own. But if you plead at the throne room of all grace and mercy, Almighty God will be your strength. Get on your face, daily, and pray for His grace. Ask Him to make you like your Lord, whatever it takes. Oh God, only glorify Your holy Name! Let us die to self so that You'll have full reign to live through us!