Weight of the World part 2
It's almost like we put more focus on the external (world) stuff than the internal (Spirit) stuff. Like we think, "If I just get through my to-do list, then I can spend some time with the Lord." The Apostle Paul put it like this, "But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife" (1 Corinthians 7:32-33). Now I'm not writing a Rant about marriage, but we DO understand that we (the church) is the Lamb's wife. So what I believe Paul is saying is the same thing Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." It's this idea of where we put our "Three T's," our time, talent, and treasure. It's this idea of God not wanting to be a PART of life... but God wanting to BE our life, because He IS life. And that, really, is our only defense against the weight of the world. Because the world will crush you if you let it. Not because it's mean, or malicious, or anything like that, but simply because no matter how hard we try we CANNOT do it on our own. And when we think there are areas of our life where God isn't... man, that's when we can get ourselves into BIG trouble. But I'm here to tell you that God is everywhere all the time. He promised He would never leave you nor forsake you. And even more than being everywhere all the time... He lives in you! So wherever you are, there He is! He moved into the neighborhood and He's never moving out. He made YOU into a house for HIM to live in. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The visible address of an invisible God. The Kingdom of God is within you! And the Kingdom is ever expanding. So no matter how much it seems like the world is trying to crush you... what is really happening is the light is shining and the darkness can do nothing but flee! Now let me clarify something: I'm NOT saying we should try to fight against the world. God SO LOVED the world that He gave His only Son. But I'm also not saying we should comform to the world. We have been transformed, and we BE transformed (into what we've been transformed into) by the renewing of our mind. What I'm saying is: we need to embrace the world. We need to shine the light of the world (that we are) and show the world that transformation that took place. The ever expanding Kingdom that is within us (that we, in fact, are) just needs to come out and then the weight of the world will be lifted. Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. The Message Bible calls it the Unforced Rythms of Grace. So here's the question: How do we let this light shine? Not by trying really hard to shine with works and labor, but simply by knowing and believing that the light (Jesus, love) is already shining in us! Because if it's shining IN us, then it shines THROUGH us. That's how we operated IN the world, but not OF the world. That's how we "only serve one master." Not by cutting ourselves off from the world, but by shining our light IN the world! What's internal comes out and effects the external! Then everyone can see the change that took place on the cross, and everyone can experience the love of God!