“A central aspect of our healing is our own posture of repentance.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 27, 2024
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2, NIV
On a recent family trip, we decided to stretch ourselves and tent camp for nine nights in a row. To be clear, “stretch ourselves” doesn’t come close to emphasizing the challenge of this endeavor! Neither my wife nor I grew up camping, and prior to this trip, I don’t think either of us had spent nine nights in a tent, anytime or anywhere. And yet, we dove in head first and lived to tell the tale. In truth, we not only survived but thrived, coming alive through the adventure and challenge of it all. Yet one inescapable reality of 5 people sharing a single tent is this: everyone is in each other’s business!
When five people are thrown into a single room for nine days, things come to the surface that may have otherwise lain dormant for years. At least in my own life and heart, I know how accustomed I am to extended times of solitude and silence throughout my day, a luxury I took for granted until this trip. Instead, I now had to contend with my own deep desires for comfort, competing preferences, and micro-aggravations that inevitably arise from sharing close quarters.
Yet here’s a helpful truth to consider: sharing a tent didn’t create these issues within me; it simply drew them out of the shadows and into the light. And in our lives of discipleship, we must see the profound blessing contained within these situations! Our Lord longs to heal the broken and sickly parts of our souls, yet a central aspect of our healing is our own posture of repentance, seeing ourselves clearly and receiving the healing medicine our Lord offers.
For this reason, we should not only accept these moments when they come but seek them out, finding ways to disrupt the status quo and be shaken out of our comfort zones. This shaking can be uncomfortable, yes, yet it also is the key to growth and continual transformation into the likeness of Christ. And so, let us learn to bear with one another in love, growing daily in our patience and grace toward others even as we receive the patience and grace of our Lord.
Prayer
Father, thank you for the countless ways you reveal to us our need for your grace. Give us hearts that are quick to repent and quick to forgive, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What disruption to your rhythm are you experiencing in this season, and how can you receive it as a gift and invitation into a deeper life with Christ and his people?
Related Reading
Colossians 3:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; James 1:19
Worship Resource
Liturgical Folk: Let It Be In My Heart
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
