What a blessed relief your article is to me. I've been striving so hard to be the woman God wants for me, that I'm exhausted. You remind me that everything comes back to one word -- love. Love God with your whole being, and your neighbor as yourself. Everything else flows from this. Love, love, love -- now is that so hard? :)

holiness seems elusive while in the body, but it is something all his chosen are under the blood of christ. his blood has covered all my sin in the eyes of god his father, and there is no condemnation for me. i will continue to struggle with my sin as long as i live in this body. but i will always be holy in his sight.
thanks be to the cross of christ

and at the same time i wrestle with my sin in order to bring glory to him who saved me. putting to death the sin in my body.

Wow! As I prepare to oversee our service this evening and feel so completely spiritually unfit to do so, I come across this gem. Thankyou so much. Now, even though as I type tears are running, I feel like I can turn the computer off, get on my knees & dare to trust God to come through despite my inadequacies. I needed to read this, and I needed it now. Thankyou again.

Holiness is natural to enjoy I still believe we have part to take before God could said be ye holy as He God is holy I believed He want us to do our part while God will do the remain. Also I will say if we can surreder our totallity to God and give theremote control of our lives to Holy spirit He willhelp us and make it easy to do> Andrew Murray in His book Spiritual life said he tried on his own but there was no way until he had proper understanding of Romans 8; 1- that it is the spirit of God that can help ue when we yeild to him totally

Sometimes, no matter how much we water or prune our lives, circumstances come along to wreak havoc. At those times, it's so comforting to find our paths back to the feet of the master gardener. Yeah, life's not always fair and no matter what we do, satan always seeks ways to destroy us. My husband was only forty six years old when he died last year. But God is good and faithful. My husband recieved the Lord into his heart just months before he passed away. It was a comfort to lay down my heartaches at His feet.

This was a blessing. I truly appreciated this, since I'd been struggling the past couple days with this kind of question. I know now that it's God's work that makes me holy, not any choice I can make. The only choice I can make is to surrender to His work in my life, and knowing that, as basic as it might be, is so true.

Dear Patty,

I was thrilled to read what you wrote about the pursuit of holiness! It is so timely to what I recently wrote to one of our church's pastors, regarding the holy healing that can take place in marriages.

Is the Holy Spirit moving us to call others to pay closer attention to the pursuit of holiness so they can receive transformation and healing in faith? I compare a portion of what I wrote, as folllows, to your article...

"When a married man or woman (or, anyone else for that matter) is being healed by the knowing (1.), wise (2.), Word (3.), and Spirit of God getting into their lives - Sunday or not - it is very good! (4.). When a person receives what the Lord our God imparts, transformation takes place -- and no matter where or when it takes place, it is Holy by the nature and power of God - Father, Son, Spirit - who has accomplished it! May many more opportunities for Holy transformation become available for many, many more precious people!

"The Holy of Holies is in and among us and available for those who will believe and receive. 'God, help us make pathways for those your Son died for, to enter in! Amen!' (I wrote a song, "Take Your Shoes Off", that speaks of a holy encounter with God that leads to holy transformation.)"

"1. Heb. 4:12-13
2. 2 Tim 3:16-17
3. John 1:4-5; Rev. 19:13
4. Luke 13:10-17; Luke 14:1-6; John 7:23-24"

Great! Sometimes I feel like that. God bless you for that touch on my path.

Thanks; I really needed this one!!

"Holiness isn’t something to be achieved at all but rather to be enjoyed as the natural outcome of faith. If we simply believe, the power will go out from us, whether intended or not." I really want to understand this...and to LIVE this truth! I know that I am holy through Jesus' blood, but I want to see His holiness in my own life...but I don't experience it! I pray that the Holy Spirit will transform my mind and my heart...so that I can understand!

this was a wonderful reminder to me that it is about the heart, not just the behavior. I go to a Christian college where a lot of people walk like their "holier than thou"........and I struggle with feeling guilty a lot for not always striving to make "fruit". Thanks for your encouragement!

I am amazed at God's faithfulness to heal us....in spite of ourselves.

Recently, an event/loss/pain came to me. I thought I would have this wonderful trip with someone very significant to me...I suggested the possibility. Later, when it did not happen..and another was invited instead, I became unhinged. I refer to this feeling as "She's Come Undone!" (which I borrowed from a book title). Before long I could not be consoled; felt disillusioned. Until I reached the part where I feel my life is unfair....which leads to hating who I am; a human. ALL BECAUSE I TRY NOT TO BE HURT OR ANGRY...or heaven forbid someone finds this out about me. This illusion of strength is just that--an illusion!
God picks me up and comforts me. But, He allows me a choice--must I always go this route? Why not be honest about my deep hurt? Recognize that it was a significant loss...look underneath at what I really yearned for....an attachment/ relationship...and find a way to fulfill that need. He welcomes me home, and challenges me to find a healthy way to get that need for fellowship met. How about hosting a "girls night in." And how about allowing another "human" see that wound...
God always brings healing...and I find myself ready to move on in Spiritual growth.

