Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem
Chicken Soup for the Soul cocreators Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen with Chris Karcher
ABC's Dr. Timothy Johnson,
Finding God in the Questions, and Chris
.
Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator, and Chris Karcher
Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem
Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem
Self-Love
Allowing the Masterpiece to be Unveiled.
While creating David, Michelangelo said it was his aim to release the angel imprisoned in the stone.[i] God’s aim is to release the angel in you and set you free from the bondage of self-sufficiency.
In Romans, the Apostle Paul urges, “Give your bodies to God. . . . Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do.”[ii]
To “give your body to God” is to give all of yourself to Him. Instead of conforming to the world, put God at the center of your world. Then, God does the work of transforming you.
Change is through transformation, not imitation.
The mask is too tough to penetrate and the mud is too deep for you to change all by yourself. By accepting the gift of grace, you allow God’s power to work in you. This helps you risk moving from “I want what I want” to trusting in what God wants.
The masterpiece is unveiled as you are shaped by God’s hand when you choose to enter into a personal relationship with Him. As the masterpiece is unveiled, you become the person you were created to be. The longings of your soul are satisfied. Your choices are healthier and more loving as you move out of the mud and become anchored in grace.
Unveiling the masterpiece is a process, not a one-time event. God is gracious; we see glimpses of the masterpiece even when we choose to turn away from grace. But as you move deeper into relationship with God, moment by moment, the marble is chiseled from cold slab to become a masterpiece.
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Copyright © 2003 by Christine N. Karcher. Chris Karcher is the author of Relationships of Grace, Amazing Things I Know About You, and Relationships of Grace Workbook. To order books and tapes, schedule Chris for speaking engagements, or subscribe to Chris’ newsletter, visit www.relationshipsofgrace.com, email order@relationshipsofgrace.com, or call 1-877-GET-GRACE (1-877-438-4722).