Co-Dependent part 5
When we stop looking at God as a taskmaster--someone who just tells us what to do and then we have to do it, or else--that's when we can stop working "for" Him and start working WITH Him. That's when we are truly co-laborers with Christ. Not trying to be Him, but letting Him be Himself in us, and through us, and as us. Not trying to walk in Jesus' foot steps, but letting Jesus make His own foot steps with our feet. It comes from rest. It comes from trust. Not trying to go our own way--even in the hopes of somehow stumbling into doing what God has for us to do--but simply letting the Holy Spirit guide and direct us. Those who are led by the Spirit are called (or identified as) the Son(s) of God. When we love each other, people recognize the God in us. And, again, not this distant, angry, lightning bolt throwing god of Greek mythology... but the God who is love! Love is the whole point of the whole thing. So think about it: Depending on God is really depending on love! God has chosen to "depend" on us, in a sense. He has filled us up with His love so that we can then fill ourselves, and each other, up with that love that we have been filled with. That's our "job." That's our calling. That's our purpose. What's this life for? Living. And to live is to love. To love is to live. This life is for love. Making connections. Relationships. That's what it's all about. And the only way to make those connections... the only way to have true, meaningful relationships... is to depend on love. To love people. No matter what. Whether they've "earned" it or not. Whether they "deserve" it or not. And, listen, as always, I'm not saying you should put, or keep, yourself in a bad situation. Some people will reject you no matter how hard you try. All I can say is, those aren't your people. Not everybody is for you, and you're not for everybody. But I don't think God will direct you to put yourself, or keep yourself, in those kind of situations. Remember in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit stopped them from preaching in (I believe it was) Asia? Loving people doesn't mean you have to do any and every thing. It just means you have to give what you've got to whoever comes into your path. And it doesn't mean people are going to stay in your life forever, either. Sometimes people just show up to either be a lesson or a blessin'. Not everything is forever. You have to trust the Lord. Trust the process. Trust the journey. You have to see God for who He really is--again, LOVE--and then experience everything through that love. With that love. In that love. Because of that love. Don't try so hard. Let it go and let it flow. Stop thinking you have to do things FOR God, when really He wants you to do with WITH Him. It's not a slave/master dynamic. It's a Father/Son dynamic. It's doing things together. Enjoying each other. Doing things for each other, sure, but more importantly doing things with each other. Sharing your time. Sharing your life. Letting God fill you up and then filling yourself up to overflowing with what you have already been filled with! I know it's a big shift going from "for" to "with." But it's so powerful. Such a big difference. In fact, it makes ALL the difference!