Stop Confusing God's "Intended Will" for His Redemptive Nature
God is redemptive in nature. Therefore, although He can make a masterpiece out of a mess, don’t confuse yourself in thinking that it had to be a mess in order to be a masterpiece. Let me say that again. Your sin was not the necessity for God's masterpiece.
If I hadn’t committed adultery, we wouldn’t have grown deeper in our marriage.
If I hadn’t left my wife and kids for a season, I wouldn’t have realized my need for them.
If I hadn’t gotten drunk, I wouldn’t have been bold enough to share the gospel with my friends that night.
If I hadn’t gone to the strip club that night, I wouldn’t have met ....
If I hadn’t gotten an abortion, I wouldn’t have finished college or gotten married to the love of my life.
If I hadn’t divorced my husband in frustration, I wouldn’t have ever seen my own brokenness.
If I hadn’t gambled that night, I wouldn’t have ever received enough money to pay that bill.
God is redemptive in nature. Therefore, although He can make a masterpiece out of a mess, don’t confuse yourself in thinking that it had to be a mess in order to be a masterpiece.
Let me say that again...
Your sin was not the necessity for God's masterpiece.
His Goodness, His Sovereignty, His Omnipotence, however, was and is.
And yet we tell ourselves this subtle lie to justify certain sins in our life or certain seasons of sin in our life to quiet the condemnation and shame that can seep forth from the remembrance of our own actions‒when in actuality, it’s the freedom found in Christ’s blood, through His forgiveness, that can only erase the shame associated.
Rest in God’s grace and goodness. Don’t rest in justifying sin upon seeing any good outcomes that can come from the sin and then reassure yourself by saying “Oh, well maybe it had to be this way in order for this good to happen in my life.”
No! It was the redemptive nature of Christ! And His redemptive nature ought to compel us to instead say, “Wow, look at God's grace in my life! Look at His goodness despite me! Praise the Lord for His mercy! He didn’t have to do it, but He did!!!”
Again, when we see glimpses of good that spring forth despite our sin- it’s easy to believe the lie that we had to sin in order for “this good” to occur. Not so. The truth is that God is just so sovereign that He has the power and authority for good to be brought forth despite your sin. Why? Because He is redemptive in nature.
“28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
-Romans 8:28
What I learn from King David’s rape of Bathsheba is that the Lord used such a broken man to accomplish so many of God’s purposes. But we can’t gloss over the consequences that came with that sin too. A child died as a consequence of David’s sin. And we can’t ignore the generational consequences of his lustful actions that traveled to the next generation (his son raped his own half-sister, his other son had 700 wives and 300 concubines, his other son publicly raped David’s own concubines for all to see. )
Secondly, we can’t gloss over what was God’s intended plan for King David if he hadn’t sinned- something we will never know in its entirety. What did God intend on doing if David had remained faithful to one wife? If he hadn’t raped Bathsheba? If he hadn’t murdered another man in order to marry that man’s wife etc? I’ll never know. We’ll never know.
But here’s the main point.
God's intended plan never involves us sinning in order to accomplish what He wants to do in and through our life. There is never a time in which God smiles and is pleased when we sin.
3 quick scriptures to back up what I’m saying:
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11
Sin will forever and always be destructive in nature. Therefore, the plans that God intends for us do not involve the nature of death, which is sin. He wants us to forever choose life, which is contained in His Word.
15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. -Deuteronomy 30: 15-18
For the New Testament believer, this promise still holds true.
Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. -Galatians 6:8
But you might say, “Yeah, but didn’t Jesus say, in this life, you will have many trials and tribulations and that you will go through?”
Yes, but some tribulations He never intended for us. They were brought on by our own sinfulness and foolishness.
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD. -Proverbs 19:3
We don’t know what God had planned for David if He had been faithful to his first wife. We don’t know what generational blessings would’ve been brought forth from His obedience to the Word.
Yet, we do know how the Lord still used David’s adultery with Bathsheba to accomplish God’s purposes, therefore, displaying His Own redemptive nature.
I’ll summarize by saying it again...
