“Becoming the Beloved means means letting the truth of our Beloved-ness become enfleshed in everything we think, say, or do. It means to pull the truth revealed to us from God to our lives in what we are, in fact, thinking of, talking about, and doing from hour to hour.” (Henri Nouwen)
Essentially Nouwen is saying what Colossians 3:17 says. Let check that out:
“Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.”
As a disciple of Jesus Christ this is what it really comes down to. This should be our goal daily. Whatever you do, do it all in the name of Jesus, but this also implies a question. How does one do this in such a negative and broken world? Is what I do and you do really matter that much! YES IT DOES, and I will tell you why.
Because God chose you. You, to be His child and His representative to the world of His grace and Love, and yes it’s going to be hard but you can do this three ways.
Keep unmasking the world about you for what it is: manipulative, controlling, power-hungry, and, in the long-run destructive. Everytime you feel hurt, offended, or rejected, you have to dare to say to yourself: “These feelings, strong as they may be, are not telling me the truth about myself. The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am a chosen child of God, precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity and held safe in an everlasting embrace.
Keep looking for people and places where your truth is spoken and where you are reminded of your deepest identity as a chosen one of God.Celebrate your chosenness constantly. (Henri Nouwen)
That means saying thank you to God for having chosen you by the way you live. That is the most powerful worship you can do.
If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is readily and frequently in your heart and mind you will begin to reanalyze all that you do, all your thoughts and how you live.
I wonder what would happen if you commit to do this? It really comes down to you. Is your faith that important to you? If its not then don’t worry about it, but if it is commit to this.
