To Do or Not To Do

"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing."

Romans 7:18-19

The biggest challenge I seem to have is going against what my natural self wants to do.  I can create "To-Do" lists all day long, but when it comes down to completing that list, I suffer trying to finish.  I become discouraged and overwhelmed.  I really want to get my life on track, but it seems sometimes that the more I try, the harder it is. 

The thing is, I know that once I push through all the natural forces that hold me back, I feel amazing that I persevered and that I overcame instead of being overcome.  How do I push through, though? 

The first step is to equip myself by spending time in God's Word. Without His guidance, encouragement, and wisdom I wouldn't have the motivation or nutrition I need to push through.  The next step is to go against every natural force.  Get up when I want to lay down.  Prepare when I want to procrastinate.  Complete a task when I want to put it off another day.  Do whatever it takes.   In the words of Nike: just do it.  I need to just do and not try to think so much.  Finally, I need to throw off the guilt that tries to hinder forward movement because I will fail; I will have setbacks, but if I keep going, if I keep standing up after every fall, then eventually my legs will be strong enough to finish the race.  In other words, if I keep on keeping on, I will get my life on track.  I will complete my "To Do" list.  I will finish this race we call life.

My Best

"Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come to your inheritance. " 

--Colossians 3:23-24 (MSG)

Doing my best. Working from the heart. Trusting in a reward from God, not from men.  These would be three ways to live more simply and more intentionally.  Why must I make life more complicated?

A balanced life is a peaceful life.  I struggle with deadlines, because I'm a procrastinator, and with wanting to do more than what God has called me to do.  I struggle with wanting to fix things and people and with forcing my dreams to become realities.  I know, though, in all these struggles there are good intentions.  However, my good intentions are meaningless if I'm not doing my best, working from the heart, and trusting God.

Life moves quickly if our focus isn't on what God has purposed for our lives.  I know I want a more simplified, a more joy-filled, a slower-paced, and a more beautiful life.  What a reward that would be!  I vow, then, to do my best and work from the heart from this day forward.  I may fail, I may have setbacks, but I'm never going to lose my focus.  My eyes are forever fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of my faith.

Time to Dig some Trenches

God never ceases to amaze me.  I love how He finds a way to speak to me whether it's through a movie, a book, a devotion, a person, a song, a stranger, His Word (of course), or any other form of medium.  My favorite way, I think, is when He speaks to me through me. 

I was teaching today about the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18.  Elijah called on the Lord to consume the altar, which had been drenched in water.  As I was teaching, words came out of my mouth that I hadn't plan on saying--words that were wise and powerful and directly for me from God. 

I was explaining to my students the kind of faith Elijah had because he had dug trenches before calling on the Lord to consume the altar with fire.  Elijah knew he would drench the altar with enough water to fill those trenches and he knew that God would consume the altar with fire.  I'm not sure if Elijah knew the Lord would also lick up the water in the trenches (I think God always likes to add a little extra flare); regardless, he believed God would answer when he called upon Him.

As I was teaching this story, God spoke through me to me about how I need to do more than just believe He will answer my prayers.  I need to "dig my trenches" or in the case of the above excerpt from Facing the Giants, I need to "prepare my fields."  It's not enough to believe God answers prayers, because He most certainly does, it's about living in such a way that shows confidence God answers prayers.  For example, if I pray for healing for an ailment but not live as if God has answered that prayer and just wait around for Him to, then I'm not preparing my fields.  I've got to know that not only will God answer prayer, but He will also answer in a remarkable way. 

I resolve today to live in such a way that shows that the Almighty God has already answered the prayers I have called out to Him; so that when the answers come, then I can experience the glory of them and give the glory right back to God.

A New Sun Rises

Confession: I've seen Les Misérables twice now since it came out just under two weeks ago.  I had seen it live two times as well several, several years ago.  The lyrics of this musical are intoxicating.  The story is heart-gripping.  The theme is inspiring. 

