No More "Now What?"

The one question which would bring me into bondage, and would cause me great pain, revolved on this phrase:

"Now what?" or "What Next?"

This kind of thinking emanates from the notion that life and death ultimately comes down to me, and what I want to do.

Yet if we understand that life is not about us, nor does it originate with us, then we can receive great peace and grace, to meet every challenge in our lives, for if we are in Christ, and receive His promises in the face of all challenges.

He is our life, and we receive all things through His gifts of righteousness and grace.

Now that I consider how complete was His sacrifice for me at the Cross, all the more I understand the pain and frustration of struggling with thoughts and feelings which had suggested to me that the work was not finished.

Righteousness, justification, perfect standing before God, that we owe Him nothing, and in Him we own all things (1 Corinthians 3: 22-23) -- all of us need to grow in our understanding of this wonderful gift:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

Righteousness is the key, and it's a gift, which means that we can add not one thing to it, including the Twelve Steps.

What does God's righteousness do for us?

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." (Isaiah 32: 17)

Righteousness works peace in our lives, and in Hebrew this word "peace" speaks of consummate wholeness, not just an absence of conflict, but also material and emotional prosperity, too.

For a long time, I struggled with the upsets and bad feelings/thoughts in my life. So much focus on ourselves does not grant us any peace.

The habit of doing something about fear and panic is giving way to a new revelation:

If Jesus Christ has put away all my sins, and has taken care of everything for me, then I have no right to ask "What now?" or "What next?" To broach the question implies that what Jesus did at the Cross was not enough.

That is simply not the case, since He died for all our trespasses (Colossians 2: 13)

Yet we are under attack with accusations from the enemy, and that is why Paul exhorts us with the following:

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10: 4-6)

These weapons are mighty through God, not us, and all of them point to Jesus' work at the Cross, away from ourselves and our efforts.

Why ask "What Next?" or "Why Now?" when Jesus has taken care of all our sins forever?