Lately I've been pondering the statement "to do only that which pleases the Lord." It's been continuously ringing through my head and pulled together so many things that I've been learning recently. As I look back on my life, I think that much of what I did was simply trying to please myself, fulfill my own desires, my own dreams, my own wants and so on and so forth. When I went to Capernwray, I came to understand Christ in you but looking back, I don't think that I understood it as much as I thought I did. I understood that Christ came to restore the relationship between God and man and that I needed to stop striving and let Him be who He wanted to be in and through my life but I don't think that I understood what the end result was. As a result of this lack of understanding, I don't think that I ever did fully relinquish control to Christ but always held on a bit so that I could try and fulfill those things that pleased me. I've come to realize however that it's not about me, I mean I knew that but I constantly need reminding, the whole purpose of Christ living in and through me is so that He in His sovereignty, clothed in humanity (me), would be glorified and would accomplish through me only those things which please His Father. That is our calling, that is our purpose that we would bring glory to God and that His quality of life would been seen in us and the observing world would have no other explanation for it apart from God. This is my renewed desire, that as I walk, talk, listen, share and do, that I would simply only be doing those things which please the Father. But, this whole thing ties in with something else that God has been showing me and that is the necessity for discipline in my life. As I look at my lifestyle, I can honestly say, I'm not a very disciplined person, and in fact I would even go as far as lazy a lot of the time. I think that self-discipline however, plays a significant part in pleasing God in everything that we do. If I'm not disciplined physically for example, how can I expect to learn to discipline myself spiritually?? If I don't discipline myself mentally, how can I expect to have control over my thoughts and desires?? If I don't discipline myself emotionally, how can I expect to surrender my emotions to Christ rather than being carried away by them. It's such a challenging thing to do but how can I expect to be a good husband, father, son, brother, friend if my personal desire isn't to please God in everything that I do and the definition of being a "good" husband, father, friend, etc is only found in the one that can be called good and that is the person of Christ who was only "good" because He fully surrendered to His Father and would do only those things that pleased Him. I can only be a good husband by allowing Christ to show me how to love and care for my wife, I can only be a good father if I allow Christ to show me how to love and raise my children in such a way that they come to know Him. I'm so challenged by all of this but yet so encouraged as well because these things don't come from striving, but simply surrendering to Him, resting in Him, trusting in Him. Allow Him today to be who He wants to be in and through your lives.

Colin