Simply be, rather than do.

This has been one of the most life altering seasons of life I've ever experienced; in a really good way. Allow me to elaborate.

These last several months I've been given the incredible privilege of being one of two RA's on a Liberty University dorm. Last Spring, in preparation for the fall of 2013, my partner came across the phrase, "Simply be, rather than do," on a dove chocolate wrapper (shout out to the Holy Spirit for speaking through doves!) and we knew that these were words that had power to break, mend and shape lives that lived, breathed and moved within the bounds of the Gospel of Jesus. 

The very compassionate and gentle Jesus I know began to transform my life to understand the words, “Simply be, rather than do.”

This last semester has been one filled with rejoicing and weeping; there has been death, yet there has been new life in Christ Jesus; there has been exhaustion and emptiness, all the while there has been a never ending fount of strength from the Holy Spirit; there has been an ever faint, nearly absent whisper form the Holy Spirit, and there have been times of hearing the trumpet sounding voice of Jesus.

I have experienced the presence of Jesus like never before.

You get the picture; Jesus has done immeasurably more.

What does this have to do with simply being, rather than doing?

Stay with me.

I recently (like, yesterday) heard a sermon by Ben Stuart out of Texas on Matthew 17. The Lord immediately showed me, from His word, an example of ‘being’ rather than ‘doing.’

In Matthew 17, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up to a mountaintop. The Scripture says, “…[Jesus] led them high up a mountain.” (vs. 1). Now, we are in Chapter 17 of the first Gospel. These men have just, in the previous chapter, been learning of the wrath Jesus must face. Matthew 16:21 says, “Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things.” So this man whom they’ve been walking (literally) with for some time now tells them of the torture He will receive; to make matters worse, they have just been led “high up a mountain.” I would like to think, they are exhausted; emotionally and physically. In Luke’s account of this story, it says, “Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep…” (9:32). That leads me to believe they had to of been somewhat exhausted; at least enough to be “heavy with sleep.”

What follows is what makes this significant.

In Matthew, it says, “He [Jesus] was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light…a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.’ When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and have no fear.’” (vs. 2,5-7).

The disciples were feeble, exhausted and weak. They misinterpreted who Jesus was for a moment (I left the middle of the story out; but read it for yourself! Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus also, and the disciples consider all three to be alike and equal. That is when the Father speaks, to tell the disciples that Jesus is far superior. That is what causes them to fall and worship) and they became terrified by the voice of the Father. Yet, the gentleness of Jesus caused them to rise.

The disciples were exhausted and asleep, they were weak; overcome by their fleshly state, they were unable to ‘do’ anything. However, that is when Jesus chose to reveal His glory to them. The immeasurably more.

This semester myself, and the 14 girls I walk closest with, have been exhausted. We have been blinded to many things and misinterpreted who Jesus is multiple times. Yet, His gentleness and compassion has been revealing to us His glory, when we are ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’; when we choose to Worship.

But you can get a glimpse of our immeasurably more for yourself.

These are things that Jesus has done in the life of those 14 woman the last few months who have been on a journey to know fully the Jesus that reveals Himself when we simply be, rather than do. This is the fruit. Rejoice at their words:

“He has made me P U R E.”

“He’s becoming real to me.”

“I nail Him to the Cross… but He still wants me.”
“I’ve learned I can’t be other peoples gods.”
“After trying to earn His love, He’s showed me what I truly am in Him.”
“I am ‘okay’ with being the vessel He’s made me.”
“I’m learning to silence the fear.”

“He showed me I got too good at being ‘good’.”

“I was proving to God I’m good enough for His love and I was proving to others I was good enough for His love.”

“He showed me I was turning ‘being’ into ‘doing’.”

“It’s not about me, it’s about Him.”

“If I pray a bold prayer in faith, He answers.”
“I was there the moment she went from hell to heaven.”
“If I act on my convictions, it’s worth it.”
“He’s not calling me to comfort, but to discomfort.”

“He wants to draw me close to Him.”
“He brings beauty through confession.”
“To say my sin was too big was to say the Cross wasn’t enough.”
“I have to choose joy in the morning.”
“It’s not the fact that I am a mess up, but that I messed up.”
“He’s broken my pride.”
“I was undone in legalism.”
“Nobody understands my heart more than the One who made it.”

You see, Jesus is ready to reveal Himself in ways that are unimaginable. He has broken us; yet, the taste of His glory is far too worth it. When you rest, and don’t work to earn your salvation; He becomes R E A L.

In the midst of beginning to understand what it means to, “Simply be, rather than do,” we have learned that it is nearly unable to be understood. What we do know is this: when we are weak, then He is strong. This is the Gospel: simply being, rather than doing. 

Join us on the journey.

It’s messy, raw and painful; yet, there is victory, life and joy found in the Jesus of the true Gospel.

“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have broken rejoice.” [Ps. 51:8]

Our broken bones rejoice.
Do yours?