I Am Convinced

Original art by Anne Ashton

I am learning that I do not need to convince anyone of anything. First of all, it doesn’t work. Secondly, it can’t work. I do not have power over anyone to make him or her believe something. You don’t either.

However, the beauty I have found is that I get to be convinced.

I can convince myself.

I can listen, read, watch, experiment, search, wonder, ponder and process anything in life that I choose to spend time pursuing. At the end of the journey, I can be convinced or not. I can believe or not.

I am convinced that gravity exists. I am mostly convinced that the sun will set tonight and rise again tomorrow. I am convinced that babies are beautiful and animals have their place on the earth but not in my home.

I am also convinced that I am called to passionately share my convictions, testimonies and beliefs with the world around me. I find it a beautiful thing to share where I am convinced.

Here’s the discovery- I no longer have to convince others.

Paul (from the Bible) was convinced that nothing could separate us from the love of God that is found in Jesus. Demons can’t. Death can’t. Heights nor depths nor anything can separate us from God’s love. Not even what we have done or didn’t do. Paul is convinced that we are loved. He spent his life passionately sharing where he was convinced. To some, his convictions were the fragrance of life. To others it smelled like death. He wanted all to find life, and he passionately pointed to life, but he didn’t have the power to convince anyone.

People choose their own convictions.

People live from the well of where they are convinced.

I am learning to love those who live in different wells.

Honestly, it’s hard.

My heart is heavy and hurts daily for one who had a front row seat to a well of life. I spent years trying to convince them that the well was filled with life. At the end of the day they have chosen to live out of a different well. They are convinced their well is filled with life. I am convinced what they have chosen is a life doused in radioactive toxins.

I have surrendered convincing.

Instead, I choose to live from a place of rest.

Rest is passionately sharing how I am convinced, but releasing the hear-er (or reader) to choose their own place of where they are convinced.

Jesus said He is the way and the truth and the life. The only way to get to His Dad is through Him. He knew (knows) that to be true. He was (is) passionate about that. Not all were convinced. Even now not all are convinced.

Many are convinced that life is found in a vat of radioactive chemicals.

I am convinced that God’s love continually pursues those that try to convince others as well as those who glow green. I am convinced love never fails. I am convinced that God will complete the good work He started in us. I am convinced that strength is found in surrender and kindness leads to repentance and humility leads to a life of abundant wells!

I am convinced that God loves the one who swims in the well of radioactive material as much as He loves the one who swims in the well of life. I am convinced I have much to listen, read, watch, experiment, search, wonder, ponder and process in learning how to love like God does.

I am convinced I have been given an opportunity to practice love, which begins with surrendering convincing.

Why Do You Look for the Living Among The Dead?

Prophetic Artist- Hannah Atkinson

Used by permission

I had a vision of a *savage scrounging in dusty places inside Death Valley. He was wide-eyed and desperate as he clawed the dirt searching for LIFE. There was none to be found. Then I heard the angels say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 14:5) He stopped his digging and turned his head toward the voices.

In the next vision I was walking among barren vines. I paused in front of the vine that I had been caring for. No fruit. No life could be seen.

Jesus spoke 2 things to me:

1)  Remember the **fig tree in the Bible? The Gardener said, “Don’t cut it down. Give me a year. I will put fertilizer around it. Come back and if it doesn’t have fruit on it then you can cut it down.”

2) Your reward is not found on this vine. Your reward is secure with me. I AM your great reward.

Perhaps you are sitting at the end of the lane straining to see your Prodigal return. You are not alone. Carry on with your life. Heal. Pray. Grieve. Wait. Hope. Ask, seek and knock on God’s door. Distance is not bad and many times boundaries are necessary. There’s a chasm between you and the prodigal. I get that. True repentance has always been the only way back home. Perhaps fertilizer creates a broken and contrite spirit. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and then fix them again on His gaze. Faith is being strengthened in you. Stand firm. Then stand firm again.

Most importantly, remember that a fruitless vine in Death Valley does not determine your reward! It’s secure in a place where thieves can never get in and steal!

Shalom

*Savage = as a noun it describes a fierce, brutal or cruel person. As an adjective it describes someone who is enraged, or furiously angry. As a verb it describes someone who attacks or criticizes thoroughly or remorselessly.

** “Then he (Jesus) told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” Luke 13:6-9