Compassion: 30 Days of HeartworkSample

Exposure

HEART //

Imagine you are at a track meet getting ready to race when some teammates come up to give you final words of encouragement. They tell you to take off your running shoes and give you a pair of brand new snow boots to put on. They offer you a high-quality coat and designer jeans. Every product they’re giving you is great, but completely unnecessary for the race you are getting ready to run.

Some of the things in our life are not necessarily bad, they are just not appropriate for the race God has called us to run. As a loving Father, He looks at us as we prepare for our race and sees that we often prepare by clothing ourselves in non-essentials that make us feel good and look good, and even cover up what we think are our imperfections. We look to those around us, wanting what they’ve got rather than using the gifts God gives when asking us to run the race. He desires for us to be free of distractions so we can run our best race.

As we let go of all the things we have held onto or clothed ourselves with, we may feel exposed and even a little inadequate. It’s like we’ve been running in a winter coat, and now we’re running in a lightweight shirt. It feels right, but different from what we’ve become used to. We feel exposed because we were finding our identity and definition by what we were holding onto instead of who Christ made us to be. When we are challenged by our culture or circumstances, it’s easy to just cover back up, hide or revert to what we’ve always been comfortable with. Instead, be encouraged to consider Jesus and take heart. Jesus let go and asks us to do the same, to learn that it’s all right to feel exposed and vulnerable before the Lord. Although it may be painful and different, our Father desires what is best for us. He desires for us to run the race without hindrances. 

WORK //

How have your cold showers and nights sleeping on the floor been going? 

Over the past week, we’ve talked about what life could look like if we made decisions fearlessly and selflessly. Is there any fear or self-focus (the “sin that so easily entangles,” like today’s verse mentions) that you can feel trying to hinder your spiritual race? Spend a few minutes journaling about what race God has you on right now. Where are you running? What is your end goal, and what do you need to let go of in order to run boldly, full-speed ahead? When you hear the voice of your Father and obey, maybe even going against the flow of your culture, you will run with newfound freedom. 

As we move into learning about identity tomorrow, may you be inspired and filled with the courage to trust God, even if it means letting go of some “normal” things to align with His good plan for your life.