[James 1:23-25 ESV] 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Though I have sung along and been touched by the beautiful song “Waymaker” I have paused sometimes at the chorus lyrics and asked myself if I really believe that God has never stopped working “even when I don’t see it or feel it’.
This happens only when I have been carrying around the reflection of my ‘natural face in the mirror’ and the discouragement that comes with that. This has been one of my biggest and long lasting spiritual battles.
May I share with you a testimony of God speaking into my life through the Sunday teaching and review from the book of James regarding this struggle?
If anyone is a hearer of the word…
I get that. I am a hearer of the word. I am certain that it is my foundation, my revelation, my guidance, my truth of which stems any and all hope. It is the Gospel.
It is the powerful voice of the living and active Almighty God. It is the joy of meeting God again and again and knowing Him as bigger, greater and holier than the moment before.
It is the sword of the Spirit that pierces the division of soul and spirit, light and darkness, good and evil. Yes, I get excited about the Word!
And even when I can see only words on a page, the experiences and reminders of His faithfulness sustain me. Thank You Lord.
If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer…
Yes, I am good on this too. I know how to be a ‘doer’. Obviously I am not perfected but a work in process. Failure and falling and sin often obstructing my path but God’s grace and forgiveness forever lifting me. I am continually learning and growing and trusting that He is leading me into more refinement, more obedience and greater faith.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
Oh yeah, straight A student on this one.
Yes, I do look intently (with great effort, attention, or concentration) into that spiritual mirror and it isn’t very pretty. The debasing adjectives of how I see my reflection then become fodder for the enemy’s accusations and condemnation. My battle becomes not just about overcoming the sin but seeking relief from the emotional turmoil of finding the real truth- that I am a beloved and beautiful child of God.
Then I noticed something I hadn’t seen before. Verse 24 never commands us to look intently at our natural face in the mirror. Though, we are exhorted in scripture to examine ourselves this mirror analogy is of the natural man not responding to what the mirror has reflected as is also the condition of the Spiritual man with no response to what has been revealed in the spiritual.
Not only that but James states in verse 25 that as Christians we have a new a mirror to ‘look into” that produces a hearer who responds and is blessed in his doing!
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
The natural man’s mirror is held by satan’s hand and can reflect only the darkness.
The mirror of grace God holds for us reflects His son. I am a born again new creation and the law of liberty in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. This is where I look to find my true reflection.
[2Co 3:17NKJV] 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The discouragement may still come with the desire not yet fulfilled to know His love is flowing in me and through me Yet, may I now see that even this desire is from Him and the transformation from glory to glory is His work. He is teaching me to trust Him, to know Him, to love Him.
So can I sing the song without a pause? Yes, because all He has asked me to do (v 25) is look to Him and ‘persevere’. (abiding, remaining in) The rest He will do even if I can’t see or feel it because He is the miracle worker!
Prayer:
Father, Help us whose thoughts are in bondage to the natural man’s reflection be set free to walk in the glorious liberty of the children of God for Your Glory and purpose.
Thank you Jesus for your fulfillment in proclaiming this liberty and coming to bring our rescue and release. In Your Mighty Name, Amen