If I Look To Myself, I'll Crumble.

In less than 15 days, I will hop on a plane to spend a good portion of my summer in Ireland along with others to help serve the churches in Dublin and assist the missionaries over there. It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking as I am hit with the realization that I will spend 2 months in a completely different country with people I don't know very well. As I contemplate the challenges and events that lay ahead, I hear lots of “not-enoughs” as well as "better than so & so"s screaming in my ear. However, I have been reminded a lot lately that the best way to fight the “not-enoughs” and "better than's" is to look at Jesus. When we take the focus off ourselves and where we fall short or where we succeed and instead look at Jesus and who he is, we begin to step out in faith, our hearts become softened toward things and we become more understanding about how God can use our weaknesses and strengths.

  

   When I focus too much on the strengths I have and put myself higher than others, I can hold myself up high for only so long, but eventually I crumble. When I focus too much on where I fall short or how I may have some talent in a certain area but not as much as so and so, I don’t give God room to work and use me the way He wants to. I let my insecurities hold myself back from being who He wants me to be. When I admit how much I need Jesus though and look at him rather than myself, somehow things just start to make more sense and the "not-enoughs" and "better than so & so's" become harder to hear.

   It really is very hard to fight the insecurities and prideful thoughts, I won’t try to convince you otherwise. It can be fought though, by surrendering to God every thought the minute those prideful thoughts, doubts and insecurities creep into your mind. To be honest, I don't always surrender those things the instant they hit my mind, but oh my word, how freeing it is when I do just let go and give God my flaws, gifts, strengths and weaknesses and just let Him use them all the way He wants.

   Is there an area of your life where you find yourself looking more at how you compare rather than Jesus and his finished work on the cross? Write it down, talk through it with God honestly and ask Him to help you focus on Jesus rather than your capabilities or incapabilities.

I hope that this could be encouraging to you today.

Grace and Peace,

Amy