PonderedThought:
It’s never God’s will for you to sin in order for God to work in and through your life. God can use anything, yes! But don’t confuse yourself by thinking that the only way something good was brought forth in your life was because of your own personal sin. This is a dangerous trap, deceitful thinking, and quite frankly, a lie that many have believed throughout the years. That “good” was brought forth in your life because God is Good. He is Sovereign. And He is Redemptive in Nature.
She didn't want to raise her son in a multi-ethnic church, but it's not for the reason you think.
Being a new Christian herself, Margaret thought Jae would be elated to experience what she was experiencing, which was a multi-ethnic church filled with great theology, worship, bible study programs, and even a superb children’s ministry. She thought that maybe there was one thing bothering Jae about the church, and she needed to ask. “Are you tired of being around white people Jae?” she asked.
Margaret pulled into the quaint suburb, located fifteen miles from the inner city of St. Louis, in order to visit her cousin Jae. Although Margaret and Jae were close in age, life experience placed them worlds apart. Jae, just moved from D.C. to a suburb of St. Louis and found herself in need of a break from the kids. Margaret, on the other hand, attended WashU Medical School and lived a life of singlehood, marked by days jam-packed with exams, studying, clinical rotations, and basic survival.
“Hey girl, I gotta go grab my keys but sit anywhere you can find a place,” Jae immediately said upon opening the door.
With that, Jae ran upstairs to grab her youngest toddler from the bathroom.
“Need help?” Margaret screamed up, but Jae was already out of ear’s reach.
Jae and Margaret were cousins through and through. Growing up in the burbs of Virginia, they received whoopings together, unwarranted lectures from grandparents, and even the same catcalls from strangers when frequenting their local beach. Though years had passed since then, and although their recent communications were less frequent, they were blood at the end of the day.
Ignoring Jae’s hospitable greeting, Margaret marched upstairs and followed the faint sounds of intermittent movement.
Jae was oiling her youngest down with whipped shea butter and coconut oil. Her hands glided seamlessly from oil to skin to body parts somehow maneuvered through holes of clothing, as if a practiced dance. Jae's lack of cautionary pauses in between revealed that this wasn’t her first rodeo. In fact, this was her fifth child.
Margaret looked on, secretly hoping that Jae would be a tad more gentle. Jae continued without looking up.
“Marge, hand me that spray bottle on the dresser.”
Margaret grabbed the spray bottle filled with water and other unknown oils.
“Where are the boys?” Margaret asked, while Jae effortlessly brushed her daughter's hair into a bun.
“Midday nap. Fed them so many beans, rice, and plantains that they’re in comatose.”
Jae’s sculpted triceps flexed—displaying years of at-home yoga videos and car seat carrying—as she nimbly smoothed over the edges of her youngest daughter’s hair. Jae's skin glowed from slight perspiration and the natural beauty effects of dried rose water and years of rosehip oil applications.
“You really are settled in,” Margaret said, taking in Jae’s unspoken comfort. “Furniture moved in, you’re back cooking. Kids enrolled in activities. One thing you’re missing—” she awkwardly interjected, “—a church home.” Her statement seemed a bit abrupt.
Nonetheless, she went on to plead her case.
“Jae, seriously. Why haven’t you come back to church with me?”
Margaret knew Jae to be a woman of God. Jae often gave knowing looks growing up when certain love scenes flashed across the movie screen, or when Margaret thought it a good idea to get drunk at high school parties, or whenever they discussed the sanctity of life. Jae really didn’t say much, but her actions always said enough. She had a way of saying, “Just wait. Life will teach you,” without ever uttering a word. She always exuded wisdom beyond her youth or lived experience. And she didn’t tout her opinion lest asked. All knew that Jae walked closely with the Lord.
Therefore, when Margaret recently committed her life to Christ and began going to a new church—a Bible-believing church that she truly found herself flourishing in—she invited Jae and her husband, Sean, to visit upon their move. But after a few Sundays, Jae's family stopped attending. Due to busy clinical rotations, Margaret forgot to follow up. Right now, it was the best moment to ask “why” while it was at the top of her mind.
“You really want to know?” Jae asked.
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t,” Margaret responded.
“Well, first wake the boys up and meet me in the car. It’s parked in the garage. Oh, Sean doesn’t know you’re here. You know he works from home now so it’d be nice if you stuck your head in his office down the hall and said ‘hi’,” Jae said without waiting for Margaret to confirm her understanding of her rapid-fired instructions.
