“The meaning here is not about keeping pace, as if the Spirit were racing ahead and we’d better hurry up and keep up with him; rather, it has to do with measuring one’s moments in a circumspect way…. the implication here is lining ourselves up with the Spirit day by day, hour by hour. Keeping life on a short leash … step by step, Lamentations Chapter 3 says that God’s strength, his mercy is available one day at a time . . . . The environment in which to learn how to be content is a world of minutes and moments and very small steps. As someone once said, “When life isn’t the way you like it, like it the way it is” – one day, one hour at a time… with Christ. And you will be blessed.”
I’m reading Unbroken and in it, Louie Zamperini is stranded at sea for 47 days after his bomber crashes. He discovers that for the first time in life, he’s able to think and carry out thoughts for hours at a time. For the first time He is impressed with the knowledge of a Creator as he stares up at the stars from his life raft. He begins to see this terrible time as a strange gift. (I’m completely fascinated by this book, by the way).
I’m catching a small glimpse of this in the gift of my current limitations. And I suspect that God will be using various circumstances my whole life to “hem me in” (Psalm 139:5) in this way. Will I fight against this hemming or learn from it?
What limitations are slowing you down today so you can “keep in step with the Spirit”?
Katie says
I really appreciate this commentary. Thanks.
MarydeanDraws says
You're so welcome friend. Can we keep reminding each other of this?