Today’s Post By: Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Scripture tells us the Word of God is living and active, like a two edged sword it inflicts a painful stab of conviction, revealing the condition of our heart. When our behavior deviates from God’s desired outcome for us, His Word pierces our soul in an attempt to redirect our path.
One morning I felt that familiar pang in my soul, realizing I had failed in a particular area. I felt deep remorse for my bad attitude.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)
All the conviction and remorse in the world wasn’t going to do me a bit of good if I didn’t allow God’s Word to change my actions. We can’t just feel bad. We need to do something about it.
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” (James 1:23-24)
Day by day and minute by minute God molds and shapes His children into the vessels He desires us to be. But God doesn’t force us to change… He continues to respect our free will. We have to cooperate with the life lessons He gives us and become doers of the Word – not just hearers of the Word. Ultimately, God desires that each of us would become a reflection of His Son, Jesus, so daily we need to look into the Word – the perfect law that gives freedom – and check our spiritual appearance.
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
I have a long way to go, but I pray with each soul-piercing conviction, I am becoming a clearer reflection of Jesus.
“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:25)
