The big reveal of my last post is that my final Answer to anxiety is Christ’s Life as my life. I clearly have shown in this series, that the flesh and it’s works are anxiety producing. Today I want to go into the glorious side of being anxious. Yes, there is a positive aspect to this sin. The benefit is its magnification of three things: my utter dependence on Jesus, my need for continual relationship with the Father, and the necessity to increase my knowledge of God. It is there where my personal crosses meets Christ in me.
Facing My Crosses
Christ as me doesn’t allow me to bypass me in an avoidance of responsibility. I don’t simply choose Christ’s Life over my life and I am done with it. No, Christ’s Life unearths every bit of me, regularly. I have to die to every selfish, sinful bone in my body. His Life paves the way for my repentance and personal crosses. I am not afforded an easy bypass around. Quite the contrary, I am assured of a direct routing to deal with self. Christ’s Life is the Light of exposure that beams upon all that is not Christ in me. Though a choosing of Christ’s Life over my own is the way of grace and glory, it is not a “get out of jail free” card so I don’t have to face my life and sinful nature.
It is true that there is a once and for all choice, but this is not where that ends. I give the Father my yes to Christ’s Life in exchange for mine, but there’s also a daily choosing of His Life in preference to my own. Why? Why would the Father design it this way? Because this life is about dependence upon, relationship with, and an increasing of my knowing Christ. This life’s design is for knowledge and interaction with my God. Regardless of how we may desire our independence from God, this life is intended to foster our union with – not separation from – God.
Christ in Me is Such Liberty
This is such liberty! But even beyond that there is an element that is awe-inspiring—bridal preparation. Christ’s Life as my life is my preparation for being the Bride of Christ, as well as cleansing me from all that hinders my being that Bride. Love is volitional and loving is a choice. And with this in mind, the weakness of man just becomes another facilitator to express our love.
Daily choosing Him over me is an expression of my love and develops our relationship as Bride and Bridegroom. Knowing that the crosses I face in this life are but Christ’s preparation of me, as He lives His Life through me, helps me to embrace rather than wince at them. The cross is always redemptive, not punitive, but without exception I have the choice of either receiving or resisting it. Though I can avoid my crosses in this life and live for self, I can’t have Christ live His Life in me without facing my crosses. By nature, light dispels darkness, and this will be my experience if I prefer the Light over the darkness.
Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself.” She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers].
Revelation 19:7-8 AMP
Regardless of how we may desire our independence from God, this life is intended to foster our union with – not separation from – God.