What Do Our Actions Say?

Some of you, like I would have, will read the title of this post & immediately say to yourself, “Jesus, of course!”

But, do our actions say we trust Jesus? Or morality/religion?

I grew up in the church. I was taught all the right things to do & to say. I knew the stereotypical answer to every question was ‘JESUS.’

And even though I understood at a young age that I did bad things sometimes (like lie or hit my sister), that those actions separated me from God & made Him unhappy… & that Jesus took my punishment on Himself so that I could be forgiven… I still grew up with a sense of morality guiding my actions, versus trusting in God, through Jesus.

What’s Your Motivator?

Have you ever felt condemnation leading your decisions? Like you didn’t want to make God angry when you messed up, so you did ______________ to help you overcome the shame or guilt you felt?

Or, maybe you felt like as long as you tried to make “good” choices, that’s all God really cared about & you went about making your own decisions & leading your own life your own way, as long as you felt like a good person while doing it?

There are often so many ways that this sometimes subconscious morality motivator has permeated the way that we live life.

Subtle… Subconscious… But So True

So often I didn’t even realize that I was letting morality guide my decisions more than I was actually letting GOD lead my life.

Do you do that, too? Can you think of some examples of this in your own life?

God has really been waking me up to the fact that I do this far too often.

I am often subconsciously letting religion/morality guide me rather than a humble surrender to God, through Jesus… rather than a loving trust in a God who loves us SO much & who is also perfectly reliable, trustworthy, wise, powerful, strong, knowledgeable, etc.!

What Jesus Did Was ENOUGH

Jesus already paid my debt. In full. Forever. I have a zero balance to what I owe God (& good thing, too, because I could never even get close to repaying Him).

I don’t owe God anything. Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient.

“BUT WAIT,” you might think to yourself, “that doesn’t justify doing wrong & it doesn’t mean you can just live however you want & dishonor God just because your debt is paid!” Exactly right.

But my hope in this post is to bring to light where our motivations are in living a life that honors God.

Ask Yourself These Questions

1. Are you trying to be good enough for Him?

NO NEED. God loves us so fully & completely that nothing can separate us from it nor diminish it, even at our very absolute worst.

2. Are you trying to earn God’s grace?

NO NEED. Jesus paid the debt we owe for our sinful, selfish choices. PAID IN FULL. As long as we accept Jesus’ sacrificial gift on our behalf & place our trust in Him as our hope (rather than ourselves or our ‘good’ actions), then we’re all set there.

3. Are you exhaustively trying to keep an image of perfection?

NO NEED. We need to be pointing to Jesus as our hope IN our human imperfections & limitations.

Human perfection is unattainable. We ALL struggle. We ALL get it wrong sometimes. We ALL make mistakes. We ALL need grace. We ALL need God’s wisdom, strength, comfort, peace, love, grace, hope, courage, power, help, etc. EVERY DAY.

Our weaknesses… HIS GLORY. Don’t live to prove you have it all together. Live honestly in all your human weakness, pointing to & leaning into God every step of the way. Make it all about what HE can do, rather than what YOU can do.

Don’t Get It Twisted

I want to pause to point out how I HUGELY misunderstood Question 3 above.

I thought that BECAUSE I was a Christian, I SHOULD be able to be perfect.

What I didn’t then realize, was that my NEED for Him does not end at salvation (accepting Jesus’ payment for my sins).

Don’t ever think that when the Bible tells us God has given us all we need in order to follow Him well, that we don’t need HIM for & through it all!

You don’t become God when you become a Christian… you just gain full access to His resources. So, don’t neglect to ask for His help!

A Grateful Trust

Those reasons stated in the questions I listed above are NOT the right motivators to live righteously (righteousness is trying to please God & living the way He says is best, in the Bible).

BUT, if we look at those “NO NEED” reasons I just mentioned & instead are living out of GRATEFUL TRUST in our great, loving God, THEN we’re getting it right.

Do You Trust Morality… Or Jesus?

So, where are your motivations? Will you let yourself be honest with YOU & with God? Do you trust morality… or Jesus?

Are you trying to measure up? Are you trying to earn God’s forgiveness/grace? Are you trying to put on a perfect façade so others think you’re doing a good enough job as a Christian?

Or, are you trusting God’s love for you… trusting Jesus’ grace for you… & pointing to Him as your true source of HOPE?

Ask Him Where You’re Not Sure

And if you, like I did for SO LONG, question whether God really does love you that much or how much exactly you could entrust to God or in being vulnerable in pointing to GOD as your hope… ASK GOD for help in even helping you to trust what God says/knows about it.

My Prayer:

Start there. Bow your heart & say something like:

“God, I believe, somehow I believe… but help my unbelief. Help me trust that You really do love me that much. I don’t see it sometimes… I mess up too much & I was so stubborn & rebellious & self-centered & wise-in-my-own-eyes, not trusting You. I STILL struggle sometimes to trust You over myself as my first instinct. So, help me! And Lord, help me to trust Your GRACE. I don’t have to add to it or deserve it. Grace is, by definition, UNDESERVED… & yet You still, though it be undeserved, gave it & offered it to me. Help me to rest in that… to have peace in Your power to overcome my worst & forgive it all & to help me be better step by step. And help me to not make following You about how good I AM as a follower, but rather how inept & foolish & selfish & weak I am in light of how GREAT & AWESOME & INFINITE & LOVING You are. Help me point to You in every weakness, every insecurity, every fear, every doubt, every worry, every stress, every mistake, every shame… we’re all in this together, all making mistakes… so help me to be real & honest with my journey to others so that they can more clearly see YOU, not me. YOU are the hope I should be pointing to in everything. Help me be okay showing my weakness for Your glory. And help me to lean into You through everything… to seek to please You with my life out of gratitude for Your grace. And help me to TRUST You enough to do life YOUR way & to ask You to guide me in it & to help me through it every step because You know I fail often. So, HELP ME. Thank You that You always make Yourself available to us night or day, any time, anywhere & You never for a moment tire of us nor lack the wisdom, grace, strength, comfort, power, etc. that we seek & request of You. Thank You for being our infinite & gentle, kind, patient, & LOVING God. I love You. Help me to know & love You more every day. AMEN.”

Amen & amen.

Check Your Motivators & Shine HOPE

Shine Hope by trusting His love for you (& asking for His help in trusting it if you don’t trust it), by trusting His grace (Jesus paid it ALL), & by living with your heart on your sleeves… Not trying to be perfect, but pointing to the One who IS—Jesus Christ, our only true & real HOPE. Shine HIM. <3

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 TWO years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3

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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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!!

Mirage Earrings

With just a touch of glimmer these earrings are fun & easy to wear.

Artisan Information:

In Asia, poverty leads many women to being sexually exploited in brothels. These women want to provide for their families but have so few options. Through your purchase, women are being rescued from these brothels & rehabilitated. Holistic care is given to these women, including a shelter, job training, healthcare, counseling, & educational grants for artisans & their children. You can help these women experience restoration for their future!

How You Can Help:

SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!