How many times have we heard sayings like "try your best and let God do the rest?" or "try harder". From the beginning we are encouraged to walk (and how many of us were told "well done good girl?") How many of us grew up with attaching being "good" with our behaviour? And then we wonder why we have a performance based attitude with God.
Today I weighed in for my weekly "check in" and the results were down 1 lb. Ok, so I didnt reach my weekly goal, but when I was measured, the staff at Curves (after they measured me)were so excited: "way to go, well done" and they even said "good girl". It kind of made me laugh, as I was wondering what would they have said if I had gotten bigger? The whole time I was thinking about "but I have done my best this week". Then I go into a big debate with myself (well, did I REALLY do my best? Maybe I should have worked out one more time, or maybe I shouldnt have eaten that one cookie, or maybe I should have said no to eating out with the leadership from church)and on and on I went.
Then quietly, I heard these words repeated to me (this sheep has hard hearing apparently; as the Shepherd needs to keep saying the same message over and over) "Jacqueline, who are you doing this for? Who should be handling this burden? Are you okay with the one pound loss? Who has the results in His hand? Stop striving, keep doing your part,but leave the results up to me"; and more importantly, "use this time to get to know me better."
In the Bible there is this tension (if you really want to call it that); for we are called to rest and abide; and to be willing vessels tapped into the vine for our source of life. AND yet, we are called to: go, do, be, stop, put on, put off, speak, teach, train, work etc ...
This thought has been on my mind quite abit the last few days, and last night I was explaining to someone that when we keep trying to do things on our own (and out of our own abilities), it is like asking the vaccum to work without being plugged into "the source". It is hard work, lots of striving and with little lasting results. Does that make sense?
When I meet with people, I often use the illustration of the heater in my office. If the heater is not plugged in, can I really expect the results to be that my office will warm up?
Jesus says to us, "For I am the vine and you are the branches, remain in me and I will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. For apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:1-5 (taken from New Living Translation but not in sequential order).
Well, I hope I gave you something to think about. Have a great weekend resting and abiding in the Vine, for He loves you 100%!!
That's all for now, Til next time.
Jacqueline
2 comments:
Love your blogs, Jackie - lots of food for thought!
Excellent thoughts and illustrations Thanks Jackie. Keep on growing (I just realized that could be a pun but you know what I mean - growing in grace and maturity)
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