Keep Your “WHY” in Life Fresh
This topic is relevant to everyone, whether it be a regular church-goer, a famous Christian artist/author/speaker, or even a pastor.
And it’s something I have had to face up to lately… with myself.
God has something to say about this topic, in Revelation 2:2-5:
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, & that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles & are not, & have found them liars; & you have persevered & have patience, & have labored for My name’s sake & have not become weary. Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent & do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly & remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” (emphasis mine)
Don’t Leave Your First Love
You see, it’s easy to get into the routine of serving Him… & doing so until it becomes just a routine.
I have to make the continual choice to choose Him & His kingdom first.
This means no running on autopilot… no “finding what works” & just sticking to that.
This means getting fresh direction & guidance from God, through maintaining regular reading of His Word & talking to Him (prayer), willing to let Him interrupt your current track for His plan.
His Great Love for Me (& You)
When I designed & launched this website several years ago now, I was coming out of a pretty dark time in my life, consumed by bitterness & stress that I didn’t know how to manage. And seeing Him grow me through such dark pain really reignited my trust in & love for Him, seeing that when I had nothing, I had everything with Him.
He was my strength & wisdom & hope when I had none to muster from within myself.
He loved me first. He was my first love. His love & care sparked my own love for & trust in Him… & out of that came this website.
What God Wants
But I have to be careful, because my heart is prone to wander.
I get wrapped up in distractions, I find a new normal that works & stick to it… & I begin to rely on my routines & habits & distractions rather than on Him.
It is true that God tells us to live righteously, to live according to His laws… but that doesn’t save me. Jesus saved me.
God sees my heart… my motivations. He knows what drives me.
He is not looking for just good behavior, but continual love for & obedience to Him.
And while I have been running this blog with a heart of obedience, praying for His guidance & help when I get stuck… I have also felt my heart begin to harden.
My Wandering Heart
I have begun to choose ME a little more often.
I have heard His gentle whisper on my heart & ignored it for my way… for comfort… for ease.
I have heard Him nudging me gently with conviction to turn back to Him… & I made choices to keep going anyway.
Satan is so subtle & I am so quick to listen to him tell me the lie that ignoring God is the easier, better route… not in outright sins, but in small ways of creating a pattern of shutting out God’s voice for my own.
He Is Our VINE
And I have noticed the result of shutting out His loving nudges for my comfort/ease. Choosing me over God makes me more vulnerable to Satan’s attacks, when Satan exploits my weaknesses.
I am more easily triggered by my past traumas. I am more prone to being short-tempered or easily offended. I get hurt more easily because I am feeling more insecure. I fill up with anxiety & feel the tempting pulls of depression nipping at my heels. Instead of peace, I feel uprooted & drifting, full of uncertainty.
These are the results of me trying to do life MY way & without God’s help. He is my Counselor & Friend. He is my Healer, my Father, my Redeemer. He alone has perfect wisdom & Truth.
And when I reject Him, even little by little in small decisions, I am literally removing myself as a branch from my life-nourishing, life-giving Vine.
He feeds my soul. He gives me life.
That’s why He DEMANDS my obedience… because without living His way & His Truth, I am pulling away from my true source of LIFE. I am hurting myself.
Don’t Fluff Up Sin–Call It Out & Turn from It!
Oh how it must pain Him to see me stubbornly pull away when all He wants to do is fill where I lack, lift me up, & love me with His Truth.
I have a rebellious & stubborn heart, prone to wander, prone to choose me over God’s ways a million times until I have exhausted myself & cry out to God for help. That’s me. & I’m not proud of it.
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, & stubbornness is as iniquity & idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected thee from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:23) (Ouch.)
And when I started the “Seeking Him” study by Nancy Leigh DeMoss & Tim Grissom, where it has you catalog all your “dirty laundry” mistakes & hard-heartedness, I felt attacked, wanting to donate the book & just move on with my life. I felt despair that although I answered all of the questions, I felt the reared-up tension of not wanting to change, of wanting MY way. I didn’t feel shame or remorse, I felt angry & protective over it.
Even KNOWING it was for my GOOD!
Break Up That Fallow Ground!
And then I read the last page of today’s work page, finishing up Week 1 of the study, & it directed me to Hosea 10:12-13:
“Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes & rains righteousness on you.
You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way….” (emphasis mine)
Wow, if this doesn’t just get right to the point, huh? I DID. I HAVE been trusting my own way… & I AM seeing negative consequences as a result!
Let’s Break It Down
And today’s lesson then led me through this list, encouraging me to turn from that “trusting my own way” to GOD’S WAY (summary):
1-Return to righteousness & obey God
2-Accept God’s mercy & forgive others
3-Allow God to plow up your hardened heart
4-Grieve over your sins
5-Ponder the consequences of disobedience you’re experiencing
6-Accept responsibility for those consequences
7-Seek God & His kingdom as priority
So today, I start by admitting to you & God where my heart has been rebellious, taking responsibility for my wrong actions & for the consequences of quick frustration, anxiousness, & hard-heartedness I am experiencing.
Today, I want to change. I want God to revive my heart & bring me back to my love for Him as my “First Love.”
I Want HIM–Jesus Christ as #1
I want HIM to guide my steps, even if that means skipping tv, videos, or game-playing when He prods my heart to do so even if for a reason unbeknownst to me.
I want HIM to guide my steps, even if that means not caving at the first sign of a terrible food decision.
I want HIM to guide my steps, even if that means feeling uncomfortable speaking Truth & Hope into a situation where I would usually keep quiet because I want to be liked.
I need this fallow ground of my HARD HEART to be broken up & I need to RETURN to my First Love.
It’s Time to Desire Revival
God gave everything for me, for us. He made me knowing He would also have to save me. He is so faithful & patient & kind while I am prone to wander & ignore Him.
It’s time for revival.
Are you with me? —Even on our “good days”, there always seems to be that little something we want to hold back from God… what is that in your life?
Pray about it & ask for God to show you… Ask for revival in your heart. Ask Him to revive & renew a steadfast spirit within you (Psalm 51:10), one that seeks His kingdom first & acknowledges Him in ALL things (Matthew 6:33).
To love the LORD you God with all of your heart & all of your mind & all of your soul & all of your strength (Mark 12:30-31), having no other “gods” before Him (Exodus 20:3).
HE is the way, the Truth, & the Life (John 14:6). He is our True VINE (John 15:5).
He is a life-giver, Sustainer, Healer, Friend, Awesome God, Almighty in Power & Wisdom & Strength. He is the One true King. He is GOD.
Thank You JESUS, for saving me! (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8; John 3:16)
Shine Hope by letting God break up your fallow ground (packed down, hardened heart) & asking Him to renew a fresh love for Him as your highest priority & love in life.
Coming Next Week
Join me every Monday morning, EST, for more encouragement.
As God grows me, may it encourage you to seek Him & know Him & love Him more every day.
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A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for THREE years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3
If you would like to learn more of my story, check out the “About Me” tab. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” tab, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
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Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Luminous Studs (North Asia)
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