Rob here, and this morning I am reading Philippians 1:1-11. It's dark but supposed to be sunny today. (In my journal I always record the date and also the weather, a little habit I learned from my grandma who used to write me letters and always included the date & what its as doing outside at the top).
Here are the verses that stood out to me and some of the questions they forced me to ask...
Carry it on to completion, 1:6
I asked myself some questions: What needs "completing" in me? What parts of my life do I wish were more “finished”? What behaviours of mine create havoc in my life, & a few came to mind: pride & insecurities. As I spent a few minutes praying about each of these, it occurred to me they are connected. Also, last evening I was really grumpy with kids while they were doing dishes, no, seriously grumpy. So I prayed and asked God to help me see what was I REALLY upset about...no clear answer.
Keep on growing in knowledge and understanding, 1:9
I think this verse is really talking about maturing spiritually. As I reflected on this, I made a short list of some ways, through my life, that I have learned, grown, and matured. I realized I have always learned the most from conversing/watching others: So I spent some time praying & asking God to remind me of people in my life whom I should be spending more time with. Then I made a short list of areas where I feel that my faith is weak: I have always wanted a stronger prayer life & I would like to be more aware and obedient to the Holy Spirit.
Be filled with the fruit of righteousness 1:11
I always read "right standing with God" when I see the word "righteousness." So, then I asked myself, What IS the fruit of having a right standing with God? (this question required more coffee)...As I thought about it I realized, that righteousness means that I don't need to prove myself to God. This truth goes a long way in helping me deal with my pride & insecurities. I think these two struggles make me performance driven - do more & do it well!! Which is probably why I was cranky with my kids, cause I had other things I wanted or felt I needed to be doing...oy.
Anyway, this time was helpful to me this morning. I am not convinced that some of these struggles of mine will ever go away, but rather the secret might be learning to be aware of them and deal with them in a Christlike way as he enables me.
How did these verses speak to you?
5 comments:
Hey, Rob. Thanks for your transparency.
I guess one thing that stands out for me is Paul's incredible thankfulness and joy (v. 3&4). I question how much of my life is marked by an attitude of gratitude. I'd like God to open my eyes to the beauty and blessings that are part of my every day. "Thank you" needs to be foundational in my life, just like it was for Paul.
Thanks Kathy, you are absolutely right! Paul's joy almost seems contagious. I often wonder what it would have been like to meet him!
Rob
The thing that caught my eye was "day of Christ" in verses 6 and 10. It makes me think in terms of "big picture", "long haul" and "final destination". It helps me to know that even though the day to day things may get to me sometimes God is over and above it all and working things out to his conclusion.
Thanks - Fred
Yes Fred, it sure does help to think over the long haul and put things in perspective. Helpful! Thanks for sharing.
You too Brian. Yup, faithfulness and grace mark the journey.
I took the same thing away as well Kathy! No matter our circumstances, God has given us so many wonderful blessings to be thankful for! I pray every day that He will help me see those good things and enjoy the beauty He surrounds us with. I also pray He will replace my worries and anxiousness with His incredible joy!
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