Self-sufficiency used to be my mantra. Trained as an Air Force pilot and an instructor to boot, I had to be in control of the airplane and as much as possible the student at all times. I had to think way ahead of where the plane was. I was trained and learned to rely on my instincts, my reactions, my knowledge of the systems of the aircraft, the way it handled, and my skill in making it do what I wanted it to do when.
When I trusted Christ a lot of that transferred over into my Christian life. One of the officers showed me how to do a Bible study and I took it to extreme lengths building on what he gave me to the point that soon I was leading several Bible studies a week and teaching Sunday school at the base chapel.
I was in fellowship but really, at least if I am honest, I did not value it highly enough, after all, I was trained to be self-sufficient.
As I have grown in Christ and grown older, I have become more and more clearly aware both of my lack of sufficiency and deeply more aware of my need for others in the Body of Christ. I need their gifts. I need their experienced based wisdom. I need their prayer. I need their encouragement. I need their love. The enemy, and this is a long story which will not be told here, has gone to great lengths to convince me that I not only do not need the Body but that the Body is dangerous and I cannot trust it. God through His grace and the love of His saints has penetrated that lie.
Today was yet another example of that grace. A friend invested and hour and a half sharing with me his gifts and experience in an area of my life in which I am woefully inadequate. The amazing thing was that it was done with grace and gentleness and while I am in deep need in the area which we discussed, I left encouraged and with a glimmer of hope that there is a way to grow through his help.
To reinforce this, minutes ago I ended an hour and a half conference call where six believers who are committed to the hilt to help others find their most effective impact for the kingdom of God worked through in detail how to better communicate and engage people in following Christ more intimately. Each of the six had penetrating questions that pushed the conversation to places that I would, on my own, would have never been able to lead.
Being a part of this Body, is both humbling and exhilarating.
I was in fellowship but really, at least if I am honest, I did not value it highly enough, after all, I was trained to be self-sufficient.
As I have grown in Christ and grown older, I have become more and more clearly aware both of my lack of sufficiency and deeply more aware of my need for others in the Body of Christ. I need their gifts. I need their experienced based wisdom. I need their prayer. I need their encouragement. I need their love. The enemy, and this is a long story which will not be told here, has gone to great lengths to convince me that I not only do not need the Body but that the Body is dangerous and I cannot trust it. God through His grace and the love of His saints has penetrated that lie.
Today was yet another example of that grace. A friend invested and hour and a half sharing with me his gifts and experience in an area of my life in which I am woefully inadequate. The amazing thing was that it was done with grace and gentleness and while I am in deep need in the area which we discussed, I left encouraged and with a glimmer of hope that there is a way to grow through his help.
To reinforce this, minutes ago I ended an hour and a half conference call where six believers who are committed to the hilt to help others find their most effective impact for the kingdom of God worked through in detail how to better communicate and engage people in following Christ more intimately. Each of the six had penetrating questions that pushed the conversation to places that I would, on my own, would have never been able to lead.
Being a part of this Body, is both humbling and exhilarating.
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