Emma Miles writes:
How do we cooperate with God’s work of transformation in times of powerlessness? How do we respond to God when He is doing a deep work within us, often brought on by external pressures and situations, the times when we become profoundly aware of our own heart, when our insecurities and attitudes are brought into the light.
How do we allow God to heal those wounds in times of powerlessness?
God’s work is not to tweak our behaviour but to ‘reorder our love and trust at the deepest level’.
Transformation does not come from perfectionism but from gentle, repeated consent. The places where we are powerless are the places where transformation happens. They are doorways to grace.
Paul reminds the church in Philippians 2 of the benefits of belonging to Christ and to each other. Paul sets the tone when challenging the fruits of rebellion by reminding us of a love that holds and a God who can be trusted.
He says we are to ‘work out our salvation with fear and trembling’ because God Himself is already at work in us ‘to give us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him’
This work is initiated by God. Our job is to stay open to God and trust that His intentions towards us are always good.
Jacque Phillipe splits our responses to powerlessness into 3 categories.
· Rebellion
· Resignation
· Consent
Rebellion - An interior posture of the heart. The refusal to accept that reality is the place where God is working’. Producing in us fruits like defensiveness, superiority, and selfishness.
Resignation - looks like surrender but it only takes you so far. Resignation says nothing will change and that is ok. It is an exhausted rebellion. It looks like peace, but it is a withdrawal from God’s work, Resignation is acceptance, but it is void of hope.
The response we need to have, which describes our familiar word surrender is:
Consent - If God starts the work of transformation, our job is to consent to whatever He wants to do. Consent say: ‘I don’t like this, but I trust you inside and within it.’ Consent does not hide and condemn the things we see, rather it faces God and invites His love there. Consent is not passive; it is active and it is hope filled.
I know many people who struggle with the ‘word’ surrender and often we assume people know how to do it. Consent feels, to me, much more relational and inviting. It speaks less of my childhood image of being wrestled into submission by my stronger, bigger brother and more like responding to a Father who honours my freedom so much that He waits for my consent.
Paul says we need to have the attitude of Christ.
The consent of Jesus was a courageous yes, routed in the confidence that His Father was faithful.
Consent leads Jesus to death, which then leads Him to the doorway of resurrection.
Death and resurrection is the way of a disciple and transformation happens through gentle repeated consent.
Emma Miles Community Development Leader: Love Westhill