Sanctification

Lord, my God. You are good. You are wise. You are King. Holy, holy, holy are you. Thank you. Thank you for the reminder of the process of sanctification. I'm still being pruned and you love me through it all. 

You are a God of compassion, of justice, of holiness, of connection, and of intimacy. You are the God who stays through every struggle, every trial, and the messiness and tensions. A God who loves forever and ever and ever. Always. Even if. Even when. A God who will always and forever love me. Always. No matter what. Thank you. 

Lord God, you are good. You are holy. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy are you. I want to continue to lean into the sanctification process and know that I am loved and cherished throughout it. Continue to remind me that the job of sanctification is one of the Holy Spirit, and my job is to love people. To love and lean into grace. For those who you tell me, with truth and in alignment with Scriptures, but ultimately to believe that you are the final judge. To know that you are holy, your holiness will not be made a mockery of, and You will be just. You are a good God and I love you. Thank you for loving me, through it all. In your name, Amen. 

Above are a combination of prayers I've had over the last few days. 

The other day the word "sanctification" came up in conversation and I've been reflecting a lot on it. I've realized I have tried to take on the role of sanctifying others in the past. I care about justice, I care about people doing the right things, I care about Christians being true Christ followers, I care about Christ being evident in Christian lives, I care about Christians being set apart from the world--where our lives truly look different and people ask why, and we point towards Christ. 

In doing so though, I lose sight of Christ and become a judge. I've shared before that leaning into the tension of grace and truth and being in the midst of the messy middle isn't easy. And I've had times where I have chosen to put actions before love. I look at people, especially Christians, and think "That's wrong". "They aren't doing it right." "That's not honoring Christ." "That's not the most right thing." "That's the way of the world. What are you doing? Why aren't you different from the world right now?" And while in some ways I'm not necessarily wrong, the Holy Spirit has been gently and lovingly reminding me. Ash. That's my job. Sanctification is a process that is mine to do. Your job is to love. And I'll let you know when I need you to call people out and hold them gently accountable in alignment with the gospel. But above all, love. Love people. Love, love, love. Even when you think they are wrong and you know I'm grieved over their choices. Love them. Love them, love them, love them. And trust me. Trust that I am good. Trust that I am God. Trust that I am holy and all of my people are called to be holy, but that is my job to bring them into me. Your job is to love. Love with compassion and wholeheartedly. Love them, my dear child. Just as I have loved you through your hurtful decisions. I love you, Ashley. 

This song by Phil Wickham, "The Jesus Way", just dropped and I'm obsessed. What a reminder to do things "The Jesus Way".