Sunday, May 15, 2011

Jesus!

If I could wake up every morning and have the name of Jesus on my lips before anything else, how would it change my life?

 Would it change my life?  I think so.  

I have come to realize that every time I am struggling, every time I am an emotional wreck, it's because I have taken my eyes off of God.  When I am anxious about finances, it's because I am depending on my husband to provide for us, not God.  When I can't figure out to do with my future plans, it's because I am trying to figure them out on my own.  When my kids are driving my crazy and I just don't know how to handle them, it's because I am depending on my knowledge, or lack thereof, to be a good parent.  When I am frustrated with the bad food choices I made and can't understand why I do the same stupid things over and over, it's because I have taken my eyes off of God.  When I am angry at myself for making the same mistake AGAIN, it'd because I've forgotten that I can't do it on my own.

I know our society rewards self-sufficiency.  The more independent you are, the more value you have.  Where did we get this crazy idea?  God gave us people--families, communities, churches--so that we could support one another.  Somehow we think that we know better than Him?  For that matter, other cultures are still very interdependent upon one another.  They may not achieve like we do, but at least they enjoy their lives together.  We destroy relationships and step all over others to climb to the top, but what is really up there?  It seems that perhaps there's just a lot of loneliness.  How fun is it to celebrate success by yourself?

Even if we don't have family or friends that we depend on, what about God?  Do we really think we can do better without Him?  He is all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere.  Do we really think that in our finite little lives, somehow we can surpass what God can do?  It sounds stupid to even iterate such nonsense, yet so many of us live like this exactly every day.  I know I do.

In my stubborn. little mind, I forget that I cannot do things on my own.  So I strive and fail again and again.  I try again and just end up frustrated.  I give up and then feel guilty.  Why can't  I simply remember that I wasn't made to do it alone?  God not only saved me from certain death, but He filled me with His own Spirit to guide me through every step I make each day.  He gave me the same power that raised Him from the dead!  Why wouldn't I want to tap into that every morning and use that to live successfully?  If I could simply surrender control of my life to Jesus every day, I could life my life to the fullest, knowing that I was walking in Christ's power and direction, His best for me.

So, if I can teach myself to wake up every morning with Jesus on my lips, what difference will it make?  I do believe it will make all the difference in the world!


No comments:

Post a Comment