The spectacular acrobatics of Olympic gymnasts defy normal human ability. But these gymnasts got their start taking small steps surrounded by safety devices, mats that assured soft landings during mistakes, and the outstretched arms of a devoted coach.
Repentance and transformation are their own kind of tumbling. Just like gymnasts learn how to flip in the air, we repent and transform best under the conditions of safety and care. When we have a sense of safety in the kingdom of God and the experiential knowledge of God’s devoted, outstretched love, change is possible.
One big goal of Christian spirituality is to widely and deeply repent from heart-postures that are barriers to being a good person and doing the good. Remorse and revision of life are to be expected, given that we are students of Jesus, apprenticing ourselves to him in kingdom-servant life.
So, in our most vulnerable moments, when we see things in our heart that we profoundly regret, or when we are plagued with self-recrimination for mistreating people, we are always safe. Why? Because those who are alive to God and who are seeking first his kingdom as followers of Jesus are held steadily in God’s care and love.
I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from [God’s] love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.
Romans 8:38-39, TLB
Based on my experience seeking transformation, it helps to name the practical issues that surface in our hearts as we seek to grow into the image of Christ as well as the promises of safety and care that Jesus himself offers us for this very process.
Here are four more challenges I have faced as I have sought to spiritually grow and mature and four promises that have made a difference for me. I offer these to you in the hope that you, too, can transform in the safety and care of Jesus.
Challenge 1: The predictable kind of insecurity pokes at our hearts, and we are tempted to believe lies about ourselves.
Promise 1: We can feast on the promise of Jesus’ peace with us.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27
Challenge 2: The power of lies causes doubt and discourages us.
Promise 2: We can delight in the memory of when we first experienced God’s love.
When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand-new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17, TLB
Challenge 3: Frustrations and unruly desires tempt us to give up.
Promise 3: We can reassure ourselves that God’s strength with us is more powerful than any temptation against us.
The wrong desires that come into your life aren’t anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you. And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it.
1 Corinthians 10:13, TLB
Challenge 4: We forget God’s promises and feel lost or stuck.
Promise 4: We can turn back to God’s assuring words which provide spiritual resilience.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33, NLT
Or, as The Message phrases it:
When we steep our life in God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provisions, we don’t have to worry about missing out. We will find all our everyday human concerns being met.
Matthew 6:33, MSG
When we’ve feasted on God’s promises, we have the strength to examine our hearts and serve others.
We all know we need to keep growing in Christ. And growth means change. It means transformation. But our desire is met with the knowledge that such growth is also daunting. When we feel the challenges associated with plumbing new depths, or straining for new heights, it is good to know that we do so surrounded by the many safety apparatuses of God’s love, mercy, and grace.
JUST what I needed to hear at this time in my personal life AND as we face all the racism, hate, bigotry, greed, lawlessness, and threats from Donald Trump and his sycophants.
I'm also now inspired to read through the TLB version!!!
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
One of my favorite sayings is "Christianity is learned more like gymnastics than geometry" so your gymnastics metaphor made me smile.