I need to take a moment first to do nothing to thank God for all the He is.
Sweet God, thank you for Your love. Thank you for sending your son to be murdered on a cross for my sins-for things I do knowingly, unknowingly, for things I've done, for things I'll do. Thank you for guiding me and leading me in a way to bring You the ultimate glory. Thank you for being good when I'm not good, thank you for being everlasting even when I bail on you. You are good when there's nothing good in me and I praise your holy and precious name for that. Thank you for holding me in Your hands. For Your glory and for Your kingdom, amen.
Now, to the story. You know when things are just kinda chill? Nothing's real bad, but nothing's real good (at least, in my human, distracted, worldly head). You're just kind of.. coasting. Well, I'm beginning to learn to not get too comfortable in the middle lane. This tends to be where God shakes things up.
So this text. Yeah, didn't see it coming at all. Forreal. God blindsighted me on that one. The person that texted me is the last person that I expected to ever get a text like this from.
We talked a little bit. And she apologized for texting me.. Who is she kidding!
This is my calling. This is my favorite time, ever, when I get to let His words speak rather than my own. This is such a beautiful time when I have no choice but to let Him speak. It's crazy how He uses ME, the joyful sinner, the one that ignores Him, the one that fails Him so much, to shine His light. Like. I can't be trusted with that. I'm not good enough for that, I'm not big enough for that.
And this is where it all ties back to A Heart Like His, the Beth Moore book I'm reading. I just read a part on this yesterday, FELL IN LOVE WITH IT, and I desperately need to be honest about it.
"How do we distinguish between godly humility and low self-esteem? Which did Saul display? One key lies in our focus. A person with godly humility looks to the Master. He or she neither exalts nor denigrates self, because to do either is to make self the center of our universe. When we're really serving Christ, our reputations and abilities simply cease to be so important. We must decrease that He may increase. Saul exhibited the core sin of all self-centered people: he focused on himself. We need to recognize that lack of confidence does not equal humility. In fact, genuinely humble people have enormous confidence because it rests in a great God. Saul's self-centeredness eventually cost him dearly, as a self-focus always does."
A Heart Like His by Beth Moore
So call me Saul. As soon as I got the text, I focused on how I could mess this up. Brenna, you have to say everything perfectly because if you don't, she might get the wrong idea. I showed low self-esteem rather than godly humility because I should have been so reassured that God would speak through me that I would never have to worry about messing things up.
God doesn't mess things up.
That's definitely something I have to work on. Lucky for me, God intervened and spoke through me anyway. He always comes through. He is always faithful, even when I doubt Him. Praise Him for that.
So shine His light with reckless abandon. When we face situations that we might consider scary, we have to rest assured that God will shine and God will get the glory. Fear not, brothers and sisters, because God is with you ALWAYS. He knows what He's doing when you do not. Be reassured to that. Hollaback on that because GOD IS GOOD.
Prayer Time: Dear God, thank you for shining through me. I pray that I become more of a vessel to be used for Your glory. I pray that everything I do would be to Your glory. I pray that You help me and reassure me to come to be more assured in You. God, I know You have the power to save, and I pray that that shine through me in all ways, in all I do. Thank you for being good, even when I doubt you. Thank you for never leaving me, never failing me, never giving up on me. God, Your presence is Heaven to me. I praise You forever. It's in Your name that I pray.
Ephesians 6:10-20-Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:10-20-Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
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