My journey out of the religious system has caused major changes in my life. Sometimes people will ask me what some of those changes are. If I could narrow it down to one major change, or shift in reality, I would say this:
Doing vs. Recognizing
Growing up, I learned that you have to 'do' to make it in this world. Not only do you have to 'do', you have to 'do' really well. The more that you 'do', the better you will be. Not only is this true in mankind's secular world, it is also true in mankind's religious world as well. Almost everything I learned in the evangelical system could also be summed up under the word 'do'. It was all about what we were 'doing' for the Lord. Unfortunately it was never enough because we could always 'do' more, and 'do' better. 'Do' was killing me, so I eventually left.
If I could use one word to describe daily life in Christ outside of the world's system, I would use the word recognize. The more I live by the life of Christ in me, the more I 'recognize' that the Lord is actually 'doing' all the things that I once thought I had to 'do' more & better. Not only is the Lord 'doing' them, He is actually doing them more and better than I could have ever dreamed. The more that I recognize this reality, the more I am able to rest. The more that I am able to rest, the more I am able to 'recognize' the Lord's heart and activity and get into the flow of what He is already at work doing.
I am realizing that the Lord is continually working and speaking. As a matter of fact, He is a chatter box, so to speak. I am convinced that the things which occur in the natural physical realm are actually a shadow or picture of what is occuring in the spiritual realm. Let me give you a couple of recent examples of this from my own life.
A Dead Squirrel
After returning home from a long drive on a cold day, an innocent squirrel thought it would be a good idea to use the motor in my car as a nice warm place to rest for the night. I can't say that I blame him. The next morning, I got in my car and started the engine rather quickly as I was in a hurry. I heard quite the commotion under the hood. I thought my motor was blowing up. I shut the motor off and looked under the hood when I made that unfortunate discovery. The poor little guy didn't have a chance. That's my first example.
A Bodily Reaction
The second example that I'd like to tell you about has to do with my own body. Recently, I have noticed a very specific physiological reaction occur in my body everytime I find myself in a specific environment and situation. This physical reaction is not new to me, but it is something that I have not experienced in this way in a long time. As I mentioned, it seems to be a specific situation that is triggering this physical reaction.
Initially I thought the situation with the squirrel, as well as my physiological reaction, were simply random events. I did not give them much thought. One evening as I was relaxing and unwinding, these two situations popped into my mind. I was reminded that nothing happens by accident, and the Lord speaks through these kinds of random life situations. I thought to myself;
“Lord, are you trying to say something to me through the situation with the squirrel?”
As soon as I asked the question, I knew exactly what the Lord was trying to communicate through that situation! In a moment I became aware of who the squirrel represented, what the motor of my car represented, and what the death of the squirrel represented. That situation was symbolic for a particular situation occuring in my family, and within our church community. The Lord was speaking to my heart, and it was a very needed message for me to understand.
I then also proceeded to ask the Lord why my body had been experiencing certain things in certain situations. Again, clarity came in an instant! I became aware that it was more than a natural physiological reaction to a particular situation. There was something deeper happening within me. I was reminded of all the times in the past when my body had the same physical reaction around similar people. I suddenly became clear of who those people represented spiritually. In that same moment, I was also reminded that our physical bodies are a picture of His body (church). My body was having a reaction because His (Christ's) body was having the same reaction! At that moment, I had complete clarity about why my body was physically feeling and reacting that way. This insight has even been helpful in regards to understanding my function in the wider body of Christ, and how this may affect my future.
Recognition
I say all of that to say this…the Lord is always working and speaking through the most unlikely of people, and through the most unlikely of situations. Our Lord is not interested in what we can 'do' for Him. As a matter of fact, what we think we need to 'do', He is already doing.
- You may think you need to 'provide', but He is already providing for you.
- You may think you need to pray, but He is already praying in you.
- You may think you need to convince others to believe in Jesus, but He is already opening the eyes of the blind around you.
- You may think you need to build churches, but He is already building His church.
- You may think you need to memorize His words to share with others, but His Word (Christ) is already in you and desires to speak to others through you.
- You may think you need to love others, but He is already stirring up a deep love for others in you.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Our job is not to 'do', but simply to 'recognize' what He is already doing. It's important to understand, however, that 'recognition' only comes when we are in a state of rest. The more we attempt to 'do' and accomplish, the more we will not be able to recognize what our Lord is already doing in our midst.
