Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? Be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. -John Owen
Mortify:
to destroy the strength, vitality, or
functioning of (gotta love some old English words)
I have been battling
some anger over some things that happened in the past. Even though I know I
have been set free, there are moments that strike me and cause fear and anger
over some of the decisions I have made. Now, I know I can’t change the past but
when these thoughts come into my head, I start to doubt myself over what I’m
doing right now. I start to wonder if I really can do better. Fear of failure
is a very present monster that I struggle with. Which makes me sometimes- heck
most times a very intense, super intentional person.
Yet I believe with
everything in me, that God’s grace is sufficient and that there is no condemnation
for those in him. The Bible is also clear in Matthew 26:7 “Can any of you
by worrying add a single hour to your life?” If I’m being honest with myself, I
have a few root causes to deal with: pride (how could I have done that?), worry
(what if…). We all want to believe that we are better than the reality.
John Owen again:
How can we possibly believe the promises concerning Heaven,
immortality, and glory, when we do not believe the promises concerning our
present life? And how can we be trusted when we say we believe these promises
but make no effort to experience them ourselves? It is just here that men
deceive themselves. It is not that they do not want the Gospel privileges of
joy, peace and assurance, but they are not prepared to repent of their evil
attitudes and careless life-styles. Some have even attempted to reconcile these
things and ruined their souls. But without the diligent exercise of the grace
of obedience, we shall never enjoy the graces of joy, peace and assurance.
Let no man think to
kill sin with few, easy, or gentle strokes. He who hath once smitten a serpent,
if he follow not on his blow until it be slain, may repent that ever he began
the quarrel. And so he who undertakes to deal with sin, and pursues it not
constantly to the death.
This is so sobering, and yet goes to
the root cause of my struggles. I need to get over myself and consistently go
before the Lord for daily sustenance. That is why the Bible is called our daily
bread! I can testify, when I feel like I got things in control and I’m not
surrendering to God, sooner or later things and thoughts that are unwanted
creep back in. Yet when we have sins that are recurring, we need to lay it at
the feet of Jesus until they are put to death. As is the nature of life, we
will encounter struggles. Let’s not wait until they have become such big
monsters, or reconcile with our sins or be comfortable with careless
life-styles. We are being obedient when we surrender to God, and he brings joy,
peace and assurance to every circumstance, that is a promise. Thank God for his grace that I can go to him even when I mess up over and over.
2 Corinthians 12:9 "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.
