Drowning in the Sea of Forgetfulness

As we drove to church Sunday morning, "East to West" by Casting Crowns (listen here: East to West) played on the radio. I don't know that I've ever really listened to the first line of the song.  I know the words, I've just never really listened.  "Here I am Lord and I'm drowning, in your sea of forgetfulness..."

Have you ever felt like you're drowning in that sea of forgetfulness? That you know God has forgiven you, thrown your sin so far into the deep that even He can't remember, but you're drowning in that same sea? You can't forget, much less believe that you can change.

I think that sea of forgetfulness is sometimes where we get trapped and then convince ourselves we can't change.  And we're right.  Not one of us can change on our own.  Not one of us can rescue ourselves from drowning in that sea.  But through Jesus, we have our rescue.  Through Jesus our change is not only possible, it's promised.  All we have to do is accept that God has forgiven us, take the life preserver Jesus is throwing out and live daily in the promise that He makes all things new.

If you find your self today drowning in the sea of forgetfulness, reach out!  Take hold of the hand of Jesus and begin to walk in the new.  Begin to walk in the promise that God doesn't remember what's at the bottom of that sea and you don't even have to swim in it...much less drown in it.  Leave behind the guilt and walk in the freedom.  Cling to Jesus as He perfects His work in you.

"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day that Jesus Christ appears."  Philippians 1:6

The "C" Word

What is it about the "c" word that is so often so difficult to embrace? Whether it be in our family, in our work, in our geography or in our relationships, the "c" word can bring such anxiety.  So what is it about this 6 letter word that causes so much resistance?

I think the hardest part of CHANGE is knowing in your spirit that it's coming but not knowing what it is or what it means for your life.  That period where you feel God working, you know something is coming.  And you know deep down that whatever it is, it's BIG.  And you know that when it happens, it's going to rock your world.  And then human nature takes over and it all becomes overwhelming.  Even intimidating.  It becomes easier to sit still than to face the change head on and move towards whatever it is God is calling you to.

Sitting still is the easy thing to do.  It's the comfortable thing to do.  It's the cowardly thing to do.  When God begins to plant seeds of change or when God just flips it all upside down at once, we have to step out.  Sometimes God plants a seed that lets us know that change is coming and slowly leads us down a path that brings the change about and reveals His plan.  Other times, in one earth rocking revelation God shows us what's next.  Either way, we have to resolve to step out.  We have to resolve to embrace the change.  We have to resolve to have the audacious faith (thank you Steven Furtick) to believe that what God has called us to, He will lead us through.

I don't know what changes you face right now.  But I know that if God is ordaining change in your life right now, blessing follows obedience.  I know that if you take that first step into the unknown, He's already taken the second to prepare the path.  Change is painful.  Change is difficult.  Change brings growth.  Change is the path to blessing.