Touching Godliness

We are reading this book together in small group, and as God so often does to illustrate a point, he's given me a situation in real life that is testing this very subject of submission.

There are 2 things that I am learning from the book study and from the case study :)   It is a little like looking in a mirror sometimes.  So scary.

1.  God is teaching my what loving the body is in a shepherding role.  In a servant leadership way.  Which is weird on a lot of levels because I don't even necessarily want to be a leader, but somehow ended up here.  And yet in not wanting it do feel a responsibility in it.  We looked at Ezequiel 34 many years ago in our small group, and it has never left me.  In the idea of being an influencer of people.  And so I think this is God stretching me to love better.  To learn how to correct well.  Which, I just haven't done in my life all that well, actually.  I have corrected strongly many times in my family and it was right correction, but didn't have positive results because I did it without communicating love.  This is just the time that God has chosen to break that and change me.  And now it's like a light bulb, I can look back and see mistakes I've made. 

So in submitting to correction from my leaders in how to do it well, and seeing the result of change in my heart, I know that it's the beginning of a thing, not the end of it.  I'm going to need you guys to remind me of it from time to time.  Walls down and so forth. :)

2.  For the protection of the Body and of a friend God is telling me to lean into it even though I do want to throw my keys and be done.  It's just easier to be done with people when they act like fools, then to walk with them and urge them to Christ.  Urging them takes time and emotional energy.  So that's the other thing that God is saying in this.  That submission to God is leading well, and supporting my leaders  and the BRCC team in whatever outcome this has.  In praying for everyone, in continuing to reach out to my friend,  and in offering my input and support whenever it's asked for. 

So.  I'm going to stop whining about it.  And try to see this whole thing from an attitude of gratitude.  That I get to learn.  That I get to love someone who needs it.  That the Body works together in harmony under Christ.