One of my current projects, transcribing one of my hand-written journals onto the computer, is a time-consuming and shoulder-tightening project, yet with rewards. In this case, though the entries were written less than a year ago, I am rediscovering great treasures.
In one of the entries, I was telling the Lord about a situation where I felt I didn’t measure up to others in my group. Even as I wrote those words, He helped me realize that comparison and insecurity had come to do some damage once again. As I kept writing, the very ugly root became obvious. I wanted to be held in high esteem by others for having God’s wisdom and understanding. It was pride, masquerading as insecurity. As ugly as all this was, though, my loving Father didn’t leave me wallowing in it. Even as my old nature wanted to figure out how to get rid of it, He gave me the solution as I wrote:
Rest. Yes, you are hearing it right. Now that you see what has been at work against you, rest. Rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Rest in the grace that pours forth to you and flows abundantly over you. Remain in Me and My Word remains in you. My Word does the work. Don’t strive to get the Word to work. Rest in My Word as it works. You don’t even have to focus on the specific verses about humility for the humility of Christ to work in you, removing those tentacles of pride that produce the insecurity. Rest. Remain. Abide. Peace. Rejoice.
What an amazing God! What a loving Daddy! He knew before I was ever born I could not make myself right, and sent Jesus to take care of it all! Jesus, alone, is my righteousness. He is the Word Who works the changes in me. Mine is simply to rest in Him and in His Word.
So, that’s what I choose to do. Rest in Christ alone. How liberating! I am free to rejoice in how much He is, and free to be completely content with how much I’m not. Oh, the glorious freedom of the children of God!1
1 Romans 8:21
To Make Christ Known 