Can I depend on me? God created me with free will and so daily, moment by moment I get to make a choice. After all, who do you think I trust the most? Me, of course! Now, the hard question: How has that worked for me? In all honesty not too well. For years I did not know that I had another option. So, depending on myself to try to make my life work was all I knew to do. And I found out I was not all knowing; could not fix myself or others; and did not have all the right answers. I was not the “be all – know all – end all”! I was struggling with depression and was overwhelmed with life!
Then while in Biblical counseling I learned a new truth. A truth that has been available to all believers since the days of Jesus on this earth. I have another option for my life. It is depending on Christ, who is my life now as a believer. But I have to daily make the choice to do that. If I don’t, I will default to trusting in myself. Why do I want to give up my independence for a life of dependence? To start with, I have learned the hard way that independence doesn’t work! It only leads to being in bondage and death. Yes, death. I had gotten so depressed and overwhelmed at one point in my life that I was considering death as an option to get me out of my pain.
When I first heard that I had another source for life it was hard to believe. But when I read God’s truths in scripture, there was revelation that it applied to me. I chose to believe it. I wanted to experience what life could be like trusting Jesus as my source. Giving it to Jesus took the pressure off of me and allowed me to experience freedom. After all, how much control did I really have in life over anything or anyone? That was a lie from the pit of hell that I had been duped into believing. I learned that if I don’t allow God’s Word to be the truth, I will believe Satan stands ever ready to keep feeding his lies about myself, others, and God. I have to set my mind every day to be dependent and trust Christ for my life or it will be set for me by someone else.
In the book of John, while Jesus was alive on earth, He shares numerous times that He does nothing apart from His Father. Exactly what does this mean? Jesus Christ was totally dependent on His Father for everything every second of His life! That is why He is the only human being who ever lived the perfect Christian life!
Jesus explains how He lived this out in His earthly life in John 5:30-32,34 (Amplified Bible) I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord – but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgement is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me. If I alone testify in My behalf, My testimony is not valid and cannot be worth anything. There is Another Who testifies concerning Me, and I know and am certain that His evidence on My behalf is true and valid. But I do not receive [a mere] human witness [the evidence which I accept on My behalf is not from man]; but I simply mention all these things in order that you may be saved (made and kept safe and sound).
Yes, I have been eternally saved from all my sins by Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrected life is what gave me a new life as a believer. My new life has a new source: Jesus Christ is alive in me and wants to express His life to me and through me. I needed daily saving from myself “kept safe and sound”, as well as being saved from my sins. Do I live my new life daily totally dependent on Jesus Christ perfectly? No, because sometimes I react instead of responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to let Christ live through me. But the more intimate my relationship with Jesus has become, and the more I have learned to trust (adhere to, lean on, confidently rely on) Jesus, the more automatic it has become to set my mind each day and allow Him to rule and reign in my life. When I get restless, irritable, and discontent (RID), I know that is a sure sign that I got RID (restless, irritable, and discontent) of Jesus in the moment. I have a choice to make. I choose to walk in the Spirit by faith.
Are you struggling with life? Are you tired of trying to make life work out of your own resources? Have you ever thought of yourself as being in bondage? Are you really in control? Would you like to learn more about God’s plan for your life? Please contact us at Crossway Ministries. Just as God our Father is for you, we are too! We would love to walk with you into a new chapter of your life.