Giving Thanks Instead of Getting It

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The words are familiar:

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus”

These awesome, inspiring words impact how we live our everyday lives. As a result of these words, as ask ourselves what Jesus would do. We stop before making decisions and consider first if it is right or wrong in the sight of God.

And we try to live in a way that pleases God.

What comes next, though?

The rest of the verse reads:

“giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

That’s not what we generally expect when we’ve done something well. After living in the image of Christ, sharing the gifts He’s given us, and even in the small things always choosing righteously, we would expect to receive thanks.

However, Scriptures tells us that as we do everything (Everything!) in the name of the Lord, we’re to give Him thanks. In our upside-down world, that sounds backwards:

-Thanks, Jesus, that I’m doing all this work and denying myself sinful desires to please you?

-Thank you Jesus that I’ve made my whole life about you and serving you?

-Thanks Jesus for encouraging me to sacrifice everything and give a ton up so that you can be glorified?

Indeed, these seemingly backwards “thanks” are correct. It seems crazy to give thanks for something that you do and that is a cost to you at times. However, giving thanks to God is actually what’s best for us. Praising Him is what we are made for. 

Our joy is so closely connected to our gratitude because the two work together to bring life into perspective. Like the lens in our eyes, we use gratitude to bring all that we see into focus. For example, if we do all to the glory of God but do so with giving thanks to Him for that blessed opportunity, we see our glory-giving as way of building up our worth or of improving our own fortunes.

To do all to the glory of God and give thanks at the same time, we recognize that it is only by the grace of God that we get to do what we were designed to in the first place: glorify Him.   

Too often we twist our glorifying God into a way of receiving glory for ourselves. Remember that the words we long to hear in eternity from the Lord (with our sinful right to self cast aside) are not "thanks for that" but "In you I am well-pleased." 

This post is being shared on: #TestimonyTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, Intentionally Pursuing,Titus2sday, and Thought-Provoking Thursday.

Grace Isn’t Just for Mistakes

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When I clean out the pantry, or the closet, or the basement, it’s a mess. Everything has to come out, in total chaos, to be sorted through and then put back in order. 

It feels like the Lord has been doing that in my life lately.

He’s been taking out all the tidied up stuff and making a mess –so that He can put it back in right order. This has been chaotic, but a blessing.

In the meantime- here’s my brain:

www.claimcare.net

That’s not how it usually looks. I’m a neat-freak with my thoughts too. But that’s how I keep things in order. 

And I love order.

So the whole God-making-a-mess-to-clean-it-up-better thing has been….troubling.

I can’t remember which day that major event happened on. I can’t recall if I paid her back. She told me about a difficulty that I did pray for then, but today I can’t remember what all that was about to ask how it’s going.

No one is dying because I can’t remember these things. I’ve found ways to figure out the answers. But the disorder makes me feel like I’m failing. So I find myself praying for grace.

And that’s weird.

I’m praying for grace in stuff that I’m not making mistakes in. That aren’t sin. Because it isn’t sin to have something slip the mind or to have to look something up. Yet grace is needed, and not just for me.

Grace is needed in many situations, not just after you’ve messed up.

We need grace because of how we’re made: imperfect. Flawed. Limited. Insufficient.

You and I know this. We sense it because when we feel that our circumstances are plaguing us or our efforts aren’t enough, we call for grace. We ask God to be gracious with us because we aren’t worthy and we aren’t able. Yet God’s grace was sufficient for Paul in His weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

What about in yours?

Romans 11:6 also hints alludes to the nature of grace: “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”

Isn’t that wonderful?

We get to: “Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Not just when we mess up or make mistakes. The Lord knows we need His grace all throughout times of need –and success, joy, change, challenge….

Think on this: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect” (1 Corinthians 15:10). That’s why grave is about more than covering up sin: it’s about His transforming us and being in relationship to our limited, flawed persons.

The famous verse “draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8)? That comes right after we’re told that God opposes the proud and favors the humble. Those words come after these: God “gives us more grace.”

Grace. Grace. Grace.

Allowing room for imperfection, humbly recognizing weakness, accepting who we are and submitting to His will that we might transform in His power….all a part of living in His grace.

Come to think of it...when I clean out a closet and have to make a mess in the process, there is a grace period. A full 30 minutes or so in which the chaos is perfectly acceptable because it's necessary and helpful. 

Are you dwelling in grace amidst your own disorder and chaos today?

This post is being shared on: #TestimonyTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, Intentionally Pursuing,Titus2sday, Woman to Woman Wednesday, Women with Intention, andTellHisStory.

