It is a hard lesson to learn, one that cannot be easily captured on paper:
YOU DON'T APPRECIATE WHAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED.
Few will truly hearken to those words without having lost (and sometimes regained) a treasured resource. Yet we are all called to believe the reality of this - that we can claim the resources of God's grace, God's mercy, God's hope, God's love, if we but realize that our lives are particularly empty without them.
It never appears that way at first - for we are under and individuated share delusion that our way is superior. Over and over we make this claim, sometimes softly, sometimes loudly, but always with the foreknowledge that SOMEHOW we are "really" plugged into what is REALLY going on and our take is best. We do this with the primary things (like breathing, thinking, eating, and driving) and secondary things (like buying groceries, writing notes, telling jokes, and calling on friends).
But where does this glaring assurance come from?
Where did we learn that we knew how best to decide things, to connect the dots, to derive best practices?
We certainly can't claim to have been trained by completely reliable models - how many of us fashion our lives after people who make NO mistakes?
We also cannot claim that we are only responsible to God - for although it is true that we ARE responsible to God, part of that accountability is (I believe) expressed through effective and Godly stewardship of those in our charge. Likewise, we see over and over that scripture consistently reveals that wisdom is found in the counsel of others.
Again, I ask: where does this glaring assurance come from?
I believe we are taught it, just as surely as we are taught anything else, by whom we focus on. Thus, the fruit we bear is in direct proportion to our election to focus on Jesus.
My call to action is this:
Ask yourself the last time you had the most assurance that you were hearkening to God. It is likely immediately following when you were under the most spiritual attack and occasionally comes when you are particularly humble - regardless, you have had SOME time when you felt like your actions, thoughts, or heart were particularly aligned with Jesus.
Find out what about that time defined your relationship with God differently than now.
- Was your faith simpler?
Go back to first principles and study scripture, really delving into what the Word says, through prayer and humility, not what you think it says or what someone else tells you it means. - Was your walk more pure?
Earnestly seek out that sin which is most glaringly separating you from God and give it to Him - He would love for you to trust Him. By doing so, He can build your faith. - Was your sight more focused?
Look at your hour - your day - your week - your month ... however you judge how well you've spent your time. How much of that time was earnestly defined by a literal and simple seeking of God's heart?
The day you come back to Him is the day you too will be His prodigal child.