Before Margaret could say “okay,” Jae was already headed out the bedroom door.
Minutes later, they both buckled their seatbelts in the small minivan, with three kiddos in the back, and pulled out of the garage to head to the indoor gym twenty minutes away.
Without missing a beat, Jae continued on.
“Look Marge, I have about 15 minutes to halfway sound coherent. Ah, by the way, Brooklyn and Leroy get out of school at 3 so we gotta swing by and pick them up on our way back. Okay. We can have this conversation...I really don’t feel like it. But if I don’t, you’re going to keep asking so…” she trailed off while checking her phone for the next set of directions.
“There’s no pressure. I just wanna know why you don’t like it,” Margaret lightly said.
Being a new Christian herself, Margaret thought Jae would be elated to experience what she was experiencing—a multi-ethnic church filled with great theology, worship, bible study programs, and even a superb children’s ministry. She thought that maybe there was one thing bothering Jae about the church, and she needed to ask.
“Are you tired of being around white people, Jae?” she inquired bluntly.
Margaret knew that the question itself probably wasn’t new for Jae. Many black people casually spoke of this topic amongst themselves. In fact, Margaret and several of her other friends often said “yes” to the inquiry in passing. But now that Margaret was discovering this whole Christian thing, it would sound weird if the same answer came from Jae too.
“Uhhhh...Yes and no. I’m proud of my blackness. There’s no shame. I’m just tired of dealing with the way our blackness is perceived. Trust me. I did it for years. Ignoring the way being accepted and loved is equated to greeting me with a tonal ‘hey girl’ accent when I show up at new membership orientation.”
“Haha,” Margaret burst out laughing-choking out a “Girl, stop!” between breaths.
“No, I’m serious Marge. And it’s not just your church. I’ve tried so many other ‘multi-ethnic’ churches in the past and I’m pretty discouraged by what I’ve experienced. I’m tired of the caricatural ‘sorries’ for the slightest things. I’m tired of seeing people’s true feelings and beliefs come out when my kids are playing with their kids. You see church and home are two different stories, Marge. Either no one would accept the invite for their children to come to my house, or my children would be invited over in a way that seemed like a check off the ‘be nice to a black person today’ list. Or even worse, ‘your children seem like a cool project to tackle-so let me be adventurous today.’’”
“Okay. I get it, but not everyone is like that though Jae, and you can’t let those experiences color all of the other people at my church, or multi-ethnic churches in general.”
“Maybe not. But cuz, at the end of the day, I see white people all day in the burbs. I and my kids go to schools and everyone’s white. I go to stay-at-home mommy groups...white. And especially when I was working in the corporate setting. I just want one day out of the week where I can worship and be myself. Where I’m not reminded of the implicit messages to conform to mainstream culture to make the majority feel comfortable. I want to go to church and know that when I hear a drawn-out “I.......” that what will proceed is a sudden beat drop, followed by everyone singing “will...trust...in the Lord.” I’m just being completely transparent with you. But you know, even though I’m saying all this, lately, I’m beginning to think it’s actually not a black, white, race thing. Or even a cultural thing.”
Margaret listened carefully, hoping to find the silver lining.
Jae observed out loud, “I know I must sound scattered.”
Jae paused, took a deep breath, and then continued.
“I just want... I just want to be surrounded by people who are genuinely filled with the Spirit. I long for an atmosphere where the Spirit literally soaks our collective being. Sometimes the latest contemporary, agenda-driven, program-saturated multi-ethnic churches still feel dead. Even with the Word preached appropriately, so many feel as dry as deserts. And unfortunately, this barrenness trickles down to everything else. Don’t get me wrong, this deadness can be found in several predominantly black churches too. But when I walk into a church in which our predominant race or culture doesn’t preside, no matter how multi- anything, if I don’t sense the commonality of the Holy Spirit, I see only differences. And because of it, I’m well aware of my blackness, their whiteness, well before I’m aware of our Christianess. Unity ultimately lies in the felt presence of the Holy Spirit, who has the immeasurable ability to help those of us from different backgrounds truly feel connected. What is secondary is the preaching style, music selection, and diversifying ministries. The Spirit of God is always first and foremost—and that’s what I’ve seen to be missing. Without HIs presence, I’m just as guarded in the grocery store as in the church.”
