Words for the Vineyard - Removal of Illusions

• Remove-  to eliminate or get rid of
• Illusion- a perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature, the state or fact of being intellectually deceived or misled

This seems pretty standard at first glance. Of course we want to be a part of removing anything that is not true or real. Definitely, we all want to see clearly and have His vision. Absolutely, I want to have nothing standing in my way of the truth and the reality of God..... and.......

Finding out we are wrong about something that we fully believed was true is just about one of the worst feelings. Ugh. Have you ever been wrong or found out you missed it? Yea....it's not my favorite either. (I can almost picture your facial expression thinking about it and it makes me smile because mine's the same.)  The person that is the most effective and faithful at showing me my error is Holy Spirit. Can I get an amen?  When I first realized that we could have a living, real relationship with the Holy Spirit and that He would speak to us, I woke up early every morning to ask God three questions as I read the Bible:

1. What do you say is true about me today?
2. Is there any lie that I am believing right now?
3. What do You say is true instead?

I can't tell you how many times question number two was answered with something I wasn't consciously aware of at the time. This practice really helped develop a heart posture of listening and receiving correction. It also helped me search and study the scriptures in a new way. Looking for His true will and intent. Romans 12:1-2 is a commonly quoted passage but wow when you really meditate on it...

ESV:
 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  

The Message:

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Removing illusions begins with humility and looking at what's really in my vision that's not lining up with God. When we agree to see clearly and have the Father's heart behind the demolition/excavation/removal process, it changes everything. The Lord only reveals to heal not to shame or destroy. His motive is shalom- complete wholeness. No one wants to live in a house that looks nice on the outside but is totally falling apart on the inside. Jesus called those white washed tombs. We must be diligent to renew our minds to the real, acceptable and perfect will of God and follow His lead in obedience. We are His house after all. He has better design plans than HGTV could ever even think or imagine!

So I invite you to ask the Lord those questions this week. Sit expectantly. He died and rose so that you would always have access.

For His Glory,
Rachel Burnham