get in the car

As I roll over the hill onto the second leg of this journey, I have been thinking a lot about where I am going. Two themes have been coming up a lot in my heart or late.

1.) releasing or letting go of things

2.) dying to myself daily

There is a teaching that I have listened to multiple times by Priscilla Shirer called Releasing Your Grasp. There's a statement that she makes in that talk that resonates deeply with me.

"It's hard to throw a surprise party for someone who won't get in the car."

I know I have mentioned that one of my favorite verses is Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."

I have also mentioned that I adore the character Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables. I find her relatable because she is creative and imaginative.

I have always had a wonderful and creative imagination. That's why I love Ephesians 3:20. To me what it is saying is that God has the ability to completely blow our minds. What He wants for us is so far beyond what we could imagine or hope, all we have to do is let Him do His thing.

That's amazing to me because I have an amazingly creative mind yet what He wants for me is better than I can ever dream up.

But in order for me to experience His amazing surprise, I have to get in the car. I need to release everything that I am holding onto. I need to put self to death in my life every minute of every hour of every day. I need to strip it all away so that there will be more of Him and less of me.

So as I move forward, I am longing to do so with open hands. Not clinging to my own ideals, dreams, imaginings or needs. Because when I open my hands to release all that I am holding, I position myself to allow Him to fill them with something better, something mind blowing.

I want to stop being satisfied with what I think I want for myself. I want to start being overwhelmed by all God has for me.

I need to release my grasp, die to myself and get in the stupid car so Jesus can surprise me with joy like I have never known.

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