Choose Hate

We've heard Jesus tell us that we must hate our life to gain our life.  I thought I would write it down with a picture to keep it fresh.

I am so completely blessed!  I hope you can say the same about your life?  I respect my blessings and I am sure that I take most of them for granted.  In the grand scheme I know I don't deserve them.  But I do know they are on loan to me.  I've felt that way since I was saved.   

I believe God is inviting me to hate my blessings and accomplishments as Paul wrote in Philippians.  A blessed life is garbage compared to the surpassing greatness of something else: knowing Christ (more, better).  Is this a little too liberal?  Paul says that everything is garbage, not only the life he had before he was saved.

I've changed my approach to God in prayer.  There is nothing that is so desirable about my opportunities that I should keep accepting it as my only understanding of how to "know" God.  There's nothing I need to do today, so, God, do something Yourself.  Really, nothing, I wonder at myself sometimes?  Yes!

How has the LORD replied?  I see more of God's power.  I see Him doing things powerfully that I have always wanted to witness.  I want to keep regarding myself this way, because it is freeing.

I love God doing neat stuff.  It makes me want to love my life, and I do.  I like the theology I'm learning.  I like being needed, I like being necessary.  I like having the conversations I realize are going to be happening.  

I don't see the bad news for awhile.  There's this crazy little pattern of deviation from His plan that happens when I like my life: "sin and earth."  I call unintended deviations, "earth."  (I think the Bible calls this "worldliness.")  The earth is imperfect and filled with pictures of futility.  Even worse is when I intentionally include deviations, and I call these "sin."  Some examples are when I listen a little too much to life.  God commanded me to think big of Him.  

These elements of sin and earth get mixed in with God and His work, and it becomes a mixed bag.  I still believe that what He is up to is indeed good.  And He is still going to do it, but I believe He has to battle with me so that I can truly grow.  He blesses me, true.  I do not see God as much, but I do see His power sometimes.  Eventually the sin and earth quotient becomes too big and I say because I am forced, "I hate my life."

That I would choose from the outset the purity that "hate" affords.  Who doesn't adore life as His child, and I am no exception.  If I want to see God's pure power, the best choice?  Hate.