Always seek that in which all is reconciled.

So many things.

As per...the last record...? ...I'd wandered down a side-road and gotten caught up in things which were distracting from my focus on the Lord.

This week's question has thus kind of turned into, "Okay, so the message itself wasn't wholly at fault, then? Was it just fixating so exclusively on that particular line of thought, then, to the extent that it took precedence in much of all thought, to the extent of having become an anxiety?"

To which the response to the first remains open, and to the second, a solemn nod...even as there's more to the situation than merely summed by calling it a fixation.

I got off track, in other words. And it's taken about a month to receive correction--per internal witness, then corroborated by three separate outside sources which are fellow siblings in Christ.

Two separate rebukes, primarily, within the same message, Sunday. One for this sort of deviation, whereby ANYTHING other than Christ becomes a point of fixation--thereby pre-empting His necessary position of utmost priority, even as those points of deviation are often doctrinal/scriptural...then, still, they are errant.
Then, secondarily for taking up any stance which seeks to highlight points of differentiation--picking apart salvation, thus picking apart the work of the Holy Spirit in others (even as not recognized for being quite that particular act). Dangerous territory, truly, to critique the Holy Spirit. Very dangerous territory.

And it's so easily fallen into. So, so easily, in a world where everyone seeks to be the most qualified and thorough and eloquent critic. Especially as those of us who are the Lord's are surrounded on all sides by those who are self-proclaimed, world-class critics. ...when complaint is veiled in terminology which purports itself of a higher class of wisdom, especially? Critiques are the utmost current vogue of communication, absolute de rigueur for all experience of the day--critique the coffee, critique the cheese, critique the quality of the cafeteria food, critique the boss's newest plan for action, critique co-worker's work ethics, critique the service at the gas station, critique the quality of the wind, critique the cloud-cover, critique the temperature, critique the conversations going on around you.

We have so been assaulted with an onslaught of expectation to be able to critique everything at its highest and lowest orders of point, within a momentary glimpse of experience, as to express our adequacy of observation and our quality of character...

...performance evaluations, for example. Your worst and best qualities. Your plans for action.
What you wish you'd done better, and how you'll ensure you do so next time.
Critique yourself, thereby proving yourself qualified to critique others.

Can you take criticism? Or...oh--pardon..."constructive criticism"?

The entirety of society is entirely transfixed with the process of deconstructing everything which it comes into contact with, itself wholly included. And, so, it's all too easy to get caught up in that mentality, even as a truly God-fearing Christian who knows that we are to be anxious of nothing.

Critiquing is pretending at being God. Period. We must all be very careful, therefore, of that tendency. ...the whole of the process is a method of asserting dominance in knowledge, asserting mastery of comprehension to an extent which has thus allowed one to adequately deconstruct the core concepts--the whole process is a matter of building one's self esteem and regard up, in relation to a body of knowledge, experience, or others. Which is why...talking about the whole thing has to be very tongue-in-cheek, as acknowledging guilt all the while, as acknowledging continual need of the Lord's help as to refrain from so doing...

Just...having only come through this again, two days ago with increased clarity, there's an increased burden for refraining from any continuation, desperation not to do so which warrants public confession...and also fear for others who are similarly trapped, similarly deluded...and the hope that the Lord will use my deliverance, even as continual of so many things...that he may be glorified in having delivered me, and in so delivering others.

There's a distinction which has to be made, as always. The witness of the Holy Spirit must always be regarded, by each of us, in every individual circumstance. I keep asking the Lord about the things witnessed in so many places, and the things revealed through them. And...there'll be a time and a place, for much of it. Not here, nor now at least. Just...there's a difference, when He tells me something which distinguishes faulty doctrine as deviation from focus on the Lord--redirecting, thereby, to the Lord...especially as always witnessing to the Word, simultaneously. There's a difference between Him telling me something is errant, and redirecting me to Jesus...and me seeking--on my own initiative, by my own logic, by reason and even using scripture--to prove something deviant.

There's a humongous difference. And I pray that you discern it. Discernment is utterly vital.

Thing is...He's been so good to me. As much as I mess up, He corrects me. Even as, through some of the periods where my mess-ups have been absolutely horrid...I've wound up severely beaten by circumstances. Mercy, redirecting me to His sovereignty, always. Grace, to allow me to live despite some of the things which my life has entailed. Mercy, to restore me to Himself, despite all my faults. Grace, to have done so through His own humiliation, servitude, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus died for me. And for you. And for all of those who are His--we are His portion.

And nothing can or will snatch us from His hand. Nothing can or will ever separate us from His love, moreover. I may hunger, but I will not starve. And, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, He continually fills me...restoring me into His righteousness, to greater degrees. Sanctifying me, to His purposes. That I may be holy, as He is holy...as He has commanded.

I want to be completely given, completely surrendered. Wholeheartedly dependent. Entirely devoted.
Delighting in Him, He does give me the desires of my heart...and these have thus become my greatest desires.

So, yes, even as there are things which seek still to derail me and to discompose me and to derail me and to utterly devastate me, even distracting me from Him in portion...they cannot truly. For my adherence to His tenets doesn't depend upon my ability. My loyalty to Him and continued pursuit of Him doesn't depend upon my tenacity. My steadfastness in love and devotion to Him and deepening knowledge of Him and His laws and His ways doesn't depend upon my own strength of will. Oh, Hallelujah, none of it depends upon me!

It's all about Him. Not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. Because, seriously, y'all--unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain. And that be for any temple, even as that which each of us does constitute. Thank You, Lord, that Your Precious Spirit does dwell within...to guide, strengthen, comfort, instruct in all things, edify, pray for that which we know not as we ought, give to us all which is ours through You, and provide us with all which we are and need and will become, in and through You.