Thursday, April 03, 2014

What Do You Strive For?

Today marks the end of the Stuck study.  Unfortunately, Caleb is not well enough to be around other kids, so I will miss the last class.  I hate that I will miss it, but grateful to have been a part of the study.  I love this study.  I love everything about it.  What I love most about it is that it is totally me; every part of it.  I have lived my life chasing the wind.  Chasing things that are visible, which only brings temporary joy.  I have put all my time and energy striving for things that did not matter; therefore, sacrificing the things that did.  When I strive for those kinds of things, nothing is ever good enough.  Once I reach that level, I start reaching for the next.  There's never an end.  This study has taught me many things, but the most important thing is that I need to die to myself, and on a daily basis.  I need to put aside my selfish hopes and desires, and start living for what God has planned for my life.  His plan is far greater than what I had planned.  A couple of months ago, we had a guest speaker at MOPS.  She passed out a sheet of paper that had sayings on it.  On the bottom it says, "put God first...everything else is just stuff."  I still have that piece of paper hanging on our organizer.  I look at it almost everyday.  It is a good reminder that the material stuff I strive for is just "stuff".  It will all waste away.  I want to store away treasures in heaven, not treasures in this life.

 In Him we have everything.  In Him we are complete.  Our capacity to experience Him is increasing through His removal of debris and clutter from our hearts.  As our yearning for Him increases, other desires are gradually lessening.  It is impossible for us to have a need that He cannot meet.  The world is still at His beck and call, though it appears otherwise.  Do not be fooled by appearances.  Things that are visible are brief and fleeting, while things that are invisible are everlasting.
Ephesians 3:20; 2 Corinthians 4:18

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