Personal Challenge: I sometimes find the idea of a lifetime of service overwhelming, but a friend once gave me this sage advice, “This is all you need to do to live a life of service: Pray each morning for God to show you what to do that day—just that day—then get up the next morning, and the next morning, and the next morning…with the same prayer on your lips.” This prayer always brings me back to the heart of true service—listening to the whispers of the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart, telling me the path I should follow. So, this week (and in the weeks to come), I am challenging myself to wake up each morning with this simple prayer on my lips.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Focusing on Others (Becoming a Blessing)
Along the way I’ve discovered my selfishness runs deep, often rearing its ugly head, interfering with my desire to live a joyful, others-focused life. One of the most pervasive lies the devil embeds into the fabric of our society is that thinking about me is not only good, it’s essential to abundant living.
This lie has quietly slipped into my life and, at the most inopportune times, it interferes with my joyful journey.
Sadly, this lie is very persistent in spreading its ideal of selfishness. Often without even realizing it, I find myself holding this lie up as a banner, fully convinced that I’m standing up for what is right—defending my rights. The sad truth is I’m only selfishly holding on to my self-centeredness.
Here’s the beautiful truth: Putting God first, then others second, and me third is the recipe for a truly abundant life. When we turn our selfish desires over to God, asking Him to fill us with His love, our lives will be lived out in joyful service.
So join me as I ask God to turn my selfish journey into a joyful journey of selflessness where God is King and I finally discover that by blessing others I can’t help but be abundantly blessed myself.
Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): The best way to be blessed is to be a blessing.
Embracing Joy (Living Love)
Along the way I’ve found that keeping a song of praise in my heart and a kind word continually on my lips profoundly enriches my life.
Around every corner I find a multitude of reasons to praise, and in every situation I discover compelling reasons for kindness. Praise and kindness work in tandem, because while I’m praising God in my heart, it’s virtually impossible to curse from my lips; and a heart filled with the joy of God can’t help but overflows with love for others.
Recently, the truth of Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” has become very real to me. When my heart is joyfully filled with God it leaves little room for the world’s ugliness to taint my thoughts, and when my thoughts are fully focused on God it is very difficult for the words of my mouths or the actions of my hands to be hurtful, hateful, or cause pain to others. The beautiful truth is this: When I have the joy of the Lord in my heart it is difficult for my mouth, hands, feet, or mind to do anything that doesn’t bring Him glory.
When I finally experience this truth full force in my life I will tap directly into God’s strength and unending love—a love that cannot be contained, a love that must be shared.
When I finally experience this truth full force in my life I will tap directly into God’s strength and unending love—a love that cannot be contained, a love that must be shared.
So join me as I fill my life with the joy of the Lord, allowing His strength and unending love to continually surround me, protecting me from my own evil desires.
Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, curses cannot exist in the presence of praises.
Tears into Rejoicing (Messes into Masterpieces)
Along the way I’ve discovered that the mistakes I make can change the course of my life. Often my choices define who I become, but thankfully God is the Great Sculptor, taking the mess I’ve made of my life and shaping it into something new, something transformed by the His delicate touch, something truly beautiful.
I have a choice, I can either allow those mistakes to continue popping up in my life, a repeating pattern of self-destructive actions, or I can turn it over to God. I can allow my past to be a dark stain on my future, seeping from my soul and staining everything I come in contact with, or I can allow God to transform that stain into a masterpiece.
God can take His paintbrush and paint those trials and mistakes right into the painting of my life. I can then look back and see the beauty God made from a sinner like me. My mistakes can become beautiful reminders of God’s amazing grace, a place for me to start when speaking to others, a testimony to the saving power of the Almighty God.
So join me as I ask God to create a masterpiece from the mess of my life—a masterpiece that reflects His glory, allowing God to create a life that is a testament to His love and amazing grace. Join me on this joyful journey as I allow God to transform my tears into rejoicing.
Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): God is creating a masterpiece of my life one day at a time.
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