We Want to Want It

For those of us who want to live a life that is pleasing to God, many of us have struggled being faithful. In other words, we may feel a struggle to be consistent in our faithfulness of living for God. (I know I do!)

I want to do right by God, but I am often torn between laziness/selfishness/rebellion &/or a guilted strain that feels I just can’t measure up.

(*To clarify, we do not want to live a life that pleases God out of duty or necessity (aka trying to earn salvation) but because we yearn to live this way out of gratitude to our Redeemer & so we long to honor Him with our lives.)

Either/Or, Or Nothing…?

But, we often fall into the trap of unintentional legalism, like we are earning God’s favor in return for our salvation from Hell by doing good works for Him. (*Hint: no amount of good works will ever undo the wrong you have already done & will do—only accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf can accomplish that!)

We either strive to be good enough, never missing a day of quiet time, feeling strained by a need to be good enough for God… OR, we avoid it because we feel our constantly failed efforts and/or lack of genuine joy in doing it will displease God (& it makes us feel bad about ourselves—which makes it easier to avoid it altogether!)

Either of those above options are wrong, just so we’re clear!

We should not be straining ourselves in order to try to earn our place in Heaven & “buy back” our salvation.

We also should not give up just because we feel we’re not consistent enough or joyful enough in our attempts.

The Deceiver Who Never Quits

One of the biggest lies that Satan uses in American culture, in my opinion, is that if we do not feel genuine joy in doing something for God, we just shouldn’t do it, because it’s “fake” & since we know God knows it’s fake, we feel guilt carrying on that way, so we stop.

But listen to this—God accepts every effort we put forth & our efforts do not determine whether God thinks we’re “good enough.”

ALSO, listen to this—God offers us HIS power, wisdom, & strength to carry out whatever He asks of us—that INCLUDES living in a way that pleases Him!

Wow!

God Provides Where We Lack

So, God isn’t waiting around for us to live “good” enough to earn His favor & His salvation & He also doesn’t expect us to even BE “good enough” to live for Him through our OWN strength, wisdom, & power.

He is sufficient!

Fake It ’til You Make It

So, why did I title this post “Fake It Til You Make It-Growing in Faithfulness”?

Does this mean I am implying that we should not strive to have a genuine heart of joy to live a life that please God? No way!

BUT, we don’t have to wait until we are feeling sincere enough before we begin striving to please God.

That’s where the “faking it” concept comes from—even if we don’t feel genuine in our joy to live for God, we should strive to do it anyway, simply because we know it pleases Him.

Love As an Action, Not a Feeling

Just like when you have a spouse or friends or other family—you don’t live in a way that serves, supports, & loves them ONLY when you feel like you WANT to or when you feel PURE joy in doing so. You serve, support, & love your friends & family because love loves, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

But don’t despair. Don’t stop there. Don’t be content to drudge through service to God. Pray about it!

Pray for a Changed Heart

Our hearts are naturally rebellious & stubborn & selfish… & God gets that fact! But He also has the power to change your perspective & soften your heart toward Him.

So, don’t be shy in asking for His help. He’s got the power to change you from the inside out.

So, ask Him for a heart softened by His love & an inner joy for serving Him. Ask Him to change your perspective to not serve from a place of duty or burden, but from an outpouring of His own love for you.

And then, do it anyway.

Tell God, “God, you know I WANT to please You, but I feel SO STUBBORN & Hard-Hearted toward You! Please forgive me & change my heart to see the joy that comes from living a life for You. Pour Your love into me & change me from the inside out. Help give me the clarity of mind, Your strength, Your power, & Your Wisdom to live in a way that honors You & glorifies You & pleases You, because I can’t do it well on my own! Soften my stubborn heart & incline my spirit toward Your love. Help me serve You well through YOUR power & strength. I love You, but I want to love You more. AMEN.”

Now, the words don’t have to match those exactly. You know your heart & your holdups, so just be honest with Him. Pour out your heart & thoughts to Him, & trust His power to help you overcome your limitations. He. Is. ABLE.

Walk in Faith–Just Start Somewhere

So, just start. Even if you just start by committing to read ONE PAGE of your Bible each day & just pray alone for only FIVE MINUTES every day, start somewhere & ask God to grow you in your willingness more each day, week, & year.

I personally had never read through the whole Bible, even after being saved at age five. (Think of all the years I missed out!) Then, I started praying against my limitations & my misperceptions & I just started somewhere.

The first read-through of the Bible for me was finished December 2017 & took me 1.5+ years to complete (because I kept missing days & then giving up when I got behind).

The second read through for me was started January 1, 2018 & completed just recently, on December 31, 2018! Sure, I missed some days, but I gave myself grace for my mistakes & leaned into God’s power when I didn’t “feel like it.” He prevailed against my headaches, sick days, busy days, distractions, & my rebellious/stubborn days!

Progress, Not Perfection = Growth

Remember my post from a couple weeks ago about “Not Perfection, But Progress”? That’s what it’s about–Progress! (*Check out that post, here.)

You see, “fake it until you make it” here means that even if the circumstances or the condition of your heart are not ideal or perfectly genuine, we do it anyway.

We do it anyway for two reasons—ONE, even in less than ideal conditions & even when our heart isn’t “feeling it”, we still will benefit with every bit of effort we put into getting to know our Savior more! Even the little, teeny, weeny, tiny, itty, bitty bits of growth… Guess what? Still growth!

And TWO, when we don’t “feel like it”, God has the power to help us overcome those negative feelings which threaten to keep us from growth & that threaten to keep us from living a life that pleases Him. (Don’t you dare let Satan prevail in those moments, when we know for sure that God is infinitely more powerful & promises to be waiting to help us overcome! Let God win that!)

Just Start & Pray for Strength to Overcome

So, JUST DO IT!

It’s worth it.

Striving to live a life that pleases God honors Him. It grows you closer to Him. And it builds faithfulness to God in your own life—not through your own willpower, but through God’s INFINITE POWER.

SO, JUST. DO. IT!!

I promise you won’t regret it.

Shine HOPE, Lovely. Wherever you’re at in life right now, SHINE HOPE—through God’s power, not your own.

Love you!

Through Christ alone….

Coming Next Week

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A Note from Michelle:

If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

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Weekly Special Spotlight:

Each week, I will feature an item that is changing lives. These pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Truth Earrings

These incredibly light earrings are made with genuine local capiz shell.

Artisan Information:

In the Philippines, finding employment as a woman in poverty can be extremely difficult. Poor working conditions, lack of job security, & unfair pay are often the realities. Through your purchase, these women are receiving an income, health care, & social development programs. This allows these women to realize their potential & pursue their dreams in a safe environment. You have the opportunity to change lives!

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