“Since he did not spare even his own son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse whom God has chosen for his own? No one-for God himself has given us right standing with himself.”

–Romans 8:32-33

 

When Romans 8 transitions from the defeat of the previous chapter to “no condemnation,” it is not just a no condemnation because we’ve swept it under the rug and agreed to forget about it.

It is the type of no condemnation that carries no more shame toward the past, that stands tall and openly exclaims,

“I was defeated, but I am not defeated anymore! That is all paid in full now, and I am destined to become like the Son of God Himself, so bring it! Who dares accuse me?? I am his chosen and I have nothing to hide. Every sin you could find only points out all the more how beautiful he is. Every threat shrinks away from his power.

I am not afraid of you.

I am not ashamed of me.

I am not defined by who I was,

and no one dares accuse who I am now:

Daughter of the King. Just in his sight. Becoming like his Son. His own. His favored. His protected one.”

It is only when I allow myself to be distracted with what once was that I start to believe that is how things are now. And so, when I look at myself and start to feel defeated, I must remember that the question, “Who dares accuse whom God has chosen for his own?” goes for me, too.

“For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.”

–1 John 3:30

I must learn to tear my eyes from the accusations. From my own. From anyone else’s. They do not agree with him. And perfect was never the goal for right now. It’s just what I’m headed towards.

“…I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No…I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on…”

–Philippians 3:12-14

 

Lord-

Let this be my one focus as well:

Ahead. Ahead. Ahead.

Onward. Forward. Into the fray. Up the mountain. Onto the water. Through the storm. This is a new moment, and my past does not come with me into it unless I drag it there.

Shameless, I can lean into the sea-spray with clear eyes and great expectations of how the God who favors me against all odds will meet me there.

Ahead. Ahead. Ahead.

Free of fear that He will not help me. Free of the doubt over whether I have what it takes. He is making me like his Son, and I will press hard after it, grinning and unburdened by the cares and failures of yesterday.

You have so much waiting for me, Lord, so help me stay my gaze

Ahead. Ahead. Ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws and it never will…you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ “

–Romans 8:6-7, 15

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has give us a spirit] of power and of love and sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].”

–2 Timothy 1:7

 

Fear is not gentle.

Cowardice does not equal Self-Control.

Power does not need to threaten.

True strength is not fueled by anger.

With urgency, dark emotions cry for action, scream for justice, demand that I give in to them. But they are hostile toward you, Lord. They do not please you and they do not produce good, no matter what good reasons they claim.

Two mindsets. Two spirits. Choice after choice, minute after minute. I let one or the other take my mind.

If I am worried, fearful, angry and self-preserving, I know that my mind is not led by the Spirit who makes heroes, by the God who speaks truth softly in mountain caves after wind and firestorms and earthquakes. (1 Kings 19:11-13)

But it can be.

It is always mine to choose who I will follow, what will be the atmosphere of my heart. I do not have to continue thinking about what agitates or scares me, no matter how pressing it seems, no matter how persistently my inner hostility screams for it. I do not have to settle for impostors of gentleness, of courage, of strength.

The spirit I have been given does not make me a fearful slave. He leads to calm reckoning, sound judgment, stillness in storms.

And I can choose this day to follow Him instead.