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“…I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple.” —Isaiah 6:1

I love the imagery of the Bible. This verse speaks triumphantly about the vastness of our God and Creator. “The hem of his rob filled the temple.” Picture that with me for just a moment…our supreme Lord sitting on His throne and the hem of His robe – just the hem – filled the temple.

I read Psalm 139:5 this morning during my (extra early) quiet time (thank you, sleepless Sunday night) and it talked about being hemmed in (protected) by God. What an extravagant visual of the hem of His majestic robe, and how I am tucked away safely in it.

You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

So often we try to place parameters on God. We try to cram Him into a manageable size we can somewhat fathom and we forget that God cannot be contained. Why do we limit Him, as if He’s not big enough? As if He’s not mighty enough. Or even worse, that He doesn’t care enough.

I’ve had the song Bigger Than I Thought by Passion Conferences on my playlist. I pray you take a few minutes and shut off everything else to allow the lyrics minister to your weary heart. He’s bigger than you think, beloved.

… Speak to me
When the silence steals my voice
You understand me
You understand me

… Come to me
In the valley of unknowns
You understand me
You understand me
You understand me, God
You understand me

Amen.

The God Who Maintains

And I am certain that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  –Philippians 1:6

I read a book by Andrew Murray entitled The Master's Indwelling once, and he gave such a great analogy. It went something like this: Have you ever experienced a fabulous church service or quiet time where you felt completely refreshed and as though God had touched your heart? Then the next day, or even a few hours later, you were left wondering how that spark evaporated. You spouted off a few four-letter words you shouldn't have, you thought about choking the guy sitting across from you at work because he was tapping his pencil repeatedly on the desk, or you acted selfishly. No matter what your failing, it leaves you wondering how one second you are so tender and another so calloused.  

As I read The Master's Indwelling, the author made one statement that stopped me: "I can count upon God to maintain it and to carry me through all." —> The "it" he's referring to is what God is doing in you. 

God knows I am incapable of achieving whatever needs to happen. So as much as I adore being the productive, perfect achiever in this world, He is helping me unlearn this prideful, self-reliant habit and be dependent upon Him. 

It is my responsibility to believe — regardless of how I feel — that what God is doing in my soul today, He will not only complete, but He will maintain. 

The Apostle Paul speaks of the same thing in Philippians 1:5-6: 

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." 

Scripture assures us that God is not only mighty to save but mighty to continue.  

So often, when God speaks to our hearts about changing, we get frustrated because our eyes are not focused on the completed work achieved through faith, but on the gap. The gap between where we are and where we know God desires us to be can be completely debilitating. I should know; my perfectionistic self has "measured" that gap's breadth, width, and height many times. And I always come up short.

It seems an impossible feat. But glory to God, all things are possible through Him. Furthermore, He has countered my "measurements" by reminding me in Ephesians 3:14-21 of how wide and long and high and deep the dimensions of Christ's love are for me. God only requires us to believe He is willing and able to begin the good work, maintain it, and carry us through the transformative journey.  

He is the God who maintains.

God Sings Over You: Psalm 25

Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,

    for they have been from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

Psalm 25:6-7

As David looks back on his youth, his response is, "remember not the sins of my youth." As I reflect on my younger years, I can think of many moments that bring a sense of shame, and I want to ask the same of God (please don't remember that part, Lord). 

Moments of shame can easily become moments we hide in the dark crevices of our heart and breed infection. Thankfully, we have an open invitation to partner with God and allow His work to create beauty in our wounded souls. David clues us in on how this redemptive and healing work takes place: by knowing and being known by God. 

"According to your steadfast love, remember me..."

Have you ever asked God how He thinks of you? David knew how the Lord "remembered" [or thought] of him, and it's an essential key for us to know, too. 

When I had a few moments to sit and be quiet this past week, I asked God to show me what He thinks of me. I'd asked Him this question before but didn't seem to hear anything. That's okay if that happens, and it's okay to keep asking.

