Examine myself
Acts 9:10~22 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” (15)
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #366 Open My Eyes, that I May See (#485 in previous version)
What does God want from us? ‘How diligent were you?’ or ‘How many did you evangelize to?’ are not what God focuses on. God desires for us to give our lives to God, and from this, experience new answers. God’s plan lies in the unseen aspects of life. Unaware of this, you will miss important things while falling into a walk of faith based on deeds and zeal. Therefore, you must possess the accurate eyes to examine yourself today.
1. Most significant answer
If your walk of faith is not going well or you face a repeated problem, that is an answer. There is a reason why God is preventing it from working out, and it is simply part of the process of realizing the important things. If you are discouraged, incapable of seeing those things as answers, everything will turn into a grudge and complaint. Delving further, a problem is an answer, and even failures on the part of a child of God are answers. Looking closer into problems and failures, you will come to know that the most significant answers are hidden.
2. Discovering yourself is the greater answer
You must give thanks, even when there are problems and failures before you. That is the precious opportunity for you to discover yourself. Peter betrayed Jesus and fled, but the resurrected Jesus seeks Peter again and entrusts him with an important commission. The Early Church appears to be a gathering of the poor and those who failed, but we can discover the model through which God’s power was revealed. When Paul meets Christ on the way to Damascus, it may seem like a failure in the Jews’ perspective; however, that was God’s plan to make Paul an evangelist. The problems we have and situations we are in are the best opportunities to newly uncover God’s power within us.
3. God’s power that heals me
We can neither discover ourselves nor receive healing if we are unable to see our current circumstances as answers. On the other hand, if we discard our resentment and complaints and discover ourselves amidst problems, we will enjoy the life of an evangelist, the answer of all answers. Henceforth, God’s new works will begin in us, and the work of God which took place in Tyrannus will arise in our lives, as well. The greatest answer we receive while examining ourselves is spiritual strength, which is the filling of the Holy Spirit.
- Examine yourself. If something is not working out, that is the answer. Hold on to those things as prayer topics and rise to the challenge. You will taste God’s grace and healing that bring realizations.
Study of Evangelism Lecture 9 / 2010.11.13