I think what captured my attention the most and why I had to see it again is the idea we all want more out of the life we are living, yet our past entangles us.  We all search for who we are because we were are is not where we dreamed we would be.  I believe we all have bigger dreams.  We all want to be better off than what we are.  We all need a savior.

I know I desire a new beginning, a second chance.  I wake up with the hope of the sunrise.  It is there, but it doesn't take long for the dark clouds to cover and for me to fall back into old habits.  Surrender and calling out to my Savior are the only ways the light returns.  New hope reignites. 

I know I may never cross off everything on my "To-Do" list, I may never organize that one catch-all area, I may never wake up at 5:00 a.m. to exercise, I may never drink 8 glasses of water a day, I may never publish a book, I may never fly to Greece, I may never fully give to others as I'd like, I may never get out of debt, I may never be able to correct the wrongs I've done, and I know I may never marry.  Yet, the sun rises and brings with it a new day. 

Like Fantine, I, too, have dreamed a dream; and even though I'm not living every dream and I seem to tangle myself back up in my past, in my failures, in my sin, I know that my God has bigger, brighter and more beautiful plans than I have dreams.  I look forward to the rising sun and the new day to begin.

"The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises."

Ecclesiastes 1:5

His Holy Vessel

His Holy Vessel

 

 

I am a holy vessel

 

Ambitiously glued together
my nicks and holes
mark the toasts to imperfections
and the “not good enoughs”

 

I am a holy vessel

 

Alone, I sit distinctively on the shelf
cracked and faded
pushed to the back corners
where the hands of light cannot reach

 

I am a holy vessel

 

Wonderfully and fearfully made
by the one Creator
Whose Light can stretch
to the darkest of forgotten corners

 

I am a holy vessel

 

Viewed by the world
as just another cup
but seen by the Divine God
as a Chalice of Gold

I am a holy vessel

 

Captured from the shelf
by the Majestic King
Who holds me up to the heavens
delicately with His fingertips

 

I am a holy vessel

 

A worthy and precious one
topped with a crown a beauty
and opened to gather the Living Water
Who fills and overflows

I am a holy vessel.

RePURPOSEd

Tonight, I needed something to store my rolls of contact paper that I use on craft projects.  It was late.  I was too tired to even think of going out to search for something; so, I, instead, scrounged around my house to find something that I could repurpose.  I came upon, ironically in my craft room, this wire basket that was being used as a wastebasket. Perfect!  I thought.  I didn't have to spend any money, I didn't have to try to make something work because this just worked, and I didn't have to look any further than my own home.  I bet I have a ton of stuff that I could repurpose into items that I need.

So this got me thinking about how my life is with God.  He sees me--my talents, abilities, personality, intelligence--and He knows my purpose.  I like to think God repurposes me.  My work isn't complete just because I fulfilled a calling.  I believe God continues to call us according to His good purpose.  It's not a one time deal.  Just because I was called to be a "wastebasket" once, doesn't mean I won't be called to be used as a "storage unit" for another time.  I feel very much God is repurposing me at the present; perhaps, He is doing the same for you.  Let's allow Him to repurpose us for He can make beauty instead of ashes if we would just trust Him with our lives.

"...and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 61:3

Hope in the New Year

I love a new year.  I love the feeling of new beginnings and the idea of looking forward into bright horizons.  I think, though, what I love most is that many people, Christians and non-Christians alike, experience the inspiration of hope.  Hope seems alive and vibrant and refreshed when a new year begins.  Hope is the feeling of a second chance, of wanting change and feeling the motivation to do it, and hope is seeing the future like a shiny package waiting to be opened. Hope in Christ, though, is the most spectacular gift we have and should ever desire for the new year.  Living without Him isn't really living at all.  May you discover the everlasting Light of Hope in Christ Jesus our Lord this new year and truly live a blessed inspiring life. 


³¹ 

"...but those who hope in the Lord 
 will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

    they will walk and not be faint."

-Isaiah 40:31