Yes, becoming the woman of God He intends me to be takes a lifetime!
Recently, I went through a trial when a significant person in my life did not come through with a trip that I imagined/talked about/hoped I would be taking with her. It was a jolt to me. She ended up taking someone else. I often live with the illusion of strength. I try really hard not to reveal my deep hurt and beneath that my anger...and that led to a downward spiral. This book title expresses me at that moment in time--
"She's Come Undone." I could not be consoled and became disillusioned over what I had taken away from me--the trip. From that came almost a despair of who I am--someone I hate at this point. Why could I not just "get over it." (Of course, this is all an inner destructive dialogue with myself)

God taught me that if I had just revealed my hurt and disappointment upfront, I would not spiral down. I could acknowledge my feelings...of loss. By looking at what I really wanted or yearned for was a deep connection with this dearly loved person--who lives at a distance. There may come another opportunity with her.

God is involved and concerned about my fears/hopes/dreams. He does not chastise me. He touches me first right where I am...and then redeems me. He shows me the path to take. He is my tower of strength. I do not need to live under a false sense of strength in myself.

I decided to have a "girls night in" with movies and pizza...and connect with other women instead of focusing on what was lost.

ah, Spiritual growth.

Just last night I asked the Lord why I seem to be "stuck" in the quick sand of my sins. I am trying so hard to change and be pleasing to him, but I seem to be doing and making the same mistakes. I think God was working through this article to answer that prayer. Thank you so much!

Have you read "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge? If not, then you and everyone else on this blog who has not. . . . .should. This book is amazing, just truly amazing and a real God send!

A great article, easy to grasp, I see it as jesus asking us to seek him and he will do the rest? It is timely for me too, and explains what Jesus means by saying apart from him, we can do nothing. But that is the hard thing isn't it, being as little children, trusting and waiting and letting go. It is really hard just to stop doing.

I have been discouraged at times when a certain sister in the Lord tells me of the blessings she has received due to her diligence and obedience. Everyday I pray that my life be yielded to the Lord and ask God to use me as a vessel THROUGH which His power and blessings flow that others will experience Him also. You have encouraged me to keep seeking His power and the blessings will come naturally by faith lest I should boast! Amen!

Thank you for your honest assessment of our human condition. The one thing that helps me is realizing that Jesus experienced this broken world before I have, and understands my tears in the endless nights of questioning,"why?" He is always there watching over me. He loves me(the real me) because He created me for His enjoyment. He did this all for me. No one has ever loved me like Jesus. It is Gods responsibility, if I am willing, to finish in me what He started. In and of myself,I can do nothing. His righteousness saves me,not my works. I will rest in Him.

Reading through this article and comments helped me realize that i am not alone in this world, that there r other people that pass through similar problems as i. but i find it very difficult to tell someoe what im going through because im afraid of how they might react. im afraid that the image people have of me will be no more and they will no longer look at me the same or worse they wont love me. i know i cant go through this alone, i ve proved it but i dont want to confide in any one else all because of what people might say of me. i want to grow spiritually but this is holding me back. i ask that someone reach out to me and contact me at sheebang_ bang@yahoo.com i want to be able to trust someone.

I felt the weight slip off my shoulders and felt so relieved!i feel as tho I'm always srtuggling !-and failing after trying so hard-this made me see that I can rest more fully in His healing power and grace."Take my yoke upon you and kearn from me" became so real to me.Thanks!

thank you very much for the article. I empathise with the other comments too, and wish more people read the article. It has brought together for me the essence of a relationship with God through Jesus. he initiates it, waters it and will bring it to completion His way. If i am good it is him and if i mess up, it is definitely all me.

The problem we have as Christians I think is that while we know we do sin sometimes, we do not accept it both of ourselves and others and hence we put pressure on ourselves and others worrying over how people will now see us. Probably we need again and again to review what we are in Christ as the Bible says it not as other christians or churches say it. I messed up and had to confess to my church. i know people have different lenses on where i am concerned but rather than dwell on the past i prefer God's perspective. i have certainly been helped by spending time getting to understand who i am in Christ. Let's have faith and let's yield our lives to him daily.