I want to take a day to pause and pull out a song that is very close to my heart. I know what your thinking... how is this related to worship... the name of the song is monster... but if you're honest with yourself, there have been times that we have tried to hide who we are from others or from God...
When this song first came out, I wasn't a big fan... now don't get me wrong, I love Skillet and I've always been a fan of their music, but this song didn't sit so well with me... and as I listened to the song, I began to really take in the words, and I began to understood why I didn't like... I had an inner monster... or she hulk as I call her... and we are in constant battle with that monster of the old self...
In Colossians 3 we are told to shed the old self and become the new creation in Christ. Yesterday at church, our pastor gave a really good illustration... he called it cheesy, but it clicked with me... he said that he was going to come in wearing a huge coat with the word Old written on it, and then pull it off to reveal the new person underneath... as much as we want to be super Christian, we aren't... we're more like Bruce Banner with a monster hidden away....that comes out when we let ourselves fall back into our old lifestyles...
I have never been a huge fan of the hulk until Mark Ruffalo portrayed him in The Avengers... Bruce Banner was in hiding to keep from becoming the Hulk... but when he was angered he transformed into the massive Hulk. I think that sometimes, we all come face to face with our own "Hulk" or monster.... and when the old self comes creeping back in, we lose focus of God and worshipping him.
When I get frustrated, I immediately begin journaling and listening to music that only increases my bad mood. I begin to focus on how angry I am, or how silly people can be, or why driving in Nashville is just so darn frustrating... but I digress... instead of turning on some positive music and burying myself in the Word... I let out my inner monster. My brain becomes a bottle neck and I am useless...
In Romans 12:2 we are told that we are not to conform to this world... that we are to to be transformed by the renewing of our mind... in other words, the monster needs to be turned out on its ear...
Don't let the beast rule you, remember that we are being changed day by day... that's not to say that the monster will not make appearances from time to time... but God is working in your life to change you from the inside out... trust in Him to take control of the monster in your life and rise up to defeat it.
I've always loved the Lord of the Rings and the scene in Moria where Gandalf defeats the Balrok... we can equate that to the monster in our own lives... will we allow God to help us defeat them?
When Gandalf stands up to the monster and gives his life for the fellowship, I always cry... I know Tolkien never meant for this novel to be allegorical, however... Gandalf gives his life for the fellowship, defeats the Balrok and returns to the fellowship as Gandalf the white. It's a very powerful scene...
So, will you let the monster in your life control you, or will you let God come in and help you to defeat it? The choice is yours... have a blessed Monday!
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