Transformed, not Conformed

Yesterday, I was trying to blog, but I couldn't.  My mind was so cluttered that I couldn't focus.  I had a hard heart all day, and I was trying to find out why.  I think I do now...I feel God revealed it to me...I remember saying a phrase last night that brought me complete peace...except the anxiety I created within myself because of fear of that statement.  I thought about it and prayed about it.  

Today, God told me to run outside.  So I ran.  He told me to run to one of my spots to sit and listen to Him...so I ran to the bridge on Bremer.  As I sat and listened, I stood on the waters alone again.  I stood there, asking God to reveal himself.  Asking for wisdom.  Asking for God to tell me what He wanted to tell me. 

Jesus appeared, and split the waters between us.  He told me to jump.  So, I jumped.  Jesus split a bigger gap between us, and said the same thing.  I prepared a running start, and jumped...barely making it that time.  Again, Jesus split a bigger gap and said, "Jump."  I couldn't do it on my own...but I prepared myself, and took a flying leap toward Jesus...and I "soared on wings like eagles."  (Isaiah  40)

God calls us to take risks, and sometimes He may not reveal Himself until after we take that plunge of trust.  We don't know what He is doing, but in His time He will reveal it to us. (I John 3:2)  It's our job to answer Him and obey Him WHEN He calls...not later.  (Matthew 8:21-22)  He is always knocking to get our attention (Revelation 3:20)  He wants to renew our minds and hearts so we can have hope in the unseen...not what is seen.  After this transformation, then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will.  (2 Corinthians 4:18  & Romans 12:1-2)  This is my biggest lesson right now...my mind is being renewed and transformed.  God is showing me what it looks like to be a living sacrifice.  He is getting rid of more clutter in my heart. 

In an inspirational handout a friend gave us tonight in prayer group, I was taken by a few quotes that popped out:  "Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.  Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.  Stop playing it safe and start taking risks....expand your horizons.  Accumulate experiences.  Enjoy the journey.  Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks.  Don't try to be who you're not.  Be yourself.  Laugh at yourself.  Quit holding out.  Quit holding back.  Quit running away."  

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God."  Philippians 1:9-11