Does the thought of change thrill or concern you? Personally, I am a woman who craves order and consistency. I enjoy my normal habits (good and bad), for instance, my morning cup of coffee or time to decompress from daily stresses. I desire a known rhythm to count on for happiness (on any scale) amongst change and unknown circumstances. If not vigilant and aware of my tendencies, I will guard my habits and miss opportunities to respond to whatever the Holy Spirit reveals as the better thing. I wonder what my response would have been if Jesus had unconvincingly invited me to “follow me” before anyone knew who He was, as with His initial 12 disciples (Matthew 4:19). Would I have been the one to miss Jesus because He was inviting me to something unfamiliar? Would you follow this unknown Man?! What about now? He still invites us to “follow me”. The act of following is to surrender. Counter to the distorted truth of the gospel in progressive Christianity, it’s implied to follow in totality. Surrendering our life includes our heart and mind: Jesus wants all of us. Jesus invites us to cease identification with our former selves and to abandon reliance on tendencies and personalities. Jesus wants to be at the center of our lives, yet our unique temperaments and life experiences have shaped our journey and worldview. How do we both understand ourselves and surrender that revealed person to Jesus? The clear answer in scripture is to remain connected to Jesus (John 15:4-5), as a branch is connected to the tree trunk. There isn’t one productive, fruit/leaf-bearing branch that thrives without the tree. Likewise, we nestle all of us, the parts that should be cultivated and the things that need to be pruned, in the One who made us. Whether our tendencies lie in going ahead of God’s eternality or leaning too much into doubt of Him without a clear answer to all of the “Wh” questions, both tendencies reveal our sin and limitations. As disciples, we are more than our habits, strengths, and personalities. We are clingers of Jesus, who is greater than anything else we attempt to identify ourselves with. The resurrection of Jesus is our motivational coach, personal spiritual trainer, and foundation by which anchors our hope. Our life navigation GPS will frequently reroute to destinations we cannot see, through some low valleys and high mountain peaks. But, wherever the day or season takes us, our anchor to thrive is solely Jesus. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:57-58 Be wherever Jesus is. Imagine an umbilical cord connecting us to Him—wherever He moves, we move. When He stays, we stay. If life is great, we worship. When life is crumbling, we praise. The essence of our lives is grounded on the basis of the resurrection. If you live by your planner (this is me), thrive on structure, and find comfort in organizing chaos, this will be both difficult and a burden reliever. When our systems start functioning like the god of our lives, we no longer leave room for Yahweh, the LORD. Challenge Question: If a relationship needs your presence and compromises productivity, how can Jesus’s peace comfort you as you pivot to respond? Cheering for you, -Brittany This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courageousradiance.substack.com
