Part two: “Breaking Out”
This is a continuation of my series of allegories (a story in which the characters and events reflect a deeper moral or spiritual meaning). Read on to find out more… Note from Author:
This is a continuation of my series of allegories (a story in which the characters and events reflect a deeper moral or spiritual meaning). I recommend, if you haven’t already, that you read part one before reading part two. I have also written a set of questions to help you reflect and apply the story to your own personal life.
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Three months later...
Ava and Olivia have come together for their usual weekly coffee and catch up.
“I think I have figured it out,” Ava announces as she places sugar in her cappuccino.
Olivia raises an eyebrow as she swallows her mocha and then questions, “you have figured what out?”
“I’m trying to be a butterfly without going through the larva and pupa process,” Ava explains as she avoids eye contact whilst stirring her drink.
Olivia responds with a slight giggle in her tone. “I’m not sure what confuses me more, larva and pupa or the fact that you say you have figured something out and look so defeated.”
Ava hands Olivia a piece of paper from her hand bag and explains, “this is a teaching from Bible study last week.”
The Four Stages of Metamorphosis (changes)
Olivia reads the notes and looks at Ava with a smile. “Oookay, I understand what you mean by larva and pupa. You’re referring to stages two and three right?”
As Ava responds, Olivia continues to examine the paper to understand what Ava is explaining. “Yes. I’m trying to be a butterfly like stage four without going through the process of being a caterpillar in stages two and three.”
Olivia looks over the paper at Ava and clarifies. “So, are you saying that what you have figured out is that you are trying to be like Christ without becoming like Christ?”
Ava smiles. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. This is why I feel so boxed in. I’m trying to be one person to people, but on the inside it’s like I’m someone else.”
Olivia looks at Ava with compassion. “I understand that very well. You can be saying yes to everyone physically, but inside your heart and mind is screaming no.”
Ava leans forward in excitement and takes the paper from Olivia and places it onto the table. Pointing, she says, “exactly, but if you look at stages two and three you will see what should be happening.”
Olivia reads over the teaching again, but then looks at Ava confused and explains, “I’m not sure I understand.”
Ava leans back into her chair. “The scripture used to explain stage two was Hebrews chapter four verse twelve. The Word of God should be cutting away the layers of our fleshy thoughts and the arguments in our heart.”
Olivia looks up from the paper at Ava. “So, the Word should replace what I think and silence the arguments?”
Ava places her coffee back down and leans forward. “Yes… kind of, but it’s not that straight forward. If you look in stage three the key word used is ‘do.’ ”
Ava takes another sip of her coffee whilst Olivia looks at the paper again. Then she continues, “I read the Word of God all the time, but I don’t always apply it.”
Olivia agrees. “Yes I understand that. Reading to forgive and actually forgiving are two very different things.”
Ava looks at Olivia seriously. “This is what God was telling me in the dream I had three months ago, ‘say yes to My Word.’ I am saying yes on the outside, but inside my heart has been saying no.”
Olivia leans forward excited. “Ooo that’s why you were on the table in the dream. In order to live, your heart must beat again. So, your heart must say yes to God’s Word.”
Ava laughs out loud and shakes her head. “You sound excited. I think you are forgetting that this means that God is saying that my heart is hard.” Ava’s facial expression changed as she accepted her words.
Olivia gives Ava a warm comforting smile. “Hard truth, but God only corrects us because He loves us.”
Ava smiles, “this is true.”
Olivia takes another sip of her drink then asks, “so how do you move forward with it all this?”
Ava takes a big huff. “I need to make the decision to stop taking short cuts. I think I have made great progress turning back to God over the past three months, but I need to start examining my heart with prayer and allow God to show me my short cuts of performance.”
Olivia smiles. “I’m happy to pray with you if you need support. To be honest I think I need to ask for the recording of this message.”
Ava laughs. “Thank you and I will take you up on it. But breaking out of this mind set and habit to perform is about me being honest with myself daily and taking responsibility for my heart, my thoughts, my actions and my relationship with God”
Olivia agrees with a nod.
“But I know that If I don’t make the decision to change that I will continue to feel boxed in, which leads me to feeling like a failure; frustrated and disappointed.
“So, when are you going to make the decision,” says Olivia.
“Today!” Ava looks at Olivia surprised with her own response, but then smiles in agreement. “Yes I decide to break out of the box today by allowing my heart to say yes to God and choosing the path to freedom.”
To be continued…
Reflection Questions
1. Have you made the decision to break out of the boxes that hold you back from being who God has created you to be? Do your actions demonstrate your decision?
2. Do you need to examine your heart with prayer and allow God to show you your short cuts of performance? (There is no time like the present).
3. Looking at the four stages of metamorphosis, what stage of your metamorphosis are you?
4. What decisions and actions do you need to take in order to move to the next stage of your metamorphosis?
5. Do you have a spiritual support system? If not, how can you develop a spiritual support system?
Sources
Images courtesy of Pixabay.
Information: The Academy of Natural Sciences.
My Salvation
I wrote this in my book sometime last year as I was feeling overwhelmed by the Lord's sacrifice. Months later I’m back in this place; amazed at salvation, wanting its truths and all that Jesus has done for me to ever be before my mind and in my heart. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.I wrote this in my book sometime last year as I was feeling overwhelmed by the Lord's sacrifice. Months later I’m back in this place; amazed at salvation, wanting its truths and all that Jesus has done for me to ever be before my mind and in my heart. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.
Oh hallelujah, look what Yeshua has done.
Slain before the foundation of the world to make me a son.
How great a salvation, what a wondrous light.
No more a captive, but the object of His delight.
Redeemed by His blood alone.
He paid the price to make me His own.
And not just His because a father we now share.
A brother who would desire to make me a joint heir.
Hosanna, Hosanna, You are the greatest gift.
My mind can’t fathom, my heart can’t grasp it.
They downplay Your sacrifice.
But You lift my eyes to see the truth.
Amazing grace, Your love abounds.
I once was lost but now I’m found.
Found in Your book, found in Your hand.
Found in Your heart, found in Your plans.
Amazing love how can it be?
That the father’s son would die for me.
Arms wide open, heart exposed.
You must now go out, there is more in this fold.
My house must be filled, the world needs to know.
The only question is…
Will you go?
See your value in the Cross. Let your heart rest in this and this alone. You are loved. You are valuable. You are never alone.
BY LARISSA MATTHEWS
Built to Last
Over the past few months I have been overwhelmed by the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is a call for us to come higher, to mature and give more of ourselves to God. This call requires a response not by word but by action. Sometimes I find giving God more of me or stepping out deeper in faith is overwhelming.
Over the past few months I have been overwhelmed by the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is a call for us to come higher, to mature and give more of ourselves to God. This call requires a response not by word but by action. Sometimes I find giving God more of me or stepping out deeper in faith is overwhelming.
In order to manage this overwhelming feeling and to navigate through the tornados of life to climb higher with the Lord, I have been trying to learn to take selah moments. A selah moment is taking time to pause, reflect, assess, and then respond. I would like to invite you as the reader to use this time as a selah moment. Let's pause, reflect, and assess your walk with the Lord. So I pose the same question I have been contemplating for the past month:
Are you building to last? Are you building your spiritual life to last?
The word build has been used a lot within our church over the past few years. We call our Bible study Building in the Spirit, and we have also spent a lot of time on the topic ‘building a strong spirit.’ The word build is defined as, ‘to construct (something) by putting parts or material together; or to make, become stronger or more intense.’
So are you constructing your life to last? Are you building your spiritual life to become stronger so that you can overcome daily challenges with God; not with sin? Do your daily decisions and what you spend your time doing help you end your day connected to God? Are you as passionate and determined for the things of God, or are you now just going along with the form of Christianity denying that God is living and powerful?
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus teaches His disciples about building themselves on the right foundation. A person who builds himself on a rock is a person who hears what God is saying and does it. Jesus calls this man a wise man, he is able to stand in every type of weather and not fall. A person who builds himself on sand is a person who hears what God is saying and does not do it. Jesus calls this man a foolish man, he is unable to stand in bad weather and will fall.
Question: Are you a wise man or a foolish man? Are you building yourself on the rock or on the sand? Are you hearing what God is saying, and doing it; or are you hearing what God is saying and not doing it?
It is the action of doing or not doing that determines whether you are building to last. Let us not be ignorant to the enemies devices. Many have been a part of the body of Christ and have fallen away for this very reason; they built wrong. They heard but did not do.
We must think soberly so we do not fall into the same wrong pattern because let's be honest, it can easily be done. In 1Corinthians 3:10-11, Paul informs the church of Corinth that as a wise master builder he has laid the foundation, but he then warns them, ‘let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’
Let us hear the same warning today, ‘take heed how you build on your foundation.’ For your only foundation should be Jesus Christ and what He is saying because anything else cannot stand against the arrows of the enemy. We must build our spiritual life to be able to stand in every season. Regardless of how things may look or feel, we are called to trust and obey. There is no other way to STAND in Jesus.
Selah
BY CHARLENE-KERR-SPENCER
References
Definitions: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/build
Images: Pixabay.com