when you only focus upon
your choice to follow Me
it can turn your attention back
upon yourself...'see what I
have done'...'look at me'...
evaluating your own efforts...
your accomplishments...
successes / failures...what gifts
you have / how you want to use
them...what goals you want to
achieve in 'building the Kingdom'...
maybe comparing yourself to
others for better or worse and
without even realizing it fall into
the trap of being a 'check-list
Christian' striving to attain your
next 'merit badge' in the Kingdom
thus continuously gaging your own
progress in gaining the praise of
other 'disciples'...to put it simply...
becoming 'proud of your humility'...
it is a deceptive focus on self...a false
independence which leads one further
away from rather than closer to Me...
more of you and less of Me...so...
instead... focus on the fact that I
Chose you to follow Me even though
I knew your every thought . word / deed
every imperfection / sin...
every failure as well as
every temptation your mused
upon and still... I Chose you...
before you even thought about it...
before you loved Me in return...
humbling isn't it?...Knowing
you as I did and still I Chose you
why?...because I Love you
as you are...but I Love you
so much that I do not Choose
to leave you as you are...rather
I Choose to transform you into a
Perfect Image of Myself in order
that you may share My Divine Life
Perfectly for all Eternity...
that is My Plan for you and your
role is to Cooperate with My Grace
working in you...to Follow My
Holy Spirit wherever He Leads you..
to use the Gifts as He Directs...
to Live out My Life within you
by His Power...not by yours...it is
a Journey of Transformation that
begins and ends with My Love...
Calling out to you to Become One
with Me...so...when you experience
your weaknesses...failures...sins...
when following Me becomes
really difficult...when I ask
things of you that stretch your
boundaries...that require you to
repent / change / sacrifice in order
to be a witness of My Love / Word
in a fallen world which may then
cause you to be 'cancelled' / persecuted /
punished...to lose your possessions /
family even life itself...Know that I
Love you...that I Am always with you-
even when you do not experience Me
I Am Faithful...You are Mine and
I Belong to you... so...Remember...
Ponder this Reality...
YOU... ARE..CHOSEN....
MY BELOVED....FOREVER
Reflection / Discussion:
-How does it feel to be Chosen / Selected by Jesus Personally?
-In your own words, thank Him, tell Him what it means to you,
what kind of disciple you want to be and ask for His help especially to....
-What are some of the ways pride can influence our faith-walk?
-What are some of the 'merit badges' we can go after?
-How can we avoid centering our faith-walk around ourselves?
-How can having a spiritual director or sharing group help us?
-Remember how He Chose you...your story, so you can tell others.
