Have you ever done a self-check? A self-exam?
Now, I know that we are supposed to do them every once in a while for our physical well being, and that is good practice. But, have you ever considered a spiritual self-check? A spiritual self-exam? I believe that is good practice too.
We can ask…How is my relationship with God? Is there anything that is currently standing in the way of my fellowship with the Lord? Any sin that I’m hanging onto? Something that is leading me away from my relationship with the Almighty? How about others? How are my relationships with my friends, my family, with strangers? Am I bearing witness to the love of Jesus? Am I loving my neighbors? Am I demonstrating grace? Am I offering forgiveness? How about with myself? Do I know peace? Am I living a life of joy? How about stuff? Have I made any idols? Do I long for anything above God? Am I worshipping anything false, untrue? And money? Am I being faithful with my finances?
Yes, I believe it to be a good idea to have a practice of spiritual self-examination with these (and other) questions in mind. An honest assessment of where we stand in our spiritual walk is beneficial, is good, is healthy. It helps to highlight any areas of weakness and points us to the path that we should take. Self-reflection on spiritual matters is beneficial. Do you know what’s even better? Spirit-led examination. Instead of just asking questions and trying to evaluate ourselves, we go to the expert. We go to God. God, how am I doing? What are areas that need attention? What are areas that I have overlooked? How can I grow closer to you? We ask the questions, and we pray that the Holy Spirit would whisper to our hearts. We seek God and ask for God to continue to cause us to grow closer to Him. Self-examination is good. Spirit-led examination is even better. It’s even more beneficial. It can lead us to repentance, to forgiveness, to new life, to new growth in Christ.
So, why do I bring this up? Well, it’s probably time (or past time if this isn’t one of your normal routines) for a check-up. A check-in. A spiritual, God-led examination. How are you doing? Really? How is it with your soul, with your heart? (Now, at this point, I want to encourage you to resist the “I’m fine” urge. It’s easy to hear these types of questions and just say, “I’m good. No worries for me. Everything is great.” Sometimes we respond that way before we even ask the questions. Try not to do that. Instead, really ask…God, how am I doing?)
Besides the fact that this is good practice in general, I find that these Spirit-led examinations are particularly helpful during difficult seasons, and let’s face it. We are still in a difficult season. As has been mentioned in the past and as will be mentioned in the future, it has been a tough, tough season. It has been a long road, and though we might have glimpses of the end of our present struggles, we really don’t know when this road will end. So, it would do us some good to take a moment, right here in the midst of this season, to pause and to reflect. How is it with my soul? How is my heart? How am I?
Be honest.
If you’re filled with grief. Recognize and express your grief.
If you’re filled with fear. Recognize and express your fear.
If you’re filled with worry. Recognize and express your worry.
If you’re filled with apathy. Recognize and express your apathy.
If you’re filled with ______. You get the idea.
Honest reflection is important. It is the only way to deal with reality and move forward. Even if you honestly don’t know how you’re feeling, how you’re doing, or if it is a combination of a lot of things, recognize and express that too. Tell God, “I don’t know. My pastor is telling me to do this, and I really have no idea!”
Then, when you’ve honestly come before the Lord, ask God to shed light on your present situation. Ask God to reveal that which you do not see. Ask God to whisper to your heart. Maybe God will whisper, “You’re actually doing better than you think.” Maybe God will whisper, “Ooohhhh, I have a lot of work to do with you.” Either way, know that God cares, that you can trust in the love of God, and that Jesus is gentle. After all, Scripture says,
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.”
~ Matthew 12:20
This description of Jesus was first prophesied in Isaiah 42:3. The Lord spoke to Isaiah to share a message of what the coming Messiah would be like. Not a warrior, as some would picture warriors. Not a conqueror, as some would picture conquerors. Instead, One who is gentle. One who is forgiving. One who is kind.
