The Invisible Work of God

#Fenelon #100DaysintheSedcretPlace #Chrysalis #Transformation #OolaFaith #OolaCreative

"You do not yet see the lovely side of following Christ. You see what He takes away, but you do not see what He gives. You exaggerate the sacrifices and ignore the blessings...it is necessary for you to be stripped before you can put on Christ...Do not try to measure your progress, your strength, or what God is doing. His work is not less efficient because what He is doing is invisible." Fenelon

Was Fenelon talking to a caterpillar?

A caterpillar has a lovely life. Earth firmly planted under his multiple feet. Abundant food within reach of his climbing abilities. The sun shines down on him. The rain gently washes him.

But then one day he is compelled by some inner force to start weaving. He weaves a cocoon so tight he cannot move. His freedom evaporates. No sun. No rain. No food.

And then the body that served him so well, up to now, begins to disintegrate.

All is stripped away. Death has come.

But wait! He is rebuilt, redesigned, recreated.

One day strength returns. A compelling, violent, force erupts from deep within the chrysalis and breaks the bonds of death.

His eyes blink in the blinding light.

He steps out onto the branch and spreads his wings.

The caterpillar's story is one of hope. We take comfort in it as we face our own mortality. We have faith one day we will leave this body of Adam's dust and put on the celestial. But that is not what Fenelon was talking about. He was talking about our transformation into Christlikeness here and now.

So what is this invisible work God desires to do in us? The answer is found in 2 Peter Chapter 1:3-8 the Passion Translation.

Everything we could ever need for life and complete devotion to God has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness. As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises you can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.

So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness,

and to goodness add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love.

Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately.

A friend of mine calls this 'Character Building Crap'. I understand her sentiment. This is no easy list. To follow this path, The Path of Christ, requires death to self, squeezing out what the world offers, and embracing the stripping down and building up work only Holy Spirit is qualified to do. Basically giving up control, turning the other cheek, loving enemies, and giving without thought of return.

So do I focus on what I perceive God is taking away? Or do I choose to have the eyes of faith for what He is giving me? Do I struggle out of the cocoon too soon and never experience the joy of flight? Or do I wait, pressed on every side, for His timing?

What ever situation you're feeling pressed in right now, cry out for transformation.

Hold on.

Believe everything you need to endure is already deposited in you.

Reject self-intervention.

Decide to die to self, to hide in Christ's finished work, and believe His promises.

Soon you will fly.