Rest Vs. Laziness

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There was a time in my life when I was so busy and involved that I slept (if I was lucky) about 4 hours a night. I scheduled out my small meals and often ate while doing something else. Time with friends usually had to be productive, or else I’d leave as soon as the event ended (if not sooner.)

Although there were several reasons for my overdoing it all the time, one stands out: I was afraid of being lazy.

Scripture supported that idea:

“The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.” –Proverbs 21:25

Just one problem: even God rested. Even God commands that we rest. When we take on too much (even if we mean well) we end doing a ton, but not doing any of it very well.

This, too, displeases the Lord –“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10.)

So what’s the difference between rest and laziness?

1. Rest is Ultimately Productive

"Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.” Exodus 34:21

That’s a command concerning the Sabbath day. The principle also applies more broadly. God’s instruction about labor –even labor for Him during a busy and fruitful season- includes the need for time to rest.

Productivity and rest are proven to go hand-in-hand instead of to work against each other. Taking the time to rest appropriately allows you to be more productive and effective for His work.

The Lord’s command to “never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically” also does not contradict His commands about using time wisely or about taking time to rest (Romans 12:11.)

2. Rest is God-Focused

As Charles Spurgeon has said “God gave us sleep to remind us we are not him.” When you give up on sleep, relaxation, and other times of rest, it may seem like you’re being selfless.

But, you’re not. You’re trying to take on more than the Lord has given you (because He does not tempt us nor tell us to harm ourselves!) To try to take over for God and do too much, we get prideful, controlling, and focused on accomplishments in this world.

Believe it or not, in that process, we also became lazy. We become lazy to trust, lazy about time spent with God or with those we love, and lazy about keeping ourselves diligently focused on His will.

Our ambitions then drive us into the sluggard’s dilemma: “A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied” Proverbs 13:4

Choose to be God’s focused: “for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10.) Get it? Godly work involves Godly rest.

3. Rest is Based on Wisdom

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Imagine if a runner is lazy. Never arriving at the finish line, the runner might give up because they “don’t feel up to it today.”

The upright –who are not lazy according to God- are those who run with self-control. “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway” (Proverbs 15:19.)

Their path is clear: keep God’s commands to rest, to be still, to take the time to do things well. Do what is asked of you responsibly instead of trying to prove yourself by running extra races that ultimately lead to things other than eternal life pleasing Christ.

Rest was designed by God, it is a necessity. Laziness is a corruption of God’s intentions for rest. It’s selfish, it’s based on folly and feelings, and laziness does nothing to contribute to your work for the Lord. Rest does.

 Know the difference, live it, and pay attention to the Lord’s leading, for:

“The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."-Exodus 33:14

That’s not a gift to forsake. 

This post is being shared on: #TestimonyTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, Intentionally Pursuing,Titus2sday, Esther Girl, Thought-Provoking Thursday, and Faith-Filled Friday.

Our Hidden Faults

"The desires of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it." --Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest.

www.english-heritage.org.uk

Have you ever had a moment –a terrible moment- when you realize that something that you thought you were SO right about and SO good in was actually really selfish or sinful?

An argument with your spouse, in which you took the high road, for example. Days later, as your loved one is doing penance, you realize how bitter and power-hungry your heart has been since winning the fight. Or, you’ve gone out of your way to encourage and uplift someone, and you’re reaping praise. But, in your heart, it’s not about loving the other person, it’s about looking good.

Been there. And does the Lord know it!

In Psalm 19:12, we find David praying “But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.”

That’s right before He prays in verse 13: “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.”

We’re reminded of several truths in these simple verses:

• ·         Sin is a condition we’re born into.
• ·         Sin can be, and often is, willful.
• ·         Sin can also be sneaky –we don’t always choose it outright but we’re attracted to it anyway and our hearts can be corrupted by it without us even trying to rebel on purpose against God.
• ·         Sin needs forgiveness, and we can’t earn that! There are sins we’re not even aware of that need forgiving.

There are a lot of sins that are hidden even from ourselves - often they are ones committed deeply within our hearts that have no apparent or direct bearing on the surrounding world. Some of these sins can’t even be found out by introspection. But the Lord knows them.

We belong to a Lord and creator who knows everything, even hidden things that we don’t know about ourselves.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind…” Jeremiah 17:9-10

God’s Word has a lot to say about things that are hidden and what God does with them:

• ·         “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12:14
• ·         "But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.” –Luke 12:2
• ·         “…wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.” – 1 Corinthians 4:5

That sounds scary, doesn’t it? If we’re honest with ourselves, especially after one of those moments of “oh Lord! My heart is SO corrupt!,” we know that by ourselves we’re bound up in sin and wickedness.

