So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. (James 1:21)
This passage comes off sounding a little harsh, but in fact it's actually instructional. Sin is like a petrol engine; it has an exhaust (a by-product) that dirties up our lives even more. When we're exposed to it regularly, a smog can descend around us, clouding our vision, restricting our breathing and leaving a dirty residue on us. James' instruction to get rid of the filth is to “accept the word planted in your heart”. Often we'll accept God into our lives but find it hard to accept His word. “…We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus…” Rom 8:37 says. “But I don't feel like a conqueror!” your feelings tell you back. The ‘talk-back' to God's word is actually pride…an effect of sin-nature. It's humility, which James says we should ‘accept the word' with. Pride always thinks it knows better. Humility accepts the authority given to it. Often we associate pride with strength and humility with weakness but the opposite is actually true. True humility takes enormous discipline and trust! Those aren't easy things but they do develop over time. Trust is the super glue that binds relationships and so if you can't trust God's word then it's impossible to have a genuine relationship with Him. When James writes “…humbly accept the word…” he's actually saying “trust God's word”. It's the key to cleaning up our lives and getting rid of the filthy residue, this sin-affected world leaves on our souls. Today get stuck into His word and humbly accept it, you'll come off feeling cleaner for it! God bless.
SHOP POPULAR DESIGNS:
