- Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
God will never leave us, never forsake us. Ever. Whenever we feel that space between us and God, it is because we moved away from Him. But like the sign I saw in a local store I wonder if I am presently unavailable or persistently unavailable?
Some days are we also too available to the distractions that keep us from our time with God? The phone, email, internet, social networking, chores, a novel or something else? Something sometimes darker and less easy to pull back from like addiction. We have to keep trying.
When we embark on something that challenges us to come closer to God, you know who will try to come between. The devil does not fear anything less than he fears a distracted Christian. We are not praying, we are not fellow-shipping, we are not engaged in our faith and we are no threat to him.
However, that same believer who turns their face back to God, turns their hearts towards Him and the same believer who, even with one single word prays again becomes a HUGE threat. A dangerous person who needs to be distracted and powerless again. When we move back towards God we will be attacked. We will be distracted.
Don't give up. Don't stop praying. Don't stop working at the work God has put before you. Even when it seems like you are taking two steps forward and one step back.
I'm doing the Respect Dare again. Opening up the door to encourage and be encouraged. To respect, even when it is so very hard. And it is sometimes. It is very different this time, and yet some things are not so different.
The devil still wants me to fail. He still distracts me through the places he knows I'm most vulnerable. He will fail. Ultimately. But the small battles I lose to him seem like great victories and losses.
Seeking to be a perfect wife and mother is not my battle. Being okay with being (im)perfect is. While I don't seek perfection, he delights in telling me how I fail anyway. So even though I do not seek it - I'm constantly reminded I wouldn't be worthy even if I did. It crushes me some days. Almost.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 NIV
Oh how that sneaky dark one tries to snare me. No in seeking perfection but in accepting I don't have to pursue it. By showing me I couldn't EVEN IF I WANTED TO!
So I made a decision. I will keep trying. I will keep praying. I will keep failing. I will keep falling down and getting back up. I have put my arms around the (im) and put some space between me and perfect.
How about you? What does the devil try to trip you up with? Can we pray together over it?
You are close enough to perfect for me. Love you
ReplyDeleteI love you!
DeleteWe had a neighbor one time that could have been Martha Stewart's twin, by her actions. My husband would compare me to her a lot. It would frustrate me so bad. I would want to improve on my domestic behavior, but also made me have resentment every time he would say something like "Pam would never do it that way". Recently I found out that her husband had an affair and their marriage is suffering. I did not rejoice in that news, I was sad for her. I even encouraged "The Respect Dare" book to her. It just goes to show you that even when someone is the idea image of a wife, not all husbands are perfect. Life as a whole is a balancing act. God has to be the one helping us hold it all together. Thanks for sharing your weakness and vulnerabilities. When we at least recognize those we can be more aware where the devil will attack us and be on the defense. May God bless you and keep you strong this second time around. Love in Christ, Darla
ReplyDeleteBless you for sharing, and I'm praying for your neighbor. And for your marriage. No one ever is how they look, I grew up in a home where everything looked perfect but inside it was far from it. Our world could be ending but we had to keep up appearances. Thank you for coming by.
DeleteOne secret of success is getting up one more time than you fall down. Just knowing we have an enemy and becoming aware of his tactics makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteWe respect others to honor God. Our opinion that they may not be worthy of our respect should not even be up for argument. The Creator of all there is shows respect for us by not coercing or manipulating us--by giving us free will to follow and obey Him or not. I can respect others especially my husband for such a God as He. You are incredible young women and I love and have a high regard for you.
Hugs,
Mary Paitsel
Mary - thank you for being here and for sharing. Prayers for you!
DeleteThank you :) Gods still working on me ~ accepting others as they are is not as difficult for me as accepting Me for who I am ~Warts and all ~
ReplyDeleteOh I HEAR you! Accepting me is the hardest thing of all, I'm easier on others than I am on me. Maybe self directed grace is what I need to work on next. Bless you for sharing.
DeleteUmmm...have you been spying on me??!! Wow. This week I had made gains in devotional time for two whole days after ...an embarrassingly long time not being in the space with him and then today I meant to and was distracted by a novel and then an unexpected favor for my grandmother...when I returned I began to write...was distracted by old and dark thought patterns...any way...yeah. "even with one single word prays again," this feels hopeful and do-able and I love the lines that you close with, "I have put my arms around the (im) and put some space between me and perfect."
ReplyDeleteThank you Shanyn for writing from your heart and bringing light and strengthening words when you're called. ♥
And that's a "H," for Him...in space with Him. :)
DeleteHannah - so glad you are here, and no I'm not spying on you ;-) He is always there, we just have to move closer again. Praying for you girl, and thanks for coming here.
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