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September 13, 2011

Impressing God

It's strange how our our human minds think. We look at a title like "Impressing God" and think, well, that's impossible so let's not even try. Yet, we spend much of our day trying to impress every one else when in reality that's impossible too. I have spent many days doing things in hopes that various people will notice what I'm doing and congratulate me on my efforts. Instead, many times things go unnoticed or even criticized after I have worked so hard to make them just so. It is extremely frustrating, but it has also allowed God to work in my heart.





To begin with, God has showed me that this is a pride filled life, and maybe, just maybe, all my hard work is criticized or unnoticed to put that pride in it's place! Secondly, God has really been showing me that I need to live my life according to His expectations - not mine OR anyone else's. Then, if I am criticized or unnoticed, I can rest in the fact that I am doing it God's way.





I read an article from the magazine "Home Educating Family." The article was entitled "The New Proverbs 31 Woman" and was written by Mary Hall. It was essentially describing what the world would consider to be the model mom and wife in today's world. The article closed with this:


"If these things exceed all your dreams and desires,
Remember they're more than our Scripture requires.
When we strive to emulate what we are not,
We may impress folks, but we won't impress God.
And what is the point of impressing each other?
Does it minister to our sisters and brothers?
We should do good things, but with right motivation -
With grateful hearts filled with pure adulation!
For God seeks the hearts of those who want to pray,
Who know that they need His forgiveness each day.
Because there's not one of us who can achieve
What our awesome Lord did for us, if we believe."



It is in many ways very liberating to realize that we don't need to impress anyone. We just need to humbly come before God, lay our expectations at His feet, and ask Him to humbly use us to accomplish His expectations for this one day He has blessed us with.

1 comment:

  1. been meaning to read this one for a while and finally had a minute to do it! Good post, and very applicable for me! I know what it feels like to have mental conversations with yourself about how great you did today, and then one comment by someone can tear down all of it! But, like you said, maybe there's a reason that happens! :) thanks for posting, and i hope you are feeling better these days! :)

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