Another winter break from school is almost over. The kids have been home for a week. We’ve done a lot of the fun things you’re supposed to do when the kids are on vacations. You know the ones -- eating fast food, renting movies, ice skating and endless sleepovers. It’s been a good week and I think we’ve all had fun.
Yet, I woke up this morning and found myself in a familiar state of mind. A negative one. This one usually appears around the middle of August (summer vacation soon to end) or at the end of any extended period of time when I’ve not been a slave to a schedule. What is it? Maybe you’re familiar with it too. It’s the “you’ve done nothing of any substance for all these days,” “you haven’t gotten anything done” or “I need to get back on a schedule” mentality.
It’s not easy being Type-A. Always feeling like I have to do something to be satisfied. Or purposeful. Or the biggie- useful. When will I learn for good that there is no value in that theology?
Thankfully, I’ve been doing a study with some women at church on spiritual warfare. I’m becoming much more aware of how the enemy messes with me and tries to get me off track. Surely this is an area where he’s had success before. Thinking that I’m more valuable to both God and others if I’m doing something worthwhile. If I’m serving. If I’m giving. If I’m going out of my way for someone else.
Don’t get me wrong – they are all good things and we should be doing them. But do we have to in order to get God’s approval? I will answer a confident and rousing “NO WAY” to that question, yet how many times do I live like that’s what I believe?
Interestingly enough, the thoughts (accusations) came this morning during my prayer time. Here I was telling God how great I think He is and thanking Him for all the blessings in front of me and then the darkness creeps in. The good news is that I recognized it right away and sent the enemy packing. But it makes me wonder if there are any of you out there who struggle with the same stuff. If the enemy comes to you and whispers you are lazy, not good enough, not striving enough, not BUSY enough to please God. In essence, this implies that God is hard to please. Another “NOT TRUE.”
I decided I needed a refresher in what God thinks of all this. What He thinks of me. What He requires of me. And what He doesn’t. So, I opened my Bible to Ephesians. (Always a good strategy when confusion sets in.) Check out these paraphrased truths:
- He chose us in Him
- We are holy and blameless in His sight
- We are adopted as His sons and daughters
- We have grace, freely given
- We are included in Christ
- He has great love for us
- We are marked with the Holy Spirit
- We are God’s possession
- We have a glorious inheritance
- He has made us alive in Christ
- Though far away we were brought near to Him
Do any of those have verbs attached to our names? Do we do anything to earn what we mean to Him? Of course not.
Let me point out one more important and powerful verse to you. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8-9
Oh my word. Right there in black and white (and some in red for me!). The truth according to God. So familiar in regard to salvation, but so distant in the throes of daily life. How do we miss it? Why do we go back to thinking there’s something we can and should do to earn God’s favor? I’ve got good news – we don’t have to!
Steven Curtis Chapman gets it – read the chorus from his song “Definition of Me”:
“It is your love that defines me, your love that reminds me
it’s not what I do. This life I live you have given and in you I am hidden.
This is what I know is true – that the definition of me is you.”
When and if you are confronted with negative, untrue accusations about what you should be doing…remind yourself of the truths you know. First in Scripture, then maybe through songs, books, friends, whatever and whomever points you to God’s truth about you and primarily about Him. We must guard our hearts from the counterfeit message the enemy casts our way and don’t buy it.
Remember, what’s more important to God is not what you do, but who you are becoming. Become more like Him today. Rest in the fact that you are important to Him simply because He says so! Remember, it’s your choice which voice you listen to. As for me, I’m going to take a load off and go enjoy this day without a to-do list!
Yet, I woke up this morning and found myself in a familiar state of mind. A negative one. This one usually appears around the middle of August (summer vacation soon to end) or at the end of any extended period of time when I’ve not been a slave to a schedule. What is it? Maybe you’re familiar with it too. It’s the “you’ve done nothing of any substance for all these days,” “you haven’t gotten anything done” or “I need to get back on a schedule” mentality.
It’s not easy being Type-A. Always feeling like I have to do something to be satisfied. Or purposeful. Or the biggie- useful. When will I learn for good that there is no value in that theology?
Thankfully, I’ve been doing a study with some women at church on spiritual warfare. I’m becoming much more aware of how the enemy messes with me and tries to get me off track. Surely this is an area where he’s had success before. Thinking that I’m more valuable to both God and others if I’m doing something worthwhile. If I’m serving. If I’m giving. If I’m going out of my way for someone else.
Don’t get me wrong – they are all good things and we should be doing them. But do we have to in order to get God’s approval? I will answer a confident and rousing “NO WAY” to that question, yet how many times do I live like that’s what I believe?
Interestingly enough, the thoughts (accusations) came this morning during my prayer time. Here I was telling God how great I think He is and thanking Him for all the blessings in front of me and then the darkness creeps in. The good news is that I recognized it right away and sent the enemy packing. But it makes me wonder if there are any of you out there who struggle with the same stuff. If the enemy comes to you and whispers you are lazy, not good enough, not striving enough, not BUSY enough to please God. In essence, this implies that God is hard to please. Another “NOT TRUE.”
I decided I needed a refresher in what God thinks of all this. What He thinks of me. What He requires of me. And what He doesn’t. So, I opened my Bible to Ephesians. (Always a good strategy when confusion sets in.) Check out these paraphrased truths:
- He chose us in Him
- We are holy and blameless in His sight
- We are adopted as His sons and daughters
- We have grace, freely given
- We are included in Christ
- He has great love for us
- We are marked with the Holy Spirit
- We are God’s possession
- We have a glorious inheritance
- He has made us alive in Christ
- Though far away we were brought near to Him
Do any of those have verbs attached to our names? Do we do anything to earn what we mean to Him? Of course not.
Let me point out one more important and powerful verse to you. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8-9
Oh my word. Right there in black and white (and some in red for me!). The truth according to God. So familiar in regard to salvation, but so distant in the throes of daily life. How do we miss it? Why do we go back to thinking there’s something we can and should do to earn God’s favor? I’ve got good news – we don’t have to!
Steven Curtis Chapman gets it – read the chorus from his song “Definition of Me”:
“It is your love that defines me, your love that reminds me
it’s not what I do. This life I live you have given and in you I am hidden.
This is what I know is true – that the definition of me is you.”
When and if you are confronted with negative, untrue accusations about what you should be doing…remind yourself of the truths you know. First in Scripture, then maybe through songs, books, friends, whatever and whomever points you to God’s truth about you and primarily about Him. We must guard our hearts from the counterfeit message the enemy casts our way and don’t buy it.
Remember, what’s more important to God is not what you do, but who you are becoming. Become more like Him today. Rest in the fact that you are important to Him simply because He says so! Remember, it’s your choice which voice you listen to. As for me, I’m going to take a load off and go enjoy this day without a to-do list!
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