Increments

by Dottie Ryan

I was raised in a dysfunctional home.  And as a result, much of my thought processes — my coping mechanisms — the ways I perceived and walked through everyday life were skewed.  The way I saw and understood God was just as distorted.  I would like to say that the Lord has totally healed me from the place He took me to that summer of 2007 when I first did the Falling in Love Again with Your Lord study.  But that is not true.  What I can do is share a word – one simple word — that spoke to my heart back then . . . one I have leaned on almost daily since then.  The word is “Increments.”  Progress.  The Bible tells us that we journey from faith-to-faith.  Increments.  So I believe that this side of eternity we will be on a continuous journey that will consistently increase our faith and knowledge of God through Christ so that we can be anchored in Him.  It is so important how we respond to Him.  Belief. Trust. Bowing. Surrendering. Walking out the truth of what He shows us.  Yet it is also He who works all these things in us.

Taking the revised Falling in Love Again with Your Lord study in 2013 has shown me that He is changing me — that my faith has grown — that He is faithful.  I am still walking it out daily — still preaching the Gospel to myself several times a day — still fighting the fight of faith to submit to His Word and not my feelings.  It is an ongoing battle.  But He — He — get’s the glory.  Because in eternity the victory has already been won by Christ. Aside from His grace and mercy . . . well, I’d be headed to eternal destruction.  Grace! Amazing Grace!

His right hand upholds me. . . upholds you (cf. Psalm 63:8). Believe that.  And thank your Lord!