How is that even when we’re trying avoid sin and cautiously following the path of the Lord that our hearts and still stray so far from Him?

We can’t come up with anything truly good by ourselves, or do anything out of pure, selfless, unconditional love…apart from God.  Likewise, we can never grasp the depth of our sins, how egregious our ways are before God, or how corrupt our hearts are.

Don’t be surprised when you discover a sin in your heart that you didn’t select consciously. Don’t be shocked to discover that you’ve hidden your own selfish intentions from yourself. Even moreso –don’t be taken aback when the Lord reveals your hidden faults to you.  

Pray a prayer like David’s. Examine your own heart: what sins have you committed? What have you hidden from others, yourself, and the Lord? Confess and repent. Your hope is in Christ and His mercy, not how effectively you yourself handle the sins you’ve already committed.  

Then, go farther. Ask for the Lord to forgive even the evil in your heart you don’t know about.

Because here’s what happens when you ask the Lord to forgive even your hidden faults:

• ·         You surrender some of the deepest parts of yourself to Him, His mercy, and His good purposes.
• ·         The deep-rooted sins that even you don’t recognize are at work against the Spirit of God. Acknowledge that to live in the Spirit and be free in Christ, you have to rely on Him to do work in you that even you don’t understand.
• ·         You are humbled and cleansed for His glory: “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” –Psalm 19:14
• ·         Instead of worrying about the Lord knowing your faults and you making up for them, you can go boldly and eagerly before Him: Christ has reconciled you to God.

Fix your eyes on Jesus rather than trying to make up for the messes you’ve already made. What He illuminates He also cleanses and handles righteously. 

Why Being “Like Jesus” Is Risky (It’s Not What You Think)

We do a lot for the sake of being “like” Jesus. Attempting to be more Godly, to follow His perfect example, and to please our Lord, a lot of us make sacrifices, sign up for ministries, and take action.

Countless sermons and slogans warn us: it’s risky to be like Jesus. Scripture says it. In 1 John 3:13, we read that we shouldn’t be surprised when the world hates us for loving Christ.

The ruler of this world (Satan) is still the enemy of God and still eager to attack. Our culture and many of its followers are opposed to the Gospel. So, yeah, when you try to be like Jesus, you’re taking a risk. And you’re probably well aware of it.

But what about the internal risk?

What about the threats mustered up in your heart when you try to be more like Him?

1. There’s the Risk of Spiritual Pride

“Imitate God” Ephesians 5:1 proclaims. This verse doesn’t say be God. Or supersede God. Or take on as your own what is only God’s. The verse reminds us of Jesus’s words “follow me” repeated over and over.

We have trouble with imitation. Far too often we choose to follow and copy “Christian things” until we believe we’ve learned the way. From there, we’re quick to head off on our own, leading our own tour of being Christ-like. Why? Control. Pride.

2. There’s the Risk of Doing Good Wrongly

You can be like Jesus in your actions -giving to the poor and spending time with fellow sinners- and do it all wrongly. Just “do good” with the intention of personal gain. Try “being like Jesus” without relying on Jesus.

People may think you’re a great Christian, and you might consider yourself successful, but watch out. The appearance of godliness doesn’t mean you’re grounded in Christ or being used as His instrument. And if you’re not, Scripture says to avoid you (2 Timothy 3:5). You might be dressing up as the Lamb of God while devouring His flock as a wolf.

3. There’s the Risk of Diminishing Jesus to be More Like You

When we feel that a goal is unattainable, our first thought is rarely prayer, reliance, and submission to the one whose power is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Instead, we’re likely to simply alter the goal.

If your goal is to be like Jesus and you’re finding that it’s too hard, too risky, and too demanding, you might just alter your perception of Jesus to be a little more human and a little less Godly.

4. There’s the Risk of Missing the Point

Focusing on the how and the what of being like Jesus can easily distract from the “why.” To live like Jesus isn’t enough by itself. It won’t justify you before the Lord, it won’t make you a better person, and it probably won’t make your life any easier.

But to abide in the Lord, surrendering yourself to Him so that He can work through you –that’s the call of the Christian life. It’s Christ in your stead that justifies you before God. Christ in your heart and mind does more change your behaviors: be transformed in the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). That is –go to the Lord to know His will, present your life to the Lord as sacrifice that He then uses for His good purposes, for His glory.

Get first things first. He lives. He lives in you (Galatians 2:20)! Follow His example, but do it by sticking close to Him in every moment, choice, thought, and action.