Ladies, the daily reading today is quite profound! I urge you to take the time to read it.
I wonder how many of us are on trial, I think we all are. My grandmother used to always say to me, if you were on trial for being a Christian, would you be found guilty? Sadly, most of us would not be. Do we act one way around some people and then act another way around others? Sadly, some of us do. What we do here on earth is supposed to represent what God has done for us. What He continues to do for us. Us, those that are undeserving of His goodness, grace, mercy and love.
How much of our daily lives is doing something uplifting or encouraging or even nice?
Do we have an unapproachable nature about us?
Do we walk around with a nasty look on our face?
Do we say hi to people that maybe get under our skin, or do we avoid them?
Do we walk around smiling or scouring?
You may wonder how any of that matters. It does!!!
If we walk around grumpy, then how is anyone seeing God at work in our lives?
If we walk around quiet, then His joy must be overflowing in us?
If we walk around never speaking to people, we must not want to share His goodness with others.
If we walk around all frowned up, then His grace and mercy in our lives must not be good enough.
Those very things are things I myself had to wake up and deal with. I am shy to a certain extent and I wasn't opening up and being a friendly approachable person. It wasn't or isn't, that I didn't want to be involved, I felt that I didn't belong. I really have received God's mercy, love and joy in my life. However, my life's choices made me embarrassed to express how God was able to show me all of that. I am still not proud of some of my choices, but I am not ashamed to talk about it and share how God has taken care of me. I don't go around broadcasting my story, but I am not ever ashamed to sit or stand and tell others how God transformed me and showed some much grace. Which ironically enough, my Grandma's real name is Grace. My Grandma is gone now, she died last year in November, but she was an intricate part of my faith. She did whatever she could for others, she truly wanted to be a servant to God and I hope that I can do half as much as she did.
When you are feeling inadequate or nervous, whisper to God and say, "I really want to ____________, but I am feeling ___________." He will nudge you and if you take that step and don't be ashamed of Him, He will be with you each step of your new journey. Life is exciting when you are full of His peace, love, and joy. I feel renewed, and ready to conquer things for Him. Our life is not our own, it is not about what others want or what we want, it is about making sure that we are on the right path and living and serving Him.
Are you ready to take on things with a new light in front of you, it will be exciting, if nothing else!
Do you have peace like a river?
Do you have joy like a fountain?
Do you have love like an ocean?
If not, it is time to get it my friends!!! When you have that, it is so easy to serve the Lord.
Much love,
Kari
