We’re teaching our children not to go the popular route, not to make decisions based on the popular vote or according to a poll of peers. We’re teaching them to think independently — teaching them “But as for me” theology…
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
“But as for me, I will call upon the Lord, and He will save me” (Psalm 55:16).
“But as for me, I will sing of your power; I will sing joyfully of your unfailing love each morning” (Psalm 59:16),
“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7).
Though the world chooses idols, we’re choosing Jesus.
Though it is tempting to put our trust in men, we’re putting our trust in Jesus.
Though it is hard not to give in to depression when reading the headlines, we are delighting in God, because His power is greater.
Though it can be hard not to rush ahead in our own strength out of impatience, we are waiting on the Lord.
What the world says? Nope. What the Bible says? Yep.
Prayer Father, Help us as we strive to be more like Jesus day after day. Give us the strength, the encouragement and help us obey. You are our source. We love you, Lord.
This day – any day – may feel mundane right now. But, one day, our grandchildren and great grandchildren will read history books about our time, and they may even wish they lived in our era to make some kind of difference on the hurting world around us now.
So, let’s not throw a day away by looking at it as inconsequential, especially when we are the central character of our own story – a story that impacts the world around us, sending ripples and waves, in a way that positively affects those around us. We have within us the ability to make a lasting impact through our words, our actions, our attitude and our resources.
My grandma told me that, during WW2, she went door to door with her wagon to collect metal to help support her country. She was 11. She did what she could do to help, even as a kid, which she carried into her adult life as a pillar of her community. She was an amazing example to me of how to positively affect the world around you.
Psalm 139 talks about the value of your life. It says every day was ordained before even one of them came to be. It’s no accident God made you the way you are with the gifts and passions He gave you, in the community He placed you, at this specific time.
We just need to open our hands and ask, “God, Show me your plan for my day. I yield to you. Please give me everything I need to live the life you called me to.”
Here is something beautiful I have learned from something difficult:
When you have gone through a form of rejection, but you turn to God, you come to learn that, no matter how people see you or respond to you, you will always be good, as long as you go to God.
So, instead of living your life – your calling – with reservation, you live it with boldness, knowing that – whether they reject you or not – you are going to be good as long as the Lord is behind it, and that — holding back out of self-consciousness can cause you to lose far more than rejection can.
So, next time you feel led to do something by the Lord — something bolder than you naturally feel comfortable with — move ahead confidently in that, knowing that the worst outcome of putting yourself on the line is rejection, but the best possible outcome is obeying God and fulfilling your calling.
And, when you are willing to get out of your way to go God’s way, there is absolutely no telling the supernatural, unexpected fruit and blessing that can result.
A practical example?
You feel led to share about Jesus with a friend (or even stranger), but you are afraid to because they might think you’re weird or reject you?
Remember that you are making it about you when really it is about obeying God and loving them.
The worst outcome is they shy away from you, but the best outcome is that they receive Jesus, experience healing and joy in their life, and spend eternity with God!
We really have to love people more than we hate the idea of being embarrassed.
When we feel the need to defend ourselves, we puff up like a puffer fish — quills out. But when we learn – really learn and trust — that God is our protector and our vindicator, we can release that pressure, because we are confident that He will work everything out on our behalf. He always does, even when it means rerouting the difficult into something beautiful. (He gives us beauty for ashes.)
When we make Jesus the Lord of our life, we can release our attachments, our pain, and our fear to Him. We are then freed up to focus on doing our part — what He has called us to do as His disciples — love others and shine the light of Christ in the world around us.
For a while, I had to overcome a tendency to become defensive. I had been blamed for some things I had not done, and so I reacted with defensiveness out of fear. I somehow believed that the right outcome depended on the sharpness of my tiny quills. But, somewhere along the way, all of that pressure built up, I got exhausted, got to the end of myself and had to surrender to the Lord — asking Him to work, to have His way, because it was all too much. And, guess what? He worked. He made the tragic into something beautiful. And I saw that He defends and advances me more than I ever could.
I learned that, in my hurt and rejection, I had built up pride as a protection. But after a while, I began to see that this prideful protection was actually protecting me from the good, not just the bad — pride was blocking me from peace and blessing. Ultimately, I learned that surrender is the beginning of God’s amazing work that frees me up to just love and shine.
I admittedly work hard. Hard work is a beautiful attribute I learned from my parents, but I have learned there can be too much of a good thing. There is a tipping point — it’s the law of diminishing returns, because sometimes I begin to get tired doing too many things, and I can sense a temptation to get defensive again. But I also remember, in that moment (usually!), what the Lord has taught me: That He has me. I do not need to puff up to defend myself. He is my defense. And, honestly, sometimes that perceived threat was birthed from my exhaustion. There is far more good coming at me than negative.
And, here’s the deal: Unless we surrender to the Lord, we will be futile. All of our hard work will be futile. If we have bitterness inside, our fruit might even be toxic, because pride does not produce healthy fruit. It actually kills it. Pride is like a weed that chokes out the healthy things that are growing. And, unless we purge our pride, we will be unusable.
Here are some examples of moments our pride can puff up, planting seeds that can cause destruction in our lives and relationships:
— Comparing ourselves to others, whether it be how we look, our jobs, how much money we have, how many people we know — putting ourselves above or below them.
— Getting frustrated because they didn’t do something the way we would do it.
— Getting offended by things people say that we feel does not give us enough credit or clout.
— Making things about us that are really about someone else.
— Not working with or interactiving with someone we feel the Lord connecting us to because we get competitive, thinking they are too much like us.
— Getting jealous of what others have, thinking we deserve it more than we do.
— Getting sucked into or even generating gossip.
And the list goes on.
We can’t always control the thought that pops into our head, but we can control how long it stays there. When those prideful thoughts pop up, ricochet them before those seeds take root.
God’s Word reminds us that we have a choice. We are called to tear down any thought that opposes the Word of God:
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Jesus tells us the greatest commandment He gives us is to love one another. So, if our thoughts are making us prideful, envious, bitter and isolated, you better believe they oppose the Word of God.
He also reminds us, when we begin to feel fear, that fear is not from God:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).
By surrendering to the Lord, making Him the Lord of our life, and asking Him to make us more like Him, we stay humble and usable.
I don’t know about you, but I am not okay with forfeiting my calling, blocking blessing, and isolating myself, so I am asking the Lord to forgive me for my pride, my fear, any cowardice, fear of man, or insecurity so I can stay humble before Him and be used by Him.
If you are trusting Him for the same, I invite you to pray this prayer with me :
[Prayer] Dear Heavenly Father, I confess that my pride, insecurity and fear have at times kept me from you and isolated from community. I repent, Lord. I turn away from pride and ask you to remove any impurity from within me that would keep me from loving others and shining your light. I ask you to have your way in my life that I might be a part of your mighty Kingdom work and live a life worthy of the calling I have received, Father. I thank you for your loving kindness that leads me to repentance so that I can be all you created me to be for your glory. And where I have contributed to ashes, I ask you to create beauty. I ask you to help me produce good fruit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sarah Guldalian 