Unsettle Me Too

For the past four days there has been an unease in my spirit. Words have gripped my heart so deeply and refuse to let go. They have consumed me so completely that at every turn I hear them repeated over and over again. Words that have taken full residence in my heart and forced me to come face-to-face with what has been and what can be.

Reading my friend Lysa's blog post on New Year's Day, her prayer ignited a fire in my soul. Her writing began with two words, "Unsettle me".

Just the day before I had been reading how the Lord had "settled" David in Hebron. I was reading how He "settled" Abraham and Moses and I began to long for the "settled life". Time to rest, build strength, develop roots. A time to catch my breath and maybe even coast a bit on the ship of contentment and complacency. There's hazards here. Such idle floating preceeds drifting. In less than twenty-four hours the Lord had my attention.

Unsettle me.

God extended and invitation through Lysa's words and I accepted.

Leaving complacency behind, I want to have courage to embrace all the Lord has for me. I desire that He purge every part. As my thoughts have been focusing on what the "unsettled life" might bring, He has also warned me of the danger of the settled life that can look so appealing.

Settled things grow stagnant. Mold forms. Disease develops. A settled pond, birdbath or puddle of water attracts mosquitoes that carry virus. Settling can cease the flow of living waters that need to flow through our lives.

I bake a cake, (not often, but it does happen :o) take it out of the oven, and as it cools it settles...and falls. I was thinking how settling preceeds falling. There's no such thing in God's economy as standing still. We are either growing closer to Him or falling away. Settling is a step closer to falling away.

When my Mom had her hip replacement last year, the Dr's didn't want her to stay 'settled'. Rehabilitation started almost immediately to get the blood flowing to avoid clotting. The settled life clogs our spiritual arteries as well. I want the flow of Christ's life-giving blood to impact me.

When a business deal is settled it speaks of a decision being made. Finality. Closure. Deal done. Completed. In this respect I don't ever want to be 'settled' or 'finished'. I am a work in progress. The handshake on this 'deal' doesn't happen until heaven.

Within all this unsettling though, I do desire a settled heart in Christ. I want to stand firm on His promises and not waver. I want to hang unto that "Anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure as the billows roll".

God wants me sitting at His feet, but not settling there. I can't be so heavenly minded that I'm no earthly good. I take what He speaks to my heart and go. After fellowship comes followship.

I pray that He will unsettle me. I want to feel the discomfort. I don't want the past to dictate my future. I want to abandon acceptance. I want to surrender, not to tolerance of the belief that transformation is out of my reach, but surrender to My King who searches every part, reveals wickedness, cleanses me from every stain and sets me free. I want to be changed. Changed by a God who never changes. A God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. A God who within His sameness gives new mercies every morning and who can't be predicted or fathomed. Oh for the holiness that comes with the unsettled life.

Thank you Lord, for so quickly calling me from yesterday's longing of contentment to today's yearning for holiness. Father, I am Yours. Unsettle me.

**If you are visiting here looking for my daily writing as we read through the chronological Bible this year, please visit my other blog, "Pondering In His Presence". Thanks.