Identifying and Eliminating what Hinders our Fellowship with the One Who Made Us.
The Story
Could a former addict, who lost his job and almost his family, now enjoy unhindered intimacy with the Creator of the universe? You might not think so, but think again.
A couple of months ago, at a Saturday morning men’s breakfast, a brother, I’ll call him George, shared about his life of addiction, which held him captive for many years. Tearfully, George shared how tough love, accountability and God’s grace transformed his life. With a gleam in his eye, he declared that he now enjoys unhindered intimacy with God.
Those of us who were at the breakfast were very thankful for George’s honest vulnerability. It took great courage to admit his weakness, but we all saw how in his weakness, Christ showed Himself as strong. Too often men hide behind thin veneers of outward goodness, while inside, joy withers and souls dry out.
Men need to be brave enough to talk about deeper subjects than sports, cars, and fishing. That morning, George’s vulnerability led to more meaningful, transformative connections and conversations.
We men need to fight for this level of openness. It starts with our own courage to stop hiding and talk about our struggles. This is the gift George gave us that morning.
Since then, I’ve explored George’s phrase, “unhindered intimacy,” and would like to share what I’ve discovered.
Intimate Fellowship
What is intimate fellowship?
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (I Corinthians 1:9).
Our fellowship involves a deep association with Christ, a community with Him and a joint participation.
But what hinders our enjoyment of this intimate fellowship?
The Hinderances
Distractions
These days, they are far too many screens to capture our attention. Even in our times with God, they cry out, offering politics, sports, TV, short video reels and the like. These and other distractions invade our souls with noise and crowd our minds. We tend to suffer from a lack of intentional solitude.
May we be less like Martha and more like Mary. Less bothered and worried about what we do and more resting in the Lord as we love and serve.
38Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42)
False Affections
We were created with an eternal hole in our hearts which only God can fill.[1] But, we tend to dedicate our lives trying to plug the void with temporal, fragile, fleeting pleasures. We are tricked into thinking these false affections, such as substances, porn, gluttony, achievements, possessions, and even human relationships, will quiet our longing souls.
The truth of the matter is the these impostures only hinder our intimacy with our Creator. We can’t depend on any earthly thing, including our closest relationships, to make us feel okay. God alone must be our Highest Joy.
You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound (Psalm 4:7).
Guilt and Shame
The guilt and shame of sin can make us feel unlovable and unworthy. As we pursue holiness, we can never depend upon our own strength to become like Jesus. Depending on God’s Holy Spirit within us is how transformation happens, not by our own strength.
Similarly, we can never depend on our own righteousness as the entrance into intimate fellowship with God. Any misunderstanding of the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation clouds us with guilt and shame, which hinders our approach to Father God.
We must not allow the enemy to hide God’s love and forgiveness from us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all (I John 1:9 NASB).
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Jesus says that the more we are forgiven, the more we love.
46 You (Simon) did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven” (Luke 7:46-48 NASB).
Doubt of God’s Love and Care
How many times have we heard or thought, “How could a loving God allow this or that to happen?”
After all, didn’t Paul say:
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28 NASB).
But what is our good? Is it pleasant circumstances? Is God’s purpose for us to live a comfortable life? The verse below gives us the answer.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29 NASB).
God’s purpose for us is to make us more like Jesus.
In the verses below, Paul despaired even of life. But, he saw God at work for His greater purpose of causing Paul to trust God and not himself.
8For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead (II Corinthians 1:8-9 NASB).
In Conclusion
Because of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, we have been given the ability to have unhindered intimacy with Almighty God.
To enjoy our fellowship:
We must fight distractions and pursue unhurried time alone with God.
We must not allow any affection to supplant God as our Highest Joy.
As we follow Jesus, we must not allow guilt and shame to discourage us from communing with God.
We must remember the power of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf to take away our sin and grant us His righteousness.
We must not forget that God is at work to give us the freedom and joy of being like Jesus.
Hallelujah.
[1] Ecclesiastes 3:11
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Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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