It's not about me.
As a dear friend and I were walking this evening,( even though it was 90+!) we talked about my 'performance thing'. When I shared with her last week on our walk, I was crushed , well at least slightly, that she was not surprised that I have this driving need for applause, approval and attention.
Anyway, today as we talked, she said something so simple and yet so profound.
" Aren't you glad that it's not about you? What a relief that it's all about God and for His glory and pleasure. What pressure it would be if it all depended upon you."
I laughed at the time but in retrospect, she is so right, I could laugh for the rest of my life. Laugh for joy. Why have I always made it about me? How nervous I am. How I will feel in that situation. How I will be able to do THAT.
The words to a song from Saturday night say it all:
'Your grace has set me free.'
Grace versus shame. Shame says that I am defective. Grace says that I am not perfect and never will be. But God extends his grace and covers my sin, my mess ups, my selfishness, with Jesus blood. He makes me effective( as opposed to the defectiveness of shame). He gives me approval and attention and delights in me and sings over me. Not because of what I do, but whose I am, HIS. No performance needed. I rest on Jesus' performance. He said, "It is finished". I can't add to it, nor do I have to.
Yes, His grace has set me free.
Anyway, today as we talked, she said something so simple and yet so profound.
" Aren't you glad that it's not about you? What a relief that it's all about God and for His glory and pleasure. What pressure it would be if it all depended upon you."
I laughed at the time but in retrospect, she is so right, I could laugh for the rest of my life. Laugh for joy. Why have I always made it about me? How nervous I am. How I will feel in that situation. How I will be able to do THAT.
The words to a song from Saturday night say it all:
'Your grace has set me free.'
Grace versus shame. Shame says that I am defective. Grace says that I am not perfect and never will be. But God extends his grace and covers my sin, my mess ups, my selfishness, with Jesus blood. He makes me effective( as opposed to the defectiveness of shame). He gives me approval and attention and delights in me and sings over me. Not because of what I do, but whose I am, HIS. No performance needed. I rest on Jesus' performance. He said, "It is finished". I can't add to it, nor do I have to.
Yes, His grace has set me free.
posted by Mother Mary @ 9:54 PM
1 Comments:
At 10:04 AM,
Anonymous said…
That is a hard lesson to learn isn't it? Our pastor has been trying to get that point across---especially in the music area--people want the kind of music that they like, their taste and don't stop to realize that it isn't about what we like but what pleases God. What does He like?
He likes it when we can worship Him totally . I find it hard sometimes to not be distracted by such things as how loud the music is or some other distraction.
Rosalyn
Post a Comment
<< Home