As women, aren't we good at covering up our wounded souls? Why do we desire to look so good to everyone around us, when the One who knows our every thought (past, present, and future) is the only one who matters? In this past week my conviction has been heavy. I have been absent from Gods Word in a meaningful way for far too long. And I have become aware of the laundry list of things that I have been placing before my precious time with Him.
But, God is so Faithful! This weekend was one of those times when God was hitting me over the head time and time again with the same message from His word delivered to me through many different people and sources! Stop laboring in vain and ground yourself back in the Truth! So here is how God spoke to my heart through His Living Word today...
I began with a word of prayer, asking God to direct me and to focus my mind. I tend to begin reading and in my mind pops, "go switch the laundry...you should clean the bathroom quick...whats for dinner...go eat something...that picture frame is tilted the wrong way on the window." I need to ask God to help me be still. I then began with my daily devotional written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and the message was titled" How?" Here I read Romans 8:28 "We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." She then explains that the answer to the question; How? lies in the next verse. We read in Romans 8:29 "those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son."
I immediately began to feel uplifted by this verse. It is always powerful to think that we are being conformed to be like Jesus! Nancy had me thinking about the cross and the implications for those who suffer the vilest consequences of life in a fallen world. And then she reminds me that the God who allowed His Son to suffer a painful, wrongful and heinous death not only knew this was going to happen, but masterminded the whole story of redemption. Why? He did this to fulfill His perfect and loving plan for each of us. He is the one who knows our pain and sufferings and closely monitors every trial that we must endure. What is the good news in this?
Nothing we ever do and Nothing that could ever be done to us could ever thwart or derail the Fathers loving plan for our life!!! This is a big and powerful Truth! Nothing and Nobody can change the plan that God has already set in motion for your life. He will complete the work He has started in you. We are becoming what we already are in Christ...and Nothing can stop it! This truth just echos to me over and over again...TRUST HIM!
The bottom of the devotional then led me to read Ecclesiastes 3:11 which says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." I read through verse 15 and found the message of Romans repeated again in a beautiful way. Verses 12-14 say, "I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil- this is God's gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it."
In verse 12 the words nothing better (in bold above) is the author's major application in his repeated advice and command to be content with what God has ordained for one's life. Now, my sin issue was being revealed to me clearly. The root of my bitterness has been a heart of discontentment. I am striving to "do" everything to put into order my surroundings thinking that it will bring contentment to my soul. In Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 you read, " There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from Him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?" Solomon is observing here that even the common pleasures of life and work are from God. I am discontent because I am seeking to control my surroundings rather than finding my joy in Christ who then in return brings me joy in the tasks of my life. I had it backwards once again.
When I work and labor for myself or busy myself away from God there can be no pleasure in it. I actually find myself becoming more negative and bitter. For even the pleasure that comes from organizing and cleaning and doing well with Oliver's school must come from God. I need to labor for Him or it is all in vain! I am reminded in the footnotes of my bible that the ability to enjoy earthly labor comes not from stoic human strength, but from God-given grace.
In conclusion, God revealed to me again today that all the toil of earthly labor by itself will leave me discontent and always wanting more; it leaves the soul empty. So I am going to be asking myself these questions that were displayed on the screen of a "Renew Your Soul" convention that I attended on Saturday.
Examine Yourself...Does the Influence, Individual or Relationship (in my case the work or task)
Draw me closer to God?
Help me to glorify God?
Pull me away from God?
Make me doubt who God is?
or Prevent me from enjoying who God is?
Most importantly asking myself, "Have you spent time alone with God today?" As my husband says to my son, "If you don't carry your sword (the Word of God) with you wherever you go, how will you fight against Satan?" I need His words on my heart everyday so that in my earthly labor I can set my mind on the things above and find joy in my work...because God gives us the joy...it is His gift to us!
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