“A bruised reed he will not break…”
Are you beaten up, broken down, oppressed by the weight of your sin, feeling like your strength is gone, and that you do not know how you are going to make it through this seemingly endless season? Are you a bruised reed? One who has been trampled and bent, lowly and at the point of breaking? Jesus, the Messiah, will not break you. He will not trample upon you or beat you down further. Jesus will not damage your already fragile state. Instead, he will treat you with kindness, with compassion, with forgiveness, with grace, with love.
“a smoldering wick he will not snuff out…”
Are you tired, weak, and weary? Are you at the end of your rope? Do you feel as if you do not have the strength to take another step? Are you like a wick that has been burning but has now run out of fuel, all that is left is a little bit of smoke at the very end? Jesus, the Messiah, will not extinguish the tiniest bit that is left of your flame. He will not snuff you out. Instead, he will meet you with strength, with renewal, with energy, with joy. He will meet you with the ability to fan even the tiniest of flames into a blazing inferno for God.
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.”
Jesus is gentle. Jesus is kind. Jesus is caring and compassionate, filled with mercy and love. Jesus is also holy and righteous and the king. Did you see what was in that last bit there? “…till he has brought justice through to victory.” There will be a time where every wrong will be righted. There will be a time when sin will be vanquished. There will be a time when justice will reign forevermore and only that which is holy will remain. Jesus is gentle. Jesus is not weak. Don’t mistake the two and erroneously think that we can just carry on doing whatever sinful thing we want and that when we meet Jesus face-to-face we can settle up then. Don’t think that we can hide what is truly going on in our lives from God and deal with it later. Nope. The time for honesty, the time for humility, the time for true Spirit-led self-evaluation is now. Go to Jesus now, as you are, and trust that He will handle you with the gentlest love. That’s way better than waiting until the day when all truth has been laid bare and justice is brought all the way through to victory. As CS Lewis says,
“There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it.”
There will be a time when everything will be laid bare, out in the open before the throne of Jesus. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get to that time covered by the cross, washed in the blood of redemption, of forgiveness. I’d rather get to that time knowing that at many, many, many points along the way that I’d laid at the feet of my Savior and have asked, “How am I doing? What needs work today?” Or where I’ve said, “God, I’m struggling…can you give me strength? God, I’m faltering…can you help me to stand? God, I can’t even put into words what is going on right now within me…can you whisper to me by your Spirit?” I’d much rather do some Spirit-led examination now, some Spirit-led assessment now than to wait too long. I’d rather meet with and experience the gentleness of Jesus in this life than to wait to meet and talk with him as he sits on his throne of judgment. Wouldn’t you?
So, friend, how is it with your soul? How is it with your heart? How is it with you?
Are you beat up? Bent? Battered? Bruised?
Remember, “a bruised reed he will not break.” Jesus can mend your brokenness and make you whole. Jesus can heal your wounds, can care for your injuries. Jesus can meet you right now, where you are, and he can lead you on.
Are you tired? Worn out? At the end? Without strength?
“A smoldering wick he will not put out.” Jesus can meet you right now in your weakness, in your tiredness. Jesus can give you the strength to carry on, the ability to persevere, the passion for your fast-fading flame to reignite into a burning passion for God.
Do you think that you have it all figured out? That you don’t need God? That you’re good on your own and that you can make it just fine? Do you think there is no need to worry about your shortcomings or the plan that God has for your life?
“He will bring justice through to victory.” Though Jesus did not come as many would have expected. He still came in strength. He still came as a warrior, as a conqueror. He has fought sin and death and has been victorious. One day, you will stand before him and every part of your life will be laid bare. At that point, it is too late to receive, too late to believe, too late to confess. Recognize your need for Jesus now. Choose Jesus now. Fall at Jesus’ feet now before that time comes.
Perhaps, you’re none of the above. Perhaps you have been meeting with Jesus, are filled with the Holy Spirit, are abounding in the grace given to you by the Father, are walking in the strength of God. If that is the case, praise the Lord! Continue on in grace. Continue on in strength. Continue on in Jesus.
Regardless of where you might find yourself, it is good to do a heart check, to do some Spirit-led reflection. Trust yourself in the hands of our loving Savior this day.
~ Pastor Chris
