Springtime in Our Hearts

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (II Corinthians 5:17).

Photo by J. Brouwer on Unsplash

I love this time of year when the rhododendrons and azaleas blaze in all shades of pink, purple, red, and yellow. Trees dressed in lacy white blossoms make me think of brides and weddings. And that vibrant spring green announces new life everywhere.

Life is something nearly indescribable, isn’t it? There’s such wonder and mystery about it. It  continually produces the “new.” It sustains. It nourishes. It exudes vitality, it means thriving and the ability to grow. 

Life is the operative force of Jesus. Watchman Nee says: God has done everything. There is only one fruitful life in the world and that has been grafted into millions of other lives. We call this the “new birth.” New birth is the reception of a life which I did not possess before. It is not that my natural life has been changed at all; it is that another life, a life altogether new, altogether divine, has become my life.

So we’ve been given someone else’s life. Jesus’ perfect life. However, our rebellious self continues to cause trouble, and it’s easy to get discouraged by our failures. This discouragement is a hook the enemy uses to keep us engaged with the old life. “Try harder,” he whispers. So we do and fail some more. What is amiss? Our focus is in the wrong place. Trying to reform the old self is futile.

Instead, our attention needs to be on Jesus who continually gifts us with His life. II Peter 1:3 says that we have everything we need for life and godliness. How does this work practically? Here is one way to picture it.

Imagine Jesus living in the house of your heart and that He keeps a special chamber where all you need is stored. This room is overflowing with abundance and can never be depleted. He has invited you to help yourself to these riches as much as you like.

Having one of those days when the kids won’t stop fighting and you feel like a snapping turtle yourself? Simply slip into the Lord’s chamber and grab HIS Patience off the shelf, and maybe HIS Wisdom for good measure too. Thank you so much, Lord! I sure don’t have these!  

Anxious that your husband might lose his job? Enter the inner sanctum and take the “Peace that Passes All Understanding” to heart. Lord, I take YOUR Peace, because I cannot find any in myself! Thank you!

You are about to binge eat that bag of chips? Rush into His chamber, “Quick, Lord! I need YOUR Self Control because, well, my resolve just buckled like always!” 

You are a people pleaser afraid to set boundaries, “Lord, thank you for this garment of YOUR Courage which I may wear today!”

Living from God’s supply instead of relying on our own resources requires faith. And this is what I think “new creation life” is all about. By faith I get to have HIS life. I may eat of it, drink of it all the time. And oh, how wonderful—I may rest because of it. “Take my yoke . . . and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-30).

The fruit of the Spirit is His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, His goodness, His faithfulness, His gentleness, His self control. Low hanging fruit which I may pluck at any time. The more I pluck and eat, the more it becomes a part of me in the natural outworking of life. Isn’t this better than striving to be loving, patient, and kind, etc.?

Watchman Nee says to no longer think of your sin nature, to consider it dead. It would be such freedom to stop thinking about ourselves, wouldn’t it? The only right response when you look into the abyss of your heart and realize once again its abject poverty and impotence, is to immediately raise your eyes in gratitude to The One Who Loves Us. Though we never measure up, He does, and we have Him! 

This means that all that He is, all that He has, is ours! He is perpetually the life force of springtime within. So drop any striving habit that dampens joy like a gray winter. Bask in the sunshine of His new mercies every morning. With every failure, immediately let the rain of his forgiveness wash off the dirt. Like a flower lifting its face to the sky, drink in His tender love and care for you. Oh, how beautiful to daily receive the sap of Life Himself!