Lean on God

Self Reliance- A false and misleading assumption that one can make it through life by their own will and desire relying on no one for help.  But we can not make it on our own will, we don’t have the endurance or ability and here is a little secret, we were never meant to rely on ourselves alone!  We were meant to surrender completely to God and rely on HIM!  He alone knows what we need and is faithful to provide when we need it. 

Today as I began my run I struggled with the heat and the headwind.  I was frustrated and I asked God why I couldn’t catch a break.  His response opened my eyes…

When we think we are strong we forge a path on our own will.  Our strength will carry us for a short while but it is not sustainable.  Like the headwind I faced, God will allow life to push back, to weaken us as we fight the very blessing meant to carry us.  When we rely on self there is no need for God in our lives, but God doesn’t leave us, He begins to work on us and presses in on us to show us the limits of our own strength.  Finally when we have fought long enough that we are completely depleted of our own abilities and we realize we need to turn back around the same “wind” that brought us to our knees will now carry us home!  If we truly want to be blessed in this life we must let go of self and trust God.  When we are not willing to let Him have control we fight against the blessings in our life without even realizing it!

Too often we find ourselves impatient to wait on the Lord, thinking we know how to get through what we are going through but the blessing in the struggle is that we can let God carry us.  We don't fight our battles alone unless we are unwilling to let God provide the way.  It's so hard to let go, I am a control freak and God continuously teaches me about letting go.  The amazing thing is that the more I let go the more peace I experience even when things are really rough.  I have come a long way in releasing my burdens and I still have a very long way to go, but little by little I see that the "wind" I am fighting against is meant to carry me if I will just change direction and go the route God had planned.  The enemy will even try to confuse us and make us think certain battles aren't meant to be surrendered but if it is a weight you carry you can be sure that God wants it, He wants to take it from you!

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  

We are precious, we are His and when we give our hearts to Him we can be sure that every detail of our lives matter to God.  Everything we do can and should be an act of worship, and that means that letting things burden us and distract us are things we need to surrender so we can focus on what God is trying to teach us.  I think that this for me is the biggest faith test, letting go and trusting God completely in all things.  It sounds funny when I say that out loud because God created the Heavens and the Earth, He created you, me, everyone and yet by not giving my burdens to Him I am basically saying I know better how to handle the things I face! THAT IS CRAZY!  I am thankful that God continues to work on my heart, to change me.  The things He has asked me to give up have benefited me and the things He has told me should be the most important have blessed me.  I don't feel deprived as a Christian, I don't feel left out, like I am missing the party!  Quite the opposite, I feel like I am finally living, that my life has so much purpose now! Everything has deeper purpose and meaning when you do it to serve the Lord.  I love my husband more, I strive to be a better mom, I hope to be a good friend, I pray to be a bold leader and a soul winner.  Those are ways I can serve God in my daily life and they make getting out of bed each day even more worth it! God alone is meant to be who we rely on and He is faithful to provide!

"Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls.
Possessions can fill our houses but never our hearts.
Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love.
Children can fill our days but never our identities.
Jesus wants us to know only He can fill us and truly satisfy us." ~Lysa Terkeurst (Made to Crave)