A Reversed Reality

Often times I forget about how things work in God's reality. In my forgetfulness, I wander off into thoughts like these:

I become more influential and useful by how many skills/much experience I have.
I receive what I deserve by how hard and how much I work.
I find solutions to situations by searching my mind and engaging it.

And somehow these things sound completely legitimate---but it's only a matter of time until--Thank God--I realize how hopeless life would be if these things were true.

The voice of Wisdom calls out to teach and remind me of what is truth and what is life. (Proverbs 8:12, John 14:26) Many times I am alarmed by how it violates my sense of what is natural.

We rise by being low.
When I put my own efforts into exalting myself (even in the name of Christ) it is all in vain.

We gain by giving.
Regardless of how many hours I work or how diligent I do it, God is the one who provides for me, and gives me good things.

We live by dying.
My own efforts to problem solve to move forward and find a happier or fuller life are also meaningless. Whole surrender to Christ is the sole life-giving and all satisfying solution.

My prayer is for those of us who are followers of Jesus to remember that the Kingdom of God is our reality. A stunningly beautiful reality where God walks with us.. and he not only walks with us, but walks us through the ugly stuff and even leads us where we should go next.