Insights: Things I'm Learning

..... About Me! :)

Over the past several weeks, I haven't had much time to blog. Between sitting in car rider lines to pick the kids up from activities or to rush them to activities, Mom being without a car, and Bible Studies; there's not been much time to sit down and blog. THAT might be a good thing!

Bible Studies? Plural? YES! I've did one through Proverbs 31 Ministries called "A Confident Heart" by Renee Swope which caused me to trip upon another book that is a mix of Bible Study and well ... weight loss but this is an on going study.  I've signed up with Mary Southerland to receive her weekly studies.  The first one was about 7 weeks called "A Balanced Life" and that led into the second one about "Holiday Blues".  Know what they all have in common?

I live for an audience of One!

Other people do not determine my identity.  Other people do not control my time, money, nor energy.  I'm not working to figure out who I am nor to please people!  I am created for God's purpose and only His purpose!  "No one else's" purpose nor agenda matters!

Circumstances do not define me!  I'm learning (key word is "learning") to separate my identity from the circumstance.  Just because I "fail" at something doesn't make me a failure.  When I have a "monster" mom moment doesn't make me a "bad" mom.

Balance and moderation are keys to health!  Not just physical health, this is a by product to spiritual health.  Prayer and Bible study is a heart who is seeking God's purpose and God's will.  Spending time at Jesus feet, learning what He desires for us brings our lives into perspective.  He doesn't have a long "to do list" for anyone of us. Is there work to be done? Yes! 

One of the books we read for our 40 days of prayer at church is Draw The Circle by Mark Batterson. I'm currently working on The Circle Maker.  One of the phrases that occurs a lot in both books is "Work like it depends on us but pray like it depends on God."  To me, this means there has to be a healthy balance of prayer and work together.  Be careful NOT to jump ahead of God and do things out of His timing, but work releasing we are powerless without Him at our side!

You've heard the old saying "God helps those who helps themselves"? Well, there is spiritual logic to this statement.  For an example.  Let's say you need a job, or want to change jobs.  You pray "LORD, I need a job! Please open up opportunities to me. Lead me to the one You want me to have."  BUT you never put in a job application.  Don't you think it's going to be a little hard for potential employers to contact you?

Now ... there is also some not so good theology in that statement. Because, God helps many a people who aren't capable of helping themselves.  I'm learning though how "Work like it depends on us but pray like it depends on God" AND "God helps those who help themselves" are two phrases that mean the same.  As maturing believers, we have to be open to the idea that maybe we are the answer to our prayer and possibly the answer to another person's prayer.  We are in a living partnership with Jesus Christ, a beautiful marriage.  There are choices to be made, work that needs to be done by us for Him but NOT without Him!  We won't know what our task is until we spend quality time with Him getting to know what His Voice sounds like.