Meditation and Godly Character

These past few months have been about growing deeper in my relationship with God, while I hadn't had so much visible progress as I had with my gifts in the past two years, I have been called to grow in 2 primary areas that are even more important to God than how we use our gifts: Character and Relationship with God.

Joshua 1:8 says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

I have been spending many hours meditating. On Scripture that I don't know, and on Scripture that I do know. And as a result, I've been receiving more and more truth and revelation from God about them. It may not be amazing life-changing revelation, but I believe the more we know about God, the more we can grow in relationship with Him, and thus, the more we can truly be Christ-like.

I have spent 1-4 weeks on average on short passages or even individual verses, and I find that the more I meditate, the more I keep God's Word from departing from my lips, and keep them on my mind all the time, the more I'm able to reflect and grow in my character. I also realise that though it is painfully slow to grow in our character, it is through character growth that God makes us prosperous and successful in lives. By changing our hearts, renewing our minds, transforming us from within, He is guiding our bottom line, when we grow in our character, the stand that we take automatically upgrades. The things we can no longer stand for becomes clear, our desires, passion, what we are willing to fight for increases a thousandfold when we intentionally grow in Christ-like character.

And even though I don't always have my Bible with me, there are times when I just set aside time and intentionally meditate (while on the go) on Scripture that I already know, and because we are intentional and God is always ready to reveal more of His truth, there is always something new, something deeper you can receive from the same verses.

So.. this season is about keeping close to God's Word, growing in my knowledge of Him through meditating on all things good (Phil 4:8), and through keeping His Word close and constant in my heart. And being intentional with character growth.

My other reason for being so intentional about character growth is that our children or our flock tend to copy our flaws, and for the purpose of leading the flock that God entrusts to me, and for bringing up healthy children that love and glorify Him, I am motivated to keep my heart on task. I don't know when I'll have children, but I sure want to be a good example when that happens and not pass on things that will make them suffer unnecessarily.

2017

At the beginning of 2017, I would like to spend a brief moment looking back at my memories of God.

1998 - The year I came to Christ, having discovered by proxy how real His love for us is through college students who I had looked up to, crying in prayer for a God so loving, to touch their hearts.

1999 - The year I was wounded in my heart, and found that God can help me with that.

2000 - The year God told me that my life is His, and it is sacred. The year He told me He had a plan for me, it is a plan for good and will give me a hope and a future.

2002 - The year I met with brothers and sisters halfway across the world for the first time. He opened up my world, and showed me a love so rich, so colorful, and so exciting that I yearned to serve Him more. (Went to Germany and Switzerland on my first missions trip)

2002-2010 - The years God assured me that no matter where I am, or what I do, or how bad I do, He is always there for me, helping me in every way I let Him. The years I started to reach out to Him whenever I fell.

2010 - The year God said I have not forsaken you, I have been preparing your way for this. The year God continued to prepare my way for bigger and better things.

2011 - The year God assured me that His plan is perfect and wonderful, and He will reward my faith with more faith.

2012 - The year I lost my way, but God had not stopped working for my good. He continued to prepare my way for when I was to return, but also wept tears of sorrow knowing the pain that I will go through as the consequences of my actions and choices.

2013-2014 - The years God welcomed me back to His side, nursed me when I was down, carried me as I bore my sins.

2014 - The year God rescued me from the depths of my pain, and restored me to where I was before I lost my way, and continued to bless me and pour His knowledge into me as I was willing to hear.

2015-2016 - The years God doubled my portion, released in me gifts, and restored my soul. Blessed me abundantly in every area of my life, and prepared me for ministry.

2016 - The year God brought me back into ministry, but also the year God leveled my poppies, and brought my pride down 10 notches. The year God revealed to me more of my scars from before, and what I must go through to become an even better man of God.

And so.. this is where I find myself at the start of 2017, humbled.. still broken, but knowing that no matter how lost, how hurt, how broken, how far I leave His side, He will never leave mine, and He will nurse me, He will teach me, and He will restore me to even greater things than ever before, as long as I turn to Him.

2017 - The year God restores me to greater glory, closer relationship with Him, and brings me further along His uninterrupted plan for me. The year full of blessings, so much that I cannot count. The year full of joy, and peace, and hope because He is my Lord, He is my Shepherd.