Thoughts for Life: Have You Ever Been Alone with God?

Oswald Chambers- "Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them.

The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work—so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. (Google image, Man alone with God)

We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it.

But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?

We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride.

If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying.

But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded.

He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires—things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.

His Solitude with Us. When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship—when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us.

Notice Jesus Christ’s training of the Twelve. It was the disciples, not the crowd outside, who were confused. His disciples constantly asked Him questions, and He constantly explained things to them, but they didn’t understand until after they received the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).

Have You Ever Been Alone with God?
From My Utmost for His HighestUpdated Edition

Let's pray-

"Heavenly Father, when problems and pain come my way, help me to remember that nothing comes into my life without your approval. Rather than complain and cry about the challenges I face, help me consider them as opportunities to bring glory to you. Give me the strength and patience to bear my burdens in a way that will honor you. I will lift my eyes off the trials and keep them fixed firmly on you, amen."
Max Lucado

Today's Bible verses-

Mark 4:34 "When they were alone, He
explained all things to His disciples."

John 14:26 (NKJV) "But the Helper, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,
He will teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all things that I said to you."

Mark 4:10 (NKJV) "When He was alone . . .
the twelve asked Him about the parable."

Today's quote-

~ Oswald Chambers- "The greatest characteristic a Christian can exhibit is this completely unveiled openness before God, which allows that person’s life to become a mirror for others.
When the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, and by beholding God we become mirrors.
You can always tell when someone has been beholding the glory of the Lord, because your inner spirit senses that he mirrors the Lord’s own character. Beware of anything that would spot or tarnish that mirror in you. It is almost always something good that will stain it— something good, but not what is best."

(Also from My Utmost for His HighestUpdated Edition

Today's guest post-

Share Your Awesomeness

Jane Ault- "Do you know that I am awesome? That I am amazing?” These were the words the speaker began with, as she addressed the children who’d gathered at the front of the church to hear their sermon.

“Do you know why I am awesome?” she continued. “Because God says I am.”

Upcoming posts-

#17 The Praying Method in the World

5th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick

#18 How to Use the Word in Prayer
7th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick

The Fear that Grips Humanity
9th- Saturday's post by Lee Forbes

#19 Scriptures I Read at Stated Seasons
12th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick