In the Middle of Our Mess

(Romans 8:5-11)

Axiom 4: God meets us in our messy reality.

God doesn't despise the sinner. He desires to be with the sinner, to heal and forgive and save the sinner.

The God who is love, who is always present and at work, who looks just like Jesus, always meets us right where we really are, in the middle of whatever mess we find ourselves in.

Three Questions dealing with Axiom 4:

1. What do we mean by 'messy?'

2. Why don't I allow God into my messy reality?

3. How do I allow/invite God into my messy reality?

1. What do we mean by 'messy?'

2. Why don't I allow God into my messy reality?

• We hide our brokenness. 

• We conceal our mess with hypocrisy.

• We overlook our mess with spiritual bypassing.

3. How do I allow/invite God into my messy reality?

• Attune to reality.

• Accept God meeting you right here in the mess.

• God loves the actual you, mess included.

Romans 8:5-11

5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

• God delights in meeting you where you are–even in your messy life.

What if my reality is really messy?

• Acknowledge the truth.

• Name the bad stuff.

• Face the bad stuff.

Romans 8:26-27

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:27 (The Kingdom New Testament)

And the Searcher of Hearts knows what the spirit is thinking, because the spirit pleads for God’s people according to God’s will.