“I’m trying to follow you but I’m having a hard time. I think you’ll always pick up on differences no matter where you go. I think you should just give my church a chance. There are a lot of really nice well-meaning people there.”
And with that, Jae conceded and gave Margaret one of her quintessential knowing looks while they pulled into the parking spot of the indoor gym. She smiled and slowly opened her car door.
PonderedThought: Thoughts about Jae? Thoughts about Margaret? Share your thoughts by commenting below.
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Favor Ain't Fair: Why I Struggle Praying for "Favor"
There’s a reason as to why I don’t constantly ask for "favor” from the Lord. His favor is not “fair,” and because of that, I don’t know how to deal with it.
Have you ever experienced favor from the Lord? No, not in a way in which you subscribe to false humility by secretly acknowledging that a certain result was by your own merit. I mean that moment when you knew, without a doubt, that you didn’t deserve that grade, that observation, that evaluation report, that bonus, or that grace from a coworker, friend, or boss. Of course this is a conundrum of a question, because when do we ever really “deserve” anything except death? But you know what I mean...right?
I experienced the favor of the Lord on my job when recently pregnant. There were sooooooo many times in which I didn't have a lesson prepared (I'm a teacher), and somehow on days such as that, I taught the best lesson of my life. Another example included a time when I needed to create a project for students to do, and through limited time, I did so in a very rushed manner. Later, students told me how that project changed their life (what, really?!). It was during these times in which I knew that there was nothing at all for me to accredit my success to except by the favor of the Lord. He literally had His hand on me.
And yet, there have been several instances in my life in which I’ve not asked for the favor of the Lord.
Why? Ummm.... because I secretly think that I don’t need it (insert *gasp).
What do I mean? I think to myself the following thoughts: "I got this. I can do this on my own. I’ll ask for favor only on things that I know that I can’t do." I know it sounds silly, but these are my true thoughts.
But if I were to really look to the root as to why I think these thoughts, it's due to these two points:
If I can be honest, I want to secretly bask in my own glory when things go well. I want to pride myself in my own capabilities when things go exactly according to plan. Subsequently, I end up judging others by secretly thinking..,“well things didn’t go well for them because they didn’t do “xyz.” What pride. Yes, what pride :(.
Secondly, I succumb to these thoughts because (don’t judge me), I think that my own capabilities are more reliable than relying on or even seeking the favor of the Lord. Instead of running to the Lord and asking Him to grace me in my shortcomings, I seek ways for me to actively fix my shortcomings. The former requires faith. The latter allows pride to fester when things go well; but it also allows for feelings of inferiority to seep in when things don’t go well. My pursuit of the Lord's favor and my responsibility to improve upon my shortcomings shouldn't be mutually exclusive. Instead, both should be beautifully coupled together. Unfortunately, I tend to lean more towards the "fixing."
In short, when I experience the favor of the Lord, there is no room for glory. There are no doors for pride to be opened. I am left only to praise Him for His goodness, His willingness, His grace, and His mercy; while also being acutely aware of my own misgivings when left without His favor.
PonderedThought: I encourage you to pray for the favor of the Lord in every aspect of your life. His favor is not limited! If married, ask for favor in yall’s marriage. If working, ask for favor with your boss and in your work. If a mother, ask for supernatural favor to obtain more sleep, to keep the house in order, and to not be driven to insanity when looking at "organized" chaos (you can tell I’m a new mom, huh?) In short, we need the favor of the Lord. Don’t be ashamed or prideful to begin asking for it. And when you do, be reminded of whom you ought to praise when things go well.
Favor is never fair. Simply except it and praise God for HIs grace.
This little one reminds me of God's favor. There was nothing I did to deserve this gift of motherhood.
See link below in order to learn "what is" and "how to pursue" the favor of God.
Lord, Make Me Like a Child Again
My children’s expressions pinpointed a joy and a looseness that I craved.
Their movements lacked a sense of awareness and need for perfection that I coveted.
They simply ran.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “I wanna be a kid again”?
