Finally  by Gary Chapman.

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror…” 1 Corinthians 13.12 What if, regardless of the deep-seated belief that we are not worthy of the love of God, that we have gone too far in sin or been too much of a disappointment to Him; what if the torment of the accuser and the heaviness of self-doubt, the negative things we believe about ourselves (whether self-imposed or heaped upon us) and the things that so easily beset us and keep us imprisoned and afraid could just be wiped away by one glimpse of ourselves in the eyes of our Maker, our own true, most genuine reflection?  What if it could change everything?

I wish my mind wouldn’t argue with my heart

It splits the day apart

Into time well spent and time just thrown away

I wish my heart would please make up my mind

I’m wasting so much time

Gotta catch a glimpse of how it’s gonna be

When finally I look inside Your eyes and see

Reflections of Yourself in me

The way You always said it would be

When finally, I’m loving You like You love me

It happened oh, so easily I looked at You and it came to me  ~ finally

Backstory {mine, anyway}

This song by Gary Chapman was an early-80s hit for T.G. Shepherd and I never thought of it as anything more than a country love song with a great melody – until about a year and a half ago, that is.

I’d read some research disproving what we’d always been told, that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” meaning as we age, we’ve lost brain cells and the ones we have are set like stone.  What a horrible prognosis to believe that whatever we are, have thought and believe based on life’s input so far is just it, as if we are in a trap we can’t escape.

It isn’t true!  I was fascinated to learn that science now proves the neuroplasticity of the brain, meaning our brains are not static.  Our brains can be retrained to catch up to truth.  The neural pathways can grow and be renewed and the grooves and  driven river of thought which has cut defined paths into the landscape of our brains, sometimes taking us down painful passageways again and again,  can be changed and healed and our beliefs and responses can be re-routed.  Our minds and hearts and souls can be healed and set free of negative emotion and erroneous belief.  Science caught up to the Word of God in proving we can, without a doubt, be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12.2), which is incredibly good news!

So, as I pondered the mind-blowing, brain-healing, course-altering, change-potential, joyful-relief possibilities – I came across this YouTube video of Gary Chapman singing.  And the words represented the dilemma so well ~ the battle between our perceived reality and the hope that something can be different and that we are wholly, deeply and totally loved and accepted.  If only we could finally grasp what is the truth of God’s heart towards us, wouldn’t it just alleviate the fear, the battle in our hearts and minds – wouldn’t it just bring relief?

I may or may not have mentioned {quite a few times} that I am reading Staci Eldredge’s Becoming Myself and it reminded me of that revelation and this song when she spoke of having a magnifying mirror that reveals all the things you’d rather not have revealed, but that the truest reflection is what we see in the eyes of Jesus, who He sees us to be.

Because you can just kick back and relax and enjoy the abundant life He came to bring so much more if you know you are everything God created you to be and are doing what He actually created you to do (rather than wrestling and clawing and scratching to try to do or be what you or anyone else thinks) and you just reflect Him like crazy – which is SO the point!

Finally!!!

“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.”              2 Corinthians 3.18 NKJV

Oh man – if we could just believe and receive His love.  Wouldn’t it change everything?

…You’re my harbor in the storm I looked at You and the love in Your heart cut right through to me And my eyes can see ~ finally. -Gary Chapman

My prayer for you today, friends and familia~

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3.18 Yes, may you be able to grasp it all…finally.  Me, too.