I realized that I have not been relying on the grace of God like I should be. See, God's grace is there because we aren't expected to be perfect. I'm not expected to be perfect...
(except by me!)
No matter how much I have been learning about God's grace over the past year, I still find myself striving to get "better", striving to be "less depressed", striving to "be" whoever it is that God wants me to be.
My common question to God is: "Am I ever going to 'get' it right?" I am looking for a destination to "arrive" at. I am seeking an "end point" to my journey. I am looking to fulfill some expectation I have put on myself. I have to strive to be someone other than who I am.
With all my striving and effort placed on changing myself and my behaviors, I have diverted my attention from God to myself. In the moment, I would tell you that I am just trying to be more Christ-like, more in sync with God, trying to line up my will and emotions with God.
My common question to God is: "Am I ever going to 'get' it right?" I am looking for a destination to "arrive" at. I am seeking an "end point" to my journey. I am looking to fulfill some expectation I have put on myself. I have to strive to be someone other than who I am.
With all my striving and effort placed on changing myself and my behaviors, I have diverted my attention from God to myself. In the moment, I would tell you that I am just trying to be more Christ-like, more in sync with God, trying to line up my will and emotions with God.
Talk about a deception!
And THEN I wonder why I fall so hard in defeat and despair and depression! I can't MAKE myself "better". I can't change my behavior, permanently, on my own. But what I can do is:
And THEN I wonder why I fall so hard in defeat and despair and depression! I can't MAKE myself "better". I can't change my behavior, permanently, on my own. But what I can do is:
Cling to Jesus.
Lean on Him.
Seek Him.
Meditate on God's Word.
Worship & praise His holy name.
Confess God's promises in my life.
Declare TRUTH...Jesus.
Get to know TRUTH.
Lean on Him.
Seek Him.
Meditate on God's Word.
Worship & praise His holy name.
Confess God's promises in my life.
Declare TRUTH...Jesus.
Get to know TRUTH.
When my focus is on loving and getting to know Jesus and who HE wants to be for me, the focus is automatically shifted from myself to Him. As I meditate on His truths, HE begins to change me from the inside out.
But
NONE
of
that
can
happen
if
I
...just keep striving...
Soooooooooooo...
you
need
to...
just quit striving...
just quit striving!
But
NONE
of
that
can
happen
if
I
...just keep striving...
Soooooooooooo...
you
need
to...
just quit striving...
just quit striving!