My Utmost Journal - May 31st

My Utmost For His Highest

If I put my trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone; I will become bitter, because I have insisted on man being what no man ever can be - absolutely right. Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else.

This is a hard lesson to learn. I've always told myself that I know that there is no human being that will never let me down given the opportunity, but I have always trusted others as though they wouldn't. And when I was let down, it was devastating. I felt so betrayed, so hurt.

And while I had a right to feel betrayed, I never had the right to trust this person first. I took I Corinthians 11:1 too far, trying to model my life after his example - instead of His example. I don't want to become bitter and untrusting, but I don't know how to avoid that and still be able to trust in others at all. Jesus did it, though...

He trusted absolutely in what God's grace could do for any man.

So I don't have to trust in man's own ability to keep my trust. I have to trust in what God's grace can do for him. When you look at it that way, it makes it easier to trust and to forgive. I don't know if I'm there yet, but it's a fresh perspective that I needed.


A man's obedience is to what he sees to be a need

Do I see obedience to God as a need? More importantly, am I "rightly related to the needs of God?" Do I know what the needs of God are? How can I tell others of His Greatness if I'm not experiencing it? And how do I know if today is the day that person needs to hear about Him if I'm not in tune with His needs for me?

When God's needs in us have been met, then He will open the way for us to realize His needs elsewhere.

"Love God, and do what you like." -St. Augustine


Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transfigured by the indwelling life of the Son of God?

I usually like to think of my spiritual life as though I'm walking down a path with many crossroads. Every decision I make gets me closer to my destination, but depending on which decision I choose determines which destination I am nearing. The analogy works to a certain point, but it lacks in that God is my navigator of sorts in that analogy, whereas in reality He is in me, (hopefully) slowly transfiguring my life into a righteous, Christ-like being. It's not just what actions and thoughts I decide to do/have or not. It's if I let Him change me from the inside.

God's ultimate purpose is that His Son might be manifested in my mortal flesh.

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