Spending time in Romans is such a blessing - literally. This last year has been one of resting and healing, not much doing. My mind knows that doing doesn't necessarily mean you are being, but being is necessary to doing. I still find myself in that vicious circle of performance driven righteousness, which is no righteousness at all. Good works flow from being righteous, right before God because of Jesus Christ's atonement for our sin. My mind goes back to Galatians where it says,
"Are you so foolish? After beginning in the Spirit, are you now trying to attain you goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3
There are still times that this question resonates for me. Carrie Gaul, biblical correspondent with Revive Our Hearts and excellent Bible Teacher and retreat speaker, has spoken many times on this very subject. Even with her reminder that who we are is based on Christ's righteousness, I sometimes find myself comparing and coming up short. Resting is the hardest thing to do. It strips us of the doing and focuses on the being. It is extremely humbling.
"However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:5
"Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring... Romans 4:16
I've described this last three years as putting together a puzzle of a white polar bear in a blizzard. I'm hoping the next three, if the Lord wills, will be the tranquility of the ocean against a deep blue sky where the ocean blends into the sky only separated by a beautiful sunset. For me this represents a peace unlike anywhere else on earth.
I have no idea what God has in mind for me to do. I just know that "being" comes first before any ministry.
