Infinitely More

I've been planning on writing this post for awhile but my own attitude has been getting in the way. Yesterday I had time and was just about to get to work on here and felt thoroughly unqualified... hypocritical.

Things aren't much different today. Except that I realized I will never be fully qualified in myself to ever share God's Word. Jesus Christ alone makes me qualified.

And oh the irony considering what I'm wanting to share. Beginning with this verse...

We all struggle with sin, whether "serious" or seemingly harmless but still a nagging and frustrating issue. Sin is sin is sin. And as believers we all need to be working through our sin and claiming victory daily! But sometimes, if we're honest, it really feels hopeless.

This verse is motivational! And seriously relieving. It isn't about me overcoming my sin. It's about Him and His power doing WAY MORE than just giving us victory! All glory to God!! I can't wait to see what that "infinitely more" looks like this time!

I just finished working through my second Beth Moore Bible study - Psalms of Ascent. The very day after God brought this verse to my mind (it really flew into my mind straight from the Holy Spirit Himself!), Beth had some very insightful things to encourage me with...

"Beloved, if you're like me, God is not keeping the record. You are. You keep playing that record over and over. You may think you're honoring God with misery over your past mistakes, but you're not. Just like I did, you're walking in unbelief - not trusting what He promised to do if you'd repent... It does not honor God.

Psalm 32:1-2 says, 'How happy is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How happy is the man the Lord does not charge with sin, and in whose spirit is no deceit!'

...Somewhere deep in our souls we want to punish ourselves and return to what we deserve. Dear One, Christ took what we deserve."

I gotta admit, got some prickles of tears from that last sentence. And it also made me think of running.

(((It's amazing how much running relates to life!)))

I remember one particular run when I was staring down a crazy long county road. My very first thought as I crested the hill was "holy crap there is no way..." but before I could finish that thought a much better one interrupted: "bring it on!" I not only finished that seemingly endless stretch of pavement, I was elated! Exhausted but thrilled.

Beth had something to say about that, too! 

"Elation is one of the things God uses to make nothing worth returning to that sin. You will come to love the feeling of forgiveness and freedom much more than fleshly pleasure."

I know what it's like to feel elated after a run. It is so much of why I run. Because sometimes the run itself is hard. Sometimes it's not even fun. Okay, I will even go so far to say that I have hated many a run. But most often the hardest, most painful runs, are the most rewarding.

The road to true victory over sin, whether it be "minor" or "major" is stinkin' hard. But tuck Ephesians 3:20 away for easy retrieval then look your sin square in the eyes. Tell it to bring it, kick it in the face, then bask in beautiful forgiveness and freedom!

Victory in Jesus!!