Faithful to the Work

There are times when we begin to question the things that we do and the calls God places on our lives. We get into a routine. We go to work or to school, we play sports or hit the gym, we're involved in our communities, we are dedicated to our ministries; all things that are great. But I found myself recently asking the Lord,

"God, is this what you want me to be doing? I feel like I'm doing all these things and none of them well. I feel like I'm failing. I know you have called me to ministry and you have placed me at this place in my life but is this what you want?"

I was really discouraged and on the verge of tears. I was frustrated but more hurtful to me was I felt that I was letting my Savior down. I told a friend of mine what was on my heart and the advice they gave really blessed my heart.

All we need is a little bit of faith and God will do the rest.

We don't have to be dynamic people or extraordinary. We just have to be faithful to God. In my devotional time this week I read "Individual Discouragement and Personal Growth" in My Utmost for His Highest. It gave the example of the Lord calling Moses to be the savior for the people of Israel while they were enslaved in Egypt. Moses heart at first was on fire to bring justice to his people as seen in Exodus 2:11-12. But right after this he flees Egypt and lives in the desert for 40 years. He gets discouraged and when God finally comes to him to tell him to deliver his people Moses gave God the side-eye. Lol.

When we throw ourselves into our work we think we know all the answers and that we can make it work on our own. Moses' time in the wilderness taught him, "Who am I Lord?" He realized he couldn't do it by himself. He realized that he needed God. He needed to be in stride with God. We become so dependent on ourselves and when things don't go right we question God.

God was telling me I've called you here, trust me to complete the work in you and thru you. Faith is easy in theory but difficult in practice. This is when God grows you. When your forced to trust Him.

Moses may have given God the side-eye but he still trusted Him and did the work. When we begin to question our call or when God first calls us we have to examine ourselves. Say yes Lord, throw away your self-righteousness, clothe yourself in oneness with the Savior and then be faithful to the work.

All That Matters To Me

All that matters me is what you see when

You look at me
All that matters to me is how you feel when
You think of me
No more distractions my one affection
Is only you my Jesus now….
You’re all that matters*

When I was younger I worried so much about what others thought. All of my worth was bound up in other peoples opinions. My self-esteem and self-worth hit rock bottom when I was 19 and I couldn't take it anymore, I wanted it all to end. During that time of total and utter self-hate the Lord showed me that my worth is found in His eyes. When you look into the Father's eyes all you is love shining down at you. No matter what you do or what you look like to God you are beautiful. Worth dying for.

We will always be tempted to measure ourselves against the world but your worth isn't measured in worldly measurements because we can't measure pricelessness. Only God can.

All that matters to me is who and what He sees when He looks at me and that should be all that matters to you too. 

* Lyrics by Anthony Evans, Undisguised 2009

The Power of Prayer

Matthew 7:7-11
 

⁷"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  ⁹"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 

Over the last few months I have seen the Lord move in a mighty way all because of one simple thing, I asked Him to. The Lord wants us to ask. His Word says ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and God will open the door and invite you in. I'm NOT talking about facetious prayers; I'm talking about asking for the Lord to rain down His blessings, asking the Lord to shower you with His grace and mercy. Petitioning Him for strength when you feel totally used up and can't seem to take another step. Asking Him to take residence in your heart and transform you from the inside out. Saying Lord use me for your honor and glory. Going to Him for forgiveness. Thanking Him for being Creator of the universe and for His continued faithfulness even when we have been unfaithful.

God is an Almighty God who thinks it not robbery to listen to our prayers. My God wants us to come to Him. He loves when we pour out our heart to Him. The last couple of weeks I have been worked to the bone and I was (still am) exhausted. I would get up in the morning tired and I went to bed the same. But everyday as I spent time in prayer God would give me the strength to get through my day and He reminded me of those little things, like breathing, walking, seeing, that we take for granted. If He saw fit to wake me up every morning could He not get me through the day? Could He not work in my situation? Could He not renew and transform me? Could He not make everything alright even though I couldn't see how? Absolutely!

When we ask God to carry us through He is good to His Word. If we don't give our own a stone when they ask for bread why would our Lord and Savior, lover of our souls, and Redeemer of all creation give us any less then what we ask for? In fact he gives us more!

Talk to God once in a while and see how the power of praying to the Living God changes your life.