When we halt our activity and move into a state of rest, our eyes will then be opened to recognize all the incredible things the Lord is already doing in our midst. His work is fabulous. When we recognize it, we will then naturally move into the flow of His work. This is the key to being obedient to the works that He has prepared for us.
For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore, let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:10-11, NASB)
Resting to recognize,
Jamal Jivanjee
Thank you for sharing personal examples. There is so much talk about the spirit led life but few personal testimonies for those of who haven’t witnessed or experienced it. Your post opened up a whole new way of dialoguing with Father. Thank you again.
My pleasure Lorie, thanks for reading. I was hoping I wasn’t being too vague with those examples. I’m glad they made sense to you:)
It’s not what was communicated between you and the Lord that is important, but the how.
So very true. Most of us Christians are convinced that we have to be doing something or we just aren’t ‘good’ Christians. We seem to have such a hard time accepting the gift of Grace. God has provided all things for us, and we can’t do anything to earn them or pay Him back for all He has done. We need to learn to rest in Him, get out of the do, do, do way of thinking, and let Him touch others through us in His own way.
Jamal the term ‘rest’ is something that our Lord has been impressing me with, our need for this rest is essential, and it is so unnatural to our works based concept of living.
As a former Pharisee the OC Sabbaths were at the pinnacle of importance. The word “Sabbath” comes from a Hebrew verb meaning “to cease, stop, desist; to come to an end, rest.” Failure to rest on the Sabbath was punishable by death (Numbers 15). Additionally the Sabbath was a sign between God and the nation of Israel (Exodus 31:13)
Folks can get caught up in observing the Sabbath’s, I know full well that it’s work to rest. Friday evening sunset was critical that you ceased from your work, man has devised long lists of do’s and don’ts for the Sabbaths. In my years of observing the Sabbaths it was very easy for the Sabbath to become an idol. In our attempt to worship God we were placing our focus upon doing, this of course led to frustration, judging, and factions.
When we can view this Sabbath focus from the perspective of entering His rest, we are well on our way to peace.
In His grace we see His plea to enter His rest. To do so in His grace we lay our lives down. He picks us up, He then is our life. Galatians 2: 19~22 then becomes our reality. Resting from our works, enables us to recognize our true life, and it is found ‘in’ Christ. We are then truly set free, free to live, to serve, to love, to give in and through Christ’s indwelling life. The beauty of this is beyond words.
To enter His rest we must…enter His rest.
“What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man.
Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily” ~ Paul
Jim,
Great comment brother. Thank the Lord that, ‘in Christ’, we now get seven days of real sabbath rest a week, instead of the Old Covenant one day of rest a week that was simply a shadow of the real rest we now live in.
I could not agree more Jamal ! The problem with the need to do, is that there is no end to that. You always need to do a little more. Been there, done that, until my batteries run out…..
” Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Learn from Me, for I’m gentle and lowly in heart”. He says, listen to me I’ll teach you a way of laboring unto satisfaction, that starts from rest. Listen, I’m lowly at heart, and as such I can’t do, can’t speak and not only that, but my hour is not yet until I see, hear the Father do. Oh, what a rest I have in my soul. I have joy! All of this is out my abiding in the Father 24/7, every minute. And that’s what I’ll teach you and do in you, if you let Me.
This word “rest” scares many as they equate that with nothingness. And in fact it is nothingness, as it puts the flesh to death, where it belongs. And flesh wanted to be the boss, screams; how can I not plan, control, put in action, because flesh wants recognition and glory. But The Lord Jesus lived by one principle, and one desire alone, to glorify the Father in all things. And so does our new born spirit.
The rest that our Lord envites us into, is the rest of faith, for only faith pleases Him, that all thigs, all things, are by Him, through Him and unto Him. And faith which is a gift comes by hearing Him,the Word, having a relationship with Him.” And they asked Him: for what is the work that we should do? And He said to them, this is the work, that you believe in Him that He sent” And This One has come to live inside of us!
very well stated Marsela!
Very well said, the only work is to believe in Him.
Marsela,
I hope all who read this post see this comment you have made here. I cannot stress enough just how vital what you have said here is. Thank you!
Amen to all of the above. I love to tell people that their only “work” is to enter into His rest and allow Him to arise. Ezekial tells us that the reason for the linen undergarments for the priests was so that they would not sweat. Nee pointed out that this is how our “labor” should be in His kingdom.
Jamal,
Amen bro. ‘Recognizing’ that He is ‘doing’ in us leads to so much freedom. Not only that, but it leads us to trust Him more because we see that He always delivers!