I hear this phrase often when adults refer to the absence of bills, stress, and major responsibilities that children have.
Hmmm....that would be nice in some ways.
Interestingly, the Lord is beckoning us to become like children again—not for the aforementioned reasons. Nor in terms of returning to the little wisdom, knowledge, and discernment we had as children.
The Lord is wanting us to become like children again through our disposition towards Him.
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
”
Recently, while at the park with my kiddos, I observed my three-year-old and twenty-month-old running on the asphalt.
Their expressions pinpointed a joy and a looseness that I craved.
Their movements lacked a sense of awareness and need for perfection that I coveted.
They simply ran.
Coats hanging half off. Arms swinging awkwardly. Feet shuffling this way and that.
When they ran, I didn't see worry etched across their faces. I didn't see doubt. I saw very little self-consciousness.
Instead, I witnessed a beauty within their displayed confidence in simply being able to run.
I saw freedom, y’all.
As an adult, I’ve learned the social cues, the proper responses, and the ability to maintain control in both movement and word.
I’ve learned the right moments to laugh, the perfect moments to smile, and the appropriate gestures to make in order to appear mature.
I don't run with the sense of freedom my children possess.
Yet, when I come to the throne of mercy and of grace, I sense the Holy Spirit beckoning me to strip off my clothing and to allow His presence to burn away that which I most want others to see—my very adult-like exterior shell.
When He does so, I feel naked and exposed. My eyes suddenly become open to the wickedness that lays in my heart, and I become ashamed. He reveals my hidden thoughts and my hidden motives. The “adult” in me wants to quickly put my clothes back on. I want to leave His presence and come back with thicker clothing—harder to remove.
I find justifications.
I deflect.
I push away- afraid of the light that burns away the carnal. I frantically look for the strands of thread that I think are somewhat clean.
But right before I resort to running away all together, God's manifest presence overwhelms. Suddenly, I'm reminded of what it feels like to be a child again.
I'm reminded of the inexpressible joy and freedom obtained in His Presence when I relinquish my wants and desires through surrender and trust.
He's a Good Good Father.
I remember the warmth....yes, the warmth when I replace my substandard clothing in exchange for His royal clothing of righteousness.
Why do I forget this feeling? Why is it so hard to answer the call when God says, “Come to me, Jessica, like a child?”
Because in every part of my life, I’ve tried to hide being like a child. I’ve mistaken maturity for a lack of excitement, for a lack of making mistakes, for a lack of being vulnerable to exposing that I’m fallen and in desperate need of a Savior. For the sake of being mature, I mask pain. I find remedies.
Why do I do this??
I’ve learned that there are little avenues in life in which one can appear weak, incompetent, unstable...and broken—in need of assistance.
Ohhhhh…But there is one. It's in His Presence.
Children are dependent. Despite their obvious inadequacies, to others and to even themselves, they are still able to run freely in the fields of the unknown, completely comfortable. Why? I think it’s because they know that they still have time to grow. I think as long as they know that there is One who knows the way, they rest in simply enjoying the ride.
Prayer: Make us like children, Abbah. May Your Holy Presence burn away the fake clothes that we wish to put on in order to cover the scars, weaknesses, and even our own wickedness. We stand before you naked—in full belief that if we are Your children, You clothe us with Your own clothes of righteousness. Clothes that can never be removed, replaced, or altered. Make us like children again, where we can run through the fields with You, unashamed, and in full trust that the work that You began in us..You will complete.
I challenge you to pray to Him as a child, in complete need of the Father—knowing that He already knows of your your sin, your impure thoughts, your impure motives—and yet He still loves. His presence is the safest for confession and repentance. He’s a Good Good Father.
Confess sin as sin in His presence and be oh so thankful for the reality of Christ’s forgiveness. Be oh so thankful that as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed your sins from you. Be oh so thankful for your imputed righteousness. Be oh so thankful that YOU ARE the righteousness of Christ. YOU are a co-heir with Christ! YOU are wrapped in His glory. YOU ARE a new creation! You ARE already seated with Christ in heavenly places.
Simply come to Him and don’t be ashamed of your great need to do so. In doing so, You will experience the utmost freedom. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). “
Blog Post Inspired from the following passage:
“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”
My sexy husband and our son.
