Wells of JOY!
February 11, 2010
Cherie Blair :: Comrade & Writer
³You said there would be joy in the letting go. You said there would be joy in the laying down. You said there would be joy in the giving up my rights.
And now I see. Your River it rushes to the lowest place. Let Your River flow. Come and rush over me. I¹ve gotta go lower, lower. I¹ve gotta go deeper, deepr. I¹ve gotta get to the wells of joy. I¹ve gotta dig for the wells of joy!² ¬ Laura Hackett
These words penetrated the core of my being as I let go of everything I¹ve been clinging to in life and embraced the fullness of joy found only in God¹s presence!
Do you wonder about the purpose of life? Is it to fulfill some grand business venture or leave behind a family legacy? When we stand before the Lord how will He measure the success of our lives? Will God consider our wealth, our accomplishments, or our children? What is the standard He will use to determine our eternal inheritance? What must we do to hear those words, ³Well done good and faithful servant²?
Paul gave us the answer when he showed us the most excellent way: LOVE.
Absolutely nothing we attain in this life will remain for eternity except this one heart motive. The evaluation of our entire life will come down to this one question, ³Have you learned to love?² What is this love? It is patient (long-suffering) and kind; it is not envious, boastful, or self-seeking! I have spent most of my life absorbed with my Self! The other day my roommate pointed out that we have a much greater burden to rally prayer for issues that affect us personally. So are we willing to look out for the interests of others and consider their needs as more important than our own?
Jesus showed us the greatest love of all in laying down His life for us. Are we willing to love by ³suffering-long² with Jesus? He died for the joy of having each of us as His inheritance. That¹s how we experience ³joy in the letting go² and ³in the giving up our rights². His river of pleasure rushes to the lowest place of humility. We must be emptied of ourselves so that we might be filled to overflowing with His Spirit. Like John the Baptist our role is to decrease so that Jesus might increase.
As I participated in a small group discussion about 1 Corinthians 13 I became acquainted once again with my love deficit. Afterward a friend challenged me to ³let go² of the things I was clinging to. On my way home I decided to stop by the renewal services taking place at the International House of Prayer where the Holy Spirit had begun to move powerfully setting people free of self-hatred, eating disorders, and addictions, as well as healing people both emotionally and physically. Upon entering the celebration Jesus encountered my heart with ³joy in the letting go.² I danced around with such freedom and excitement! When I stopped for a moment to enjoy His love I began to sway like a weeping willow tree in the wind. As I leaned back to one side I heard Him speak to my heart, ³Do not lean on your own understanding.²
During the course of the next few days the Lord continued to do a work in my heart to purge my selfish ambition. I remember saying over and over, ³Lord, help me to suffer long with You. Your people shall be my people.² Various manifestations of God¹s presence occurred as He continued to realign my heart and motives with His. At one point I repeated, ³More of You and less of me,² over and over. The Lord reminded me that the one who fears is not made perfect in love because perfect love casts out fear.
God is doing a deep work in my heart to deliver me from fear, perfect me in love, help me let go, and teach me to love as He loves. Later I told Jesus, ³Not my will but Yours be done. I don¹t want my own way any more. I want Yours!² I committed my heart again to fulfill the greatest two commandments of loving Him and others. As I surrender to the Master Potter He is truly transforming my heart to rid me of selfish motives and reshapes my priorities. I find myself growing in His love, becoming more conscious of others¹ needs, and actively seeking to prefer the interests of others above my own. I share my experience to remind myself of the things God is doing to change my heart and as a testimony to others of how He humbles His people to fashion vessels of honor equipped to carry His glory to the nations!
May the Lord reshape us on His potter¹s wheel as we surrender our control to Him. May He carve out a place of humility and empty us of ourselves so that we may be filled to overflowing with His love. Let us decrease so that He may increase. There is joy in the letting go. Let¹s get to those wells of joy!
- Chérie Blair
www.uniquedove.com
