Self Reliance

I just accepted a 30 day writing challenge to write every day for thirty days.  The challenge asks that we trust ourselves and our private thoughts and write about what we find in ourselves as we are exposed to famous quotes and inspiring thoughts.  The website for the challenge quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson and is titled Self Reliance.

My question that I have for myself is this.  Am I excited that the Creator of the Universe is living inside of me?  Because if you are a Christian and have experienced the Holy Spirit because of the faith that you have in Jesus Christ, then you have within you a new creation, the mystery of the ages, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.

So am I excited about what is happening inside of me?  What about a newly pregnant woman, is she excited about the new creation that is inside of her?  So I ask myself, am I thinking about this new creation inside of me like I should be thinking about it?  Do I trust it?  Am I delighted by it?  If I really trust that Christ is living inside of me, then where does this new creation do its thinking?  How do I hear it?  What does it sound like?  Is Christ able to speak loud enough for me to hear him?

So now I think about self-reliance.  It seems to me that I am on the verge of something dangerous.  Something that others might deem heretical.  Because if I walk in the spirit, by faith, then what Christ thinks is what I think, that is the fruit of the spirit.  And if I am true to what I think, I will as a fruit of that be true to what Christ thinks.  Now certainly the word of God, and community have to be included with this, because we will continue to be a sinners and thus continue to be dependant on others for feedback, connection, correction.  But and this is a really big one, Christ is in ME.  I find Him in ME.  I hear Him in MY mind.  I feel Him in MY heart.

He is also contained in the scripture, but scripture alone does not always lead us to inspired thoughts.  For instance the Puritans were those who prompted the writing of The Scarlet Letter, not exactly an inspired moment for those who champion the Gospel.

So I am excited about God being in me.  I am excited about trusting that I am enough to face the life that God has given me. I know that I am enough because of what Jesus Christ did for me, and because I have experienced Him and His love and His acceptance of me.  There is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

So the term that I would like to use is the NEW SELF reliance.  That new self is part Jesus and part me.  The mystery of the ages is that the two become one.