Getting to the TASK:  Transformation, changing Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge!

By Carolyn Russell

We recents had holidays.   Superb –  friends, memories from past, being with our granddaughter REALLY loving cold experiences. We planned, paid, travelled, then walked miles, ate food enjoying fellowship, lived in close quarters ( quite challenging at times!), and yet it was good. The job of a holiday was for a rest break ….  to return to life energised..RIGHT?

 I returned refreshed and ready in some ways, but there was persistent discomfort in my Heart…. A CONFLICT!

I tried to ignore this discomforting presence in that sector of my heart as I commenced the routine of home life/client work for the New Year–  one likely full satisfaction and joy.  The true character of the Conflict Sector was being expressed – on the one hand I think and believe ‘this’, on the other hand my body and my mind and spirit are wanting to give me a message that seems ‘opposite’. 

The Discomfort continued!  Then Sickness! – confined to bed for 2 days after a Gastro bug, it amplified… Shouted VERY LOUD.  ‘Take NOTICE’

So, I did. I had to STOP to do so. STOP running busy, STOP getting into my ‘regular’ way and FACE… but WHAT was I learning as I did this? 

Well, our God is Invitingly gracious in Discomfort. He wants to always teach us more of Him, to be present to us, as we choose to Centre. His Word is always there for me to read and learn from.

Where did I go in His Word through these sick days….?  Well, my brain was jetlag addled, but I prayed for Understanding, then thought of the short words, Do and Be.  

These words led me to read a lot of Scripture, illuminating the Discomfort in the Conflict sector….

[ As you read this, open the Scriptures, hear the words about HIM that illuminated, taught, and exhorted me to FACE then to offer Transformation.  

Let’s TURN the Eyes of our Hearts (Centre) to Him who knows us]

Three Scripture shone out as I researched Do and Be.

James Chapter 1

Colossians Chapter 3

 John Chapter 9

Firstly, there are SKILLS, obvious to all around as they read these chapters.  They seem to be all about Tasks… Doing work and activity, ‘putting on’ stuff!

Then hone down:

Col 3: 17  and 3: 22 :  The WHOLE, ALL, EVERYTHING words jump out ( CWF!!)

Now, James 1:  when we Turn (repent) and Centre on Christ, there is created in us a Heart seeped with righteousness, deeply Soaked in water then Cleansed, Activated,  and Being beautiful, LOOKing like Jesus!   

Now read John 9:  Jesus responded to the blind man, and the crowd in the gospel: He said ‘we must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world’.  Jesus knew that his character was to illuminate, and this led to doing tasks and work, but overall to Responses( his work) which cause the BLIND TO SEE. 

So, I spent that day resting, and thinking about CWF, and using the shapes to explore my discomfort

The word TASK on the LW card arrested me – how easy it becomes to DO tasks, get knowledge and apply skills, not allow the Transformation and changed Attitudes from Jesus to seep out i.e.The True TASK. People see the Skills and Knowledge, but the Character is not blessing others.   

The discomfort was easing – I was getting it! 

Carolyn, you have been sliding back L – over into DOING only, not BEING, and though your outer Circles were fed through the holiday, you did not take time for the Character of Christ to be continually formed, to become more and more HIS.

What have I learned from Him? 

Task = DO                                and yet….                            T.A.S.K ≠ BUSY, Doing

T.A.S.K = Being HIS… the WHOLE, ALL of us, With EVERYTHING

After recovering, I read Bible Hub, finding this: ‘… we seek diversion, distraction, and busy-ness to elude the encounter with God, and the examination of self in His presence’.  This attitude of Busy-ness had become pervasive for me through the last months, and I needed to notice my Discomfort more.  ( this is worth reading if you wish to follow up more on this topic: 2. Process Spirituality: Being Versus Doing | Bible.org)

Thank you Father for the Conflict sector that you have gifted us. We praise You, that You have given us minds, which have thoughts and emotions, and ways of observing ourselves, and hearts which can notice when we are not seated in your gates, learning from You. 

Help us all to be more aware of that Sector, to STOP, Feel the discomfort, think about ourselves, and to FACE the truth of our ways, and to Turn for HOME, to the inviting Transformational presence of Christ in Word and Spirit.  

Then help us by the Spirit’s power to submit ourselves to be Cleansed Soaked Refreshed, and to BE yours while there is light.

Come Lord Jesus,

AMEN