Once we begin to walk in this ‘recognition’, we will start to see that He has been speaking to us for years–we just didn’t know how to hear Him.
It truly is a walk in Christ.
How awesome to know that He took the time to speak to us even when we were unaware. He knew that someday, we would become aware of His advances toward us. How amazing is His love.
I hear you bro. As a father of 9 and worker in a high-stress job (both of which the Lord led me into), the key for me regarding “doing” and “recognizing” has been a lot less about external issues (the “what”) and a lot more about internal issues (the “why”).
Through the Lord’s dealings, my responsibilities and workload continue to increase year after year; but there’s more grace as He continues to change my heart to be more unto Him and less unto me.
I only make this point bcs I have noticed some organic church christians seem to be deathly afraid of “works”, unto tilting towards selfishness, passivity, and laziness. Obvious-needs, places-that-someone-needs-to-take-responsibility, and areas-to-help go neglected bcs people are “not under the law”, which translated seems to mean “I don’t have to do anything that puts a burden or any stress on me”.
Our Lord is working. He is a worker, doer, server; unto pouring His life out to the last drop. There’s tons of work to do in loving and supporting one-another, and He is all about it. And the only shame in rolling up our sleeves and getting busy in it, is if in our hearts it’s all about my self-righteousness, to be seen by others, etc.
But He promises that “if we give our lives away to each other, for His sake; then we’ll find our life”. And “as we water others, we ourselves are watered”.
The only deadly works are when we’re trying to earn our forgiveness of sins or our relatsionship with Christ. These things He has freely given, and we need to humbly believe, receive, and rest. But from the place of a revelation of His grace and rest, there’s work to do.
So for me, the revelation of recognizing that HE IS DOING, frees me to get my butt to work (with Him); and receive the increase of grace and life for it.
Trevor,
Awesome comment. I agree whole heartedly. Took the words right out of my mouth, except you said it so much better. Thx for reading and commenting:)
Great post bro! I think of ‘recognizing’ as knowing and being known by Jesus Christ. In that, I find rest. Even when I am working or ‘doing’ in the Kingdom. Jesus said those who came after Him would ‘do’ many things. He also says He’ll confront those who’ve claimed to have done those very same things in His name, and will say “away from me, I never knew you”.
It all boils down to the spirit from which we ‘do’. I pray that our involvement and functioning within the body, as the body, will be from a spirit of relationship. Of knowing and being known. Of the rest that brings.
David,
Thx for reading and sharing my bro. It must be a special occasion for sure;) Thx for taking the time to share your heart:)
I read this post a couple of days ago when you first posted it. At that time I had no idea that this weekend I would be asked to speak at my sister-in-laws funeral. She accepted Christ as a young girl and like so many, after she grew older she no longer attended “church” on a regular basis and seemed to just drift away from God. Yet, as I look back I see Christ in many of the things in her life – sacrificial giving to others, unconditional love for family and friends. “Things” that are not inherent to our carnal nature, but rather an image of our loving bridegroom.
So, this morning when I read your teaser to the blog – “Our work never leads to ‘His’ rest, but ‘His’ rest leads us to ‘His’ work” I was inspired to re-read the post and now know what it is I can share with a house full of grieving family and friends either caught up in the “doing” or running from the “doing” because it is so overwhelming. Thank you so much for allowing God to speak through you in such a timely manner. Hope to see you in Dallas before the end of Infusion. Blessings my brother!
Thanks for the post Jamal.
The Lord is using this post as a stepping stone in a journey that He is taking me through right now. I don’t quite fully understand what is happening – but that’s ok! All I know is that I felt a deep connection with what you said and this post has lined up with other things that I am being drawn to.
Thanks for your ministry. Unfortunately, I think a lot of blogs are produced out of motivation of boredom, narcissism, etc. I want to just take time to affirm you in your work here. It is work that obviously comes from a place of rest and it is work that calls your audience to rest fully in Christ.
I am so tired of being told I’m not doing enough – and, in my personal experience, that message comes primarily from well-intentioned brothers and sisters. Thank you for lifting burdens. You are riding shotgun with our Lord, going against traffic!
Thanks for your posts, Jamal. I echo the last responder, affirming you in these posts. I come back often, to see what’s new, and it’s not just you I read, but all your responders as well; there is much wisdom here. I recommend ALMI if you weren’t already aware of that ministry; the founder Michael Wells passed into glory this last year but not before blessing me and many others with his message that there’s no problem the presence of Jesus cannot overcome. Many blessings and thanks to you all!