I asked Him (again) to reveal to me the song He sings over me (in accordance to Zephaniah 3:17). This time, He showed me that the song He sings over me is the sunrise I like to watch as I drink coffee. For me, the love song is the warm rays of the sun on my skin. It is the pitter-patter of little feet and the hugs given by my boys. He reminded me that the love song He sings over me is in the wind that blows through the trees and the birds that sing on a spring day as I take a long walk. The Lord told me of the 1,000 gifts of grace He gives me each day, and orchestrated together, it forms a beautiful love song for me. And in that moment, I sat and thanked Him for that song — written just for me.

"Paying attention to the Holy Spirit is first paying attention to your body, and how your body is responding to shame." Dr. Curt Thompson

I encourage you to grab a piece of paper and a pen and simply sit. Then, at the top of your paper, write: "Lord, what song do you sing over me?" Let the words flow from your pen. Don't overthink it or judge your words. Keep writing. 

Once done, read what you wrote and discern if it aligns with God's Word. Then, share it with a trusted and godly friend and ask them if they see any misalignment with the Truth. This practice will help you hear God's voice and tune your spiritual ears to His Words. 

Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,

    for they have been from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

Psalm 25:6-7

The Inner Healing Journey: Psalm 25

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;

    teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are the God of my salvation;

    for you I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

Last week, I finished a book that I believe is my #2 read from 2021. Of course, the #1 spot is God's alive and active Word, the Bible. But, anything that helps expound upon God's Truth is a joy to read, too. The book is called Anatomy of the Soul by Dr. Curt Thompson and has served as a tremendous resource in my journey of inner healing. 

Inner healing may be a phrase that rubs you oddly because the world has de-Scripturalized many things (even Scripture itself) and the Church has made many Scriptural topics weird (God is not weird, friends). But, healing within our heart and mind is scriptural and necessary for us to become more like Him. It doesn't mean we become inward-focused and self-absorbed. It also doesn’t mean we ignore our past or try to not think about our own hearts. Instead, we should take a balanced approach and recognize that our rugged and rough-edged life story holds sacred meaning. God desires to redeem all the nooks and crannies, so we are a beautiful dwelling place for Him. 

Below are several verses about how God renews our minds and changes our hearts. 

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

”Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

“Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 18:31

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

"In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:22-24

“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” Romans 2:29

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh…” Ezekiel 11:19

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” Colossians 1:21-22

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” Titus 3:5

How does this renewal work happen? The renewal occurs organically as you continue to be in God's Word, fellowship, and prayer. However, Paul encourages us in Philippians 2 to "work out your own salvation." [Notice it doesn't say to work out your neighbor's salvation or your spouse's or your co-workers. It states to work out your own.] Paul doesn’t say to work for it, but to understand that our "completeness" comes with work. 

We must take our ordinary, everyday life and do the hard work of working out our salvation. We were born into a broken and sinful world. We each had different environments and experiences growing up. And those environments and experiences shaped our thinking, beliefs, and behaviors as we matured. Scripture tells us we become a "new creation" when we choose to follow Christ; yet, the old way of thinking, belief system, and behaviors still exist. We have a new nature — the nature of God — within us, but it takes a process of sanctification to work out the old man and work in the new man. 

And, that's okay. Psalm 25:4 says, "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths." God isn't tapping His foot on the floor, wondering when you're going to get your act together. He's not annoyed with you, disappointed in you, or frustrated with you.

If you believe those things, that means God has more work to show you His true character and reshape those beliefs in you. That is beautiful and delightful work, and He enjoys it!

A couple of months ago, my Grandma suffered a minor stroke. As a result, she lost her short-term memory, and many of the day-to-day tasks of life became impossible for her. As the weeks passed, we've witnessed progress in her abilities; yet, everything is still a struggle in her mind. While our family sees significant progress and celebrates this daily with her, she becomes frustrated with the lack of speed. 

As I was thinking about all this, God reminded me of how frustrated I can get with my progress (or lack thereof). But, He sees it differently. He is celebrating and delighting in the progress that happens each moment. Oh, if we could see ourselves as He sees us! 

"Lead me in your truth and team me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long." Psalm 25:5

Let us wait on Him to do the work, friends. Your inner healing journey is a process, and you have to work at it. I've been a believer for a couple of decades now. However, it wasn't until recently that I truly felt and understood God's love personally for me. Sure, I knew God loved me, and I knew God was Love. But, I didn't have an intimate understanding of how He felt about Tiffany. It wasn't until I began asking God to help me understand His love that freedom came powerfully.

