Even If. Even When.

So I do this thing, I have this constant rambling conversation with God in my head.  The other day, driving home from Oxford, MS, after a particularly trying two weeks, my conversation revolved around my desire to be anchored to EVEN IF because of His promise:  EVEN WHEN.   

Even If I’m in a waiting season

Even if I’m walking through a deep valley

Even if the answer is NO

God empower me to surrender and be obedient.  Soften the edges of ME with the beauty of YOU.  Re-shape, refine, and renew my every thought, every action, and every word into Christ-likeness.  Take my “what ifs”, and my “why mes” and transform them with your divine power into EVEN IF. Take my thoughts captive and uproot my feelings with Your truth.  

Even When I doubt, Your love is sure. 

Even When I struggle,Your love enables me to rejoice.

Even When I am angry with God (why is Your will not aligning with mine!), Your love is steadfast and unwavering; your plan is good.  

As this conversation rambled on, 2 Peter 1:3-11 was laid on my heart.  

HIS divine power

HIS goodness

HIS promises

Shield me against SELF, equip me to be effective and productive, and keep my feet steady on the path of Jesus’s way.  

The surrendered, obedient choice to live a life of increasing faith deepens our roots in the joy-giving soil of EVEN IF.  

Increased faith desires to live out HIS goodness.  

Increased faith looses the grip of self-direction and self-reliance so that we make every effort to seek His knowledge. 

Increased faith strengthens our spirit of self-control and perseverance.

Increased faith re-shapes, refines, and renews us into Christ-likeness so that we can be confident in the truth that whatever our EVEN WHEN…..

His POWER is at work.

His LOVE extends into eternity.  

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1: 3-11