I have been reading this wonderful book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss entitled"Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free."
It has been SO interesting for me to examine my own life in light of the "lies" that she exposes and determine the ones that I have bought into either because of tradition, deception from Satan, or my lack of examining the truth and applying it vs. just accepting the status quo. Well - NO LONGER!
I want to live my life based on the truth of the Word of God - no deception, no tradition, mediocrity. So, I have been testing the lies against my own beliefs. And, I have been challenged in several areas.
Today, I just knew so strongly that I should share one area that God dealt with me so much about! Lie #18 describes the deception that "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO EVERYTHING I'M SUPPOSED TO DO." Woweee - is this something I have struggled with! I have even recently dealt with a lot of facial pain/tension and stress that I can directly relate right back to this LIE! Especially, being a woman, I believe we so easily settle into this one. Who has ever said, "There just aren't enough hours in the day," or "I just can't get it all done," or "I'm overwhelmed - how am I going to get all this done?"
However, I have now learned the GREATEST, GREATEST thing! I love it when God's Word speaks directly to your life and situation...When Jesus Christ was on this earth, He was only given a few short years to accomplish the entire plan that God had placed before His EARTHLY life. And, He summed it up in John 17:4 by stating,
"I have glorified you on the earth; I have finished the work which you gave me to do."
Now...rarely, can I - Melisa - say that I have finished everything I set out to do on any given day. I usually lie down at night, feeling like I left so much undone and feeling pressure mounting for the days to come. But, look again at the verse from John...
"...the work which you gave me to do." [emphasis mine]
THAT'S IT! DO YOU SEE IT?
Ms. DeMoss states it better than I can...
"The frustration comes when I attempt to take on responsibilities that are not on His agenda for me. When I established my own agenda or let others determine the priorities for my life, rather than taking time to discern what it is that God wants me to do, I end up buried under piles of half-finished, poorly done, or never-attempted projects and tasks. I live with guilt, frustration, and haste, rather than enjoying the peaceful, well-ordered life that He intends."
Am I over it? Not yet...am I pursuing to
KILL THE LIE AND LIVE IN TRUTH?
YEP!
Easy...No. Do-able...Yes.
Simply complex!
THAT'S IT! DO YOU SEE IT?
Ms. DeMoss states it better than I can...
"The frustration comes when I attempt to take on responsibilities that are not on His agenda for me. When I established my own agenda or let others determine the priorities for my life, rather than taking time to discern what it is that God wants me to do, I end up buried under piles of half-finished, poorly done, or never-attempted projects and tasks. I live with guilt, frustration, and haste, rather than enjoying the peaceful, well-ordered life that He intends."
Am I over it? Not yet...am I pursuing to
KILL THE LIE AND LIVE IN TRUTH?
YEP!
Easy...No. Do-able...Yes.
Simply complex!
Help me, Lord!
3 comments:
Melisa-thanks for sharing this. Sounds like a book I could benefit from as well!
I needed to hear that tonight! Thanks for sharing, Melisa.
Becky
No coincidence, the chapter we are studying in our Beth Moore book study is about this very same topic. How many times do we try to do the work that God has given to others? And how many times are others disappointed when we say, "no". I'm such a people pleaser. I often guilt myself into doing whatever someone else asks of me just so that they won't be disappointed in me. I'm glad that you wrote about this today. I love it when the Lord is teaching all of us the same thing in our private and corporate study!
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