Part of my healing journey was doing the Keys to Freedom study on Sunday nights with a small group of ladies. It took time for me to examine my thought life, belief system, and behaviors and for God to become the Healer of unhealthy areas. It took work. It took confessing the dark side of my story to a small group of people who were committed to walking this healing journey with me. It took practicing forgiveness and allowing myself to feel and verbalize my emotions that had been over-ridden by a lifetime of practiced logic. Finally, it took time for me to understand how healing comes through God, uniquely, and by letting my story live in the Light.  

Here are a few examples to help you know if God has some sanctifying work to do in you: 

• You run anxious in life. Trying to get to "the next thing" as quickly as possible.

• Your thoughts never shut off.

• You're unemotional. You don't "feel" with ease.

• You're too emotional. Your feelings drive your day.

• You are distant, not allowing people to get close to you.

• You don't communicate with transparency.

• You are sad or depressed but don't know why.

• It's difficult for you to empathize with others.

• You criticize and judge others quickly.

• You have a propensity to "perform" or desire consistent recognition.

• You feel unseen, unsoothed, unsafe — and therefore, insecure.

• You feel unworthy.

If any of these struck a chord, you have work to do. Like I do. We cannot be healthy and whole believers if we're unwilling to work on ourselves. We cannot give others something we do not have ourselves. The purpose of becoming free and walking in that freedom is to point others down the same path, which is why David wrote in Psalm 25:4:

"Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths."

In our journey to knowing the Healer and being healed, we bring healing to those around us. We are to have unity in the Church, and the Church needs to step up and do the hard work because it's through unity and community that we become whole. 

"Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long." Psalm 25:5

Old Habits: Psalm 25

This week we officially start Psalm 25. As I mentioned, we're taking it slow. 

I was at the lake with the family last week in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was some much-needed time off, but I struggled to slow my soul and rest. This season has been a tough one for me.

It seems as though the old habits rear their head, and past sins torment me once again. Again, Paul's words in Romans stir in my heart:

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." —Romans 7:24-25

My mind has been running non-stop lately, and I recognize that it's because my soul isn't anchored to His Word as it should. Sure, I'm getting up and having my morning quiet time. It's not unfruitful or in vain. But, the absolute surrender of all that I am, all that I have, and all I ever hope to be are lackluster. 

"Your god may be your little Christian habit - the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, 'I can't do that right now; this is my time alone with God.' No, this is your time alone with your habit." —Oswald Chambers

Let us not worship our habit, but worship our God. Today, the Lord presents His Word to us. A short verse in Psalm 25:1 for us to mull over. To ponder. To speak to others. It reads:

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. —Psalm 25:1

That's it. Nine words. This psalm opens by expressing confidence in the Lord. Each day, we "lift up" our souls. "Lift up" means to point our desires toward, set our heart on, be greedy towards, or count on. Morning by morning we lift up our souls to something or someone. It takes an intentional and obedient act to direct our desire to God Almighty. Maybe you've figured it out, but from my experience, it doesn't happen naturally because our flesh is adversarially working. 

I find that when I start my days in a humble posture — often, physically on my knees in surrender — God's power rises to meet me. Then, as I lift my soul to Him, knowing that no good thing comes from me, He can use what I've surrendered just like the boy with the barley loaves and fish. A small gift abundantly multiplied. 

"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" —John 6:9

"For with God nothing shall be impossible." —Luke 1:37

Rarely do I feel like getting on my knees. Rarely do I want to. But, it's in the moments of feeling unmotivated, defeated, tired, anxious, overwhelmed, and outright rebellious that I find God is the closest. That is, if I'm willing to point my desires to Him. He is willing to work to will and act in holiness. 

"for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13

I encourage you to do that now and say, "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul." Then, wait for hope to appear.

When life is heavy and hard to take,

    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:

    Wait for hope to appear.

Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.

    The “worst” is never the worst.

Lamentations 3:28-30 (Message)