True Approval

Circumstances in our life may change on a daily basis...some more drastically than others. Just because our life looks completely different does not mean we are not wired the same way. I can often get so wrapped up in the change of my life and change of my routine, that I forget who I was to begin with and who I will always be. There is a fine line. Yes it is very important to go with God's flow and to be flexible to change so that God can grow and mature you. But we must not neglect our core personality. Changing and growing while still remaining true to who God created us to be. He is the Creator and He wired us a certain way for a reason. Nobody can be YOU better than YOU. And if you are not being you, who will? He needs you to be true to you because He will use those core parts of who you are to teach others and He also uses those core things as spiritual gifts for His glory. It takes getting really quiet, unplugging the world and seeking God wholeheartedly to find out and truly know who you are. The chatter-less world. "In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength" Isaiah 30:15

I know for sure that I have always been wired in certain specific ways. I enjoy solitude and quiet time with the Lord. I operate better in small groups or one on one settings, God uses me more fully in these settings. So life get's larger and there are more people around all the time, but I am still who I am. Approved by God Himself to be me, fully unedited me. Having to really know and trust who God says I am is crucial in order to fight off the attacks that come with standing firm in who I am. Just the other night a friend from the ministry had said to be "You know you can do both. You can serve on the love team and the crew team." Sure you CAN do both, does that mean you should? Ask yourself that question. We CAN do a lot of things, pile them all up...does this mean we should? Does this mean God wants us to? Did we even ask Him? When I really stop to ask Him and let His spirit lead, it is amazing how much of the list is cut down to a reasonable size, and the motives behind each task are pure-as they were chosen by God for me to do. My assignments from Him. Quality, not quantity.

Make it your ambition to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own business (affairs) and to do your own job. 1 Thess. 4:11

I was talking to a dear Cali friend yesterday on the phone and she reminded me, that it was up to me to self-care. It would be easy to just let life take over me and keep adding to everything rather than slowing, stopping or taking away. Believe me there is always an opportunity to add more, so it would be easy to just keep adding more. But then I would be a slave to everything but God. It is up to me. I have to force myself to slow down, no one else can do it for me-and the world does not promote or make this slowing down any easier. The challenge of it, makes the obedience that much greater and the fruit of that, that much sweeter. Don't forget who you are. "Why why do you try to be like the rest of them, when you know there's so much more within." I don't want to fit in, I want to stand out for God. Even if that means I have a target on my back. The more we stand-out the more we move into the line of vision and line of fire for judgement. People get uncomfortable when you do not conform to the patterns of this world. Sometimes they resent your BIG dreams. Don't stop dreaming, don't stop being you, keep shining FULLY! "Sometimes a light is so bright, it is condemning. Don't let that stop you from shining!" Don't dim your light just to please people, shine it bright to please GOD. He has your back, so who can truly be against you? Whoever comes up against you would be coming up against God. No thanks. I don't know about you but I wanna be on God's side.

People-pleasing-this is a miserable way to live. Let me tell you, it is impossible to please everyone. Period. But it is possible to please GOD. In fact, all He wants is your faith and love. This pleases HIM 100% People are so fussy, they change their minds with the wind. One minute they love you the next they hate you, and for no apparent reason. You could literally do everything in your power to please them...trying to be "perfect" in their eyes, and still come up short. Still they may turn on you or change their minds or simply leave you. However God will never leave you or forsake you. Sometimes it is a harsh reality and a tough pill to swallow to realize that not one human being will ever be there for you always or even come close to loving you 100%-in the way that only God can. This does not mean that their intentions are not good, but we are human after all. At any given moment our feelings and our humanness could take over-and for that split second maybe someone needs you, but you are not present bc you are following your feelings rather than following God. God can never be unfaithful to us. Even when we are unfaithful to Him, He is faithful. "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful" 2 Tim. 2:13.

"we are not trying to please men, but God who tests our hearts...God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else." 1 Thess. 2:4-5