Saved by His Grace

Recently, I got into a short conversation with a neighbor about recent storm damage in the neighborhood. We talked about how it was a shame that this one beautiful Crepe Myrtle tree with gorgeous pink blossoms had to be chopped down.

Part of it had split and fell into someone’s yard, while the rest of it remained heavily drooping from the weight of all the rain. She said that it would cost more to preserve it than to cut it down. 

It would cost more to preserve it than to cut it down. This rang so true spiritually.

Many times we find ourselves fighting to preserve parts of our old selves rather than fully trusting the Lord to prune us and mold us more into His image, to make us new creations. Some of us live in complacency and forget that the Christian walk largely involves constantly dying to self and bearing fruit.

This complacency and resistance is costing us a lot more than we realize. It’s costing us true freedom, full healing and peace that surpasses all understanding. 

This makes me reflect upon Jesus’ words in John 15:1-4. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:1-4 NKJV)

Recently, I learned that I was making something in my life an idol, and clinging to that idol was costing me dearly. It was costing me an intimate relationship with Jesus, who is supposed to be my first love. 

I kept having dreams of being chased, not recognizing that it represented me running away from Jesus, running away from confronting past wounds that still need to be healed. I wasn’t surrendering those wounds into the hands of the Potter, who can take those wounds, heal them and mold me into someone much better than I can even imagine. 

I was foolishly relying on my own efforts, and running away from the prayer closet when a glimmer of hurt appeared. I was turning to the dangerous route of escapism: binging media and not using the time the Lord has give me wisely to get into prayer and talk openly and honestly with my Father about my struggles. 

Many come to Jesus just like myself: hurting, broken, and in desperate need of a savior. Then we go on to pray just a few times about our wounds and assume that they will all be healed automatically, that we need not pay them no mind any longer nor pray fervently about them.

But those old wounds resurface the moment we stop being busy, the moment something triggers us, the moment we are brought face to face with something that reminds us of our past. 

God is not some genie. He gives us free will, and in that free will, he gives us the opportunity to work with Him to work out our own deliverance, healing and salvation. 

This reminds me of a revelation I had a couple years ago. It’s frustrating at times to be reminded of revelations we once had but didn’t do anything with, but that’s part of our old rebellious nature that needs to die.

I once wrote, “For the longest time, I had unrealistic expectations of how my faith walk would go. I thought God would clean me up in one fell swoop, that everything broken would be fixed and healed fast and permanently, and that I would never struggle again.

I was completely new to Christianity and had no idea what to expect. It definitely does not work like how I had imagined. It IS going to be messy but it’s a beautiful messy – one where my mind and my heart are gradually being renewed, and God is cleaning up all the muck I was covered in for decades.

To be fully healed, we must trust God AND be obedient to do our part. We can’t come to God looking for a quick fix. Yes, He will fix us and heal our brokenness, but it’s NOT a one-sided, He-does-it-all relationship, something it took me quite awhile to fully acknowledge. 

God is not a genie. If He immediately fixed everything, I feel like some people wouldn’t remain faithful to Him. They might fall back on their old sinful ways and forget who He is and what He has done for them.

Jesus is the Great Physician (Mark 2:17), but just like with earthly doctors, we still have to do our part. We can’t be lazy and expect whatever the doctor prescribed to be a cure-all.

The doctor may put fluids back into our bodies to rehydrate us from a sickness and give us medicine or operate on something broken or stitch a wound up. But, don’t we still have to follow post-visit instructions (e.g., avoid alcohol, get plenty of rest, avoid sugary foods) and continue to take the medicine prescribed to get better, do any necessary rehabilitation, watch our diet, etc.? It’s the same with God.

God will lift the heavy fog of depression we may have spent decades trapped under, but it’s up to us to maintain our newfound freedom and restoration.

We do this through staying away from things and people that contributed to the depression (e.g., involvement with the New Age and occult, a sinful lifestyle, excessive alcohol, horror movies, ungodly music).

We must stay away from ungodly, worldly influences that caused our former state that God delivered us from. We must actively seek out godly alternatives to the way we once lived and be consistent at maintaining our new lifestyle.”

All that to say, now is the time to stop running and holding onto things that are costing us. What are you holding onto that you need to surrender to Jesus? Anger? Unforgiveness? Lust? Pride? Disobedience?

Whatever it may be, we all need to turn to Jesus, confess all that is weighing us down, let go of any bitterness and unforgiveness, and repent and renounce of any sins that have kept us in bondage.

Jesus calls us to live holy lives, to walk in obedience, and to be fervent in our faith—not lukewarm, but fully devoted to Him.

As He said to the lukewarm church in the Book of Revelation, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16 NKJV)

We need to make every day a day where we trust God more and allow Him to continually prune us and heal us, transforming us more into His image (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Jesus is coming back really soon, and we must get our lives right with Him before it is too late. Let us strive to hear those precious words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Until next time, Lord willing, shalom to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

P.S. In striving to be off social media more and managing the time the Lord has given me more effectively, I will be deactivating the blog’s Instagram account next week.

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