Written by Pastor Mark Driskill
September 2, 2011

Read Ephesians 1:1-2

Gary Smalley, in his book “Your Relationship with God”, writes, “People and circumstances do not control our responses (to life); rather it is what we believe that causes us to react, speak, and behave the way we do.” I think I am in the midst of a real discovery along this line. Quite honestly I have been on a downhill slide in my feelings about my life lately. I have believed that I am a complete failure in virtually every area of my existence. I have questioned my fitness as a husband, father, teacher, minister, you name it.  We’ve all been there haven’t we?

You go through some changes or trials in life and if not careful you begin to fall into a downhill slide of fears and resentments. It’s in those times that our deepest beliefs come to the surface. If somewhere down deep we have always believed we were failures, when trials come those beliefs bubble up from the murky depths of our soul and threaten to drag us down into despair. The problem is we don’t recognize what is happening because we think the problem is outside of ourselves. You feel unhappy in your marriage, so you assume your spouse doesn’t love you enough. You are struggling in your job so the company is at fault. You feel spiritually dry so God must be mad at you. But too often the real issue is not what’s going on around us, but what’s going on within us. We begin to see every trial as a confirmation of all the terrible things we believe about ourselves, rather than seeing them as God’s way of refining us and shaping us into his image, or calling us to a greater level of faith and love.

God allows trials in part to reveal the lies that lie beneath our religious facades so he may bring healing and hope. We have to learn to change our thinking and make it line up with what God says about us rather than what our fears and pride suggest about who we are. This is why I love Ephesians 1. Paul writes this amazing statement of who we are in Jesus Christ. Read through this chapter and see what God says about each of his children. In essence he says of you: “You are called, chosen, forgiven, and have a destiny as part of my plan to save the world.” But let’s take a quick look at the first three verses. I love how Paul begins this letter.

“Paul. called to be an Apostle.” – He doesn’t write as many would say, “Paul, a weary traveler just hoping to get to heaven.” or ” A poor guy who keeps getting persecuted.” or “A miserable man who still feels guilty for all the people he persecuted before he got saved.” He believes about himself that he is called of God. This is where we have to start in changing our thinking. Stop measuring our lives by our circumstances or even our failures. Instead, we must see ourselves in light of Jesus and his work in our lives.

It gets better when he goes on. “To the saints who are in Ephesus…grace to you and peace.” Paul’s understanding of himself in Christ spilled over into his understanding of others. Generally what we believe about ourselves impacts what we believe about people around us. If I think I’m a failure, I tend to look suspiciously or judgmentally at those around me as well. If I believe I am special to God I tend to feel the same way about others.

Finally he says, “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Paul recognizes that in Christ he has all he will ever need. Such an outlook brings peace and contentment where anxiety and stress once ruled. Have you come to believe down deep that Christ is all you need? Or are you still hoping the things of this world can one day make you happy? As long as you are hoping this world can make you happy you will always feel something is missing.

It is only when we get our thoughts focused on things above can we begin to see life clearly. With all of Paul’s trials I wonder if every morning he woke up and recited Ephesians 1:1-3 or something like it to himself in order to get his thinking on the right track. Maybe, maybe not… but I’ll bet that starting your day like that may just change the direction of your life. Try it and find out.

Pastor Mark Driskill
Web Minister of Begotten By the Word web ministry
See our website at http://ourchurch.com/member/b/bbtw
and
www.facebook.com (to group “begotten by the word”)
Begotten By the Word is a ministry of Helping Hands Christian resources-Evangelism Outreach
www.hhcr05.org
(Feel free to copy in any way that will bring glory to God and further his kingdom.)