Biblical Posts

Deeper Than The Exterior

God teaches lessons through different seasons, trials, and situations we are in life. A situation and a season aren't just that. There is always something deeper.

We see this in the parables, Jesus wouldn't answer a question with just yes but He would explain with parables so that people can understand the root of the issue.

If we tell someone the answers for a math test. They will end up passing but when they have to do a math test again, they will fail because they didn't truly learn or practice how to do math. They just copy and paste. It's similar if God tells us everything we should do. If God would tell us everything it wouldn't test our faith and grow us spiritually. We would be stagnant and have a sense we're prepared when we aren't. As a result, when a trial comes we'll fall easily because we had an answer but didn't go through the process to fully understand and receive the answer.

The process teaches us obedience, faith and grows our relationship with God. If we skip this and rush, we will be where we desired to be but without a good foundation of faith and full dependency on God. We would end up falling because we didn't solve the issue at the root.

Jesus didn't want people to just avoid adultery. Jesus didn't want people to just obey the law and not commit adultery. He wanted them to look deeper than the exterior and realise the true issue is the heart and if the heart isn't dealt with, outside works can be in vain. He taught us to look deeper by saying how just at looking someone lustfully is the same as adultery. The root was lust and He wanted us to realise that so we can have a changed heart and not obedience with an evil heart.

Same with our neighbours. We can choose not to murder but scripture basically shows us that you can still have hate in your heart and that's the same as murder.

The condition of the human heart needs to change, so God's word can be written in it and have a heart of flesh instead of stone (Ezekiel 36:26).

God in His wisdom gave the Israelites the law to reveal to us that we can't keep the law. He showed us that we need grace, someone who can live the perfect life we couldn't.

God teaches us things through every season we are in. The lessons come as we go through the process. We gain understanding and wisdom as we start growing in the knowledge of what God is teaching us per season.

I want you to always ask God to help you learn what He wants you to learn in every season and trust that if you don't understand now, one day you will. Though you may not understand everything, there will be a lesson you'll gain.

The purpose of God allowing things, giving you hard instructions, and leading you to places that make you uncomfortable is to reach that place deeper than the exterior.

To reach your heart.

Scripture References:
Matthew 5:21-30, 1 john 3:15

-etty