School of Hard Knocks

God currently has me enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks. He is teaching me through real life what my seminary studies are teaching on paper. It is absolutely, positively being orchestrated by God. Sin, forgiveness, and grace are reoccurring themes that He is trying to get through to me in this season.

Sin. It is ugly. It's one thing to have assigned readings about sin and how it permeates the body. It's another thing altogether to experience it and be made fully aware of my own sin-nature and daily struggles. When Paul talks about his struggles in Romans 7 I can fully relate. I find myself doing the things I don't want to do and not doing the things I should. God is excavating my sinful tendencies and making me aware of just how contaminated I really am. What pride once concealed (and continues to), God is bringing to the surface. Though painful, it is oh so beautiful.

Forgiveness is another theme God is revealing to me. As I come to terms with the gravity of the sin I am being forgiven of, I have a deeper appreciation for forgiveness itself. I am reassured of forgiveness knowing that Christ died for my sins and rose again. I am reminded to forgive others just as He forgave me. How many times should I forgive? Seven, is that enough? Try "seventy times seven!" Jesus says. (Matt 18:22)

Thirdly, God is teaching me first-hand about grace. It is a free gift, but have I fully accepted it? Am I still trying to earn it? Do I freely extend grace to others? These are eye-opening questions for me.

Although these lessons can be a bit painful, I am thankful. God is giving me personal, impressionable experiences directly tied to what I am studying. It reminds me of how one studies the ocean. One can spend hours upon hours looking at all kinds of nautical maps. But it's not until setting sail, breathing the ocean air, and tasting the salt water ocean spray crashing off the waves that one really "knows" the ocean.