"Do good for Daddy," is a phrase that I have heard countless times in the last thirteen years of my walk with HIM. It is something that I never quite understood why anyone would say, however this past week HE has been working hard on my heart that it's NOT about the amount of GOOD I am doing, if it is with selfish ambition, rather than a TRUE desire to do what is right, because HE has called me to do HIS good works.
Huh??? To put it another way, HE doesn't want me doing HIS good works, because I know it's right, and good, and it will make me "look" good. What I mean to say is, that NOTHING that I am thinking, saying, or doing, should EVER be about "trying" to impress anyone, rather it is to be BUILDING HIS KINGDOM in me and through me, by allowing HIM to teach, lead, and guide me every single step of the way.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves" Philippians 2:3
HE is wanting me to to know that it's not as if though HE'S keep a tally system and I'm earning so many "brownie points" for "Doing good for Daddy." HE is telling me that HE doesn't relentlessly pursue my heart, and mind so that I will "look" good, rather HE relentlessly pursues my heart, and mind so that I will BE HIS light for this broken and fallen world. HE is wanting me to know that it's not about being "right" or "doing right," rather it's about me seeking HIM, and allowing HIM to transform and renew me into RIGHTEOUSNESS as that is when I will be in RIGHT STANDING with HIM.
"The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out." Proverbs 13:9
This morning HE has captured my heart once again and has called me to just be still...... and wait, soak, and rest..... in HIS peaceful presence. To rest in HIS peace filled presence. HE is telling me that when I remember and choose to just sit, quietly, and wait..... for HIS voice, HIS peace, HIS grace, HIS mercy.... when I choose to be still..... that is when I will hear HIS voice, teaching, leading, and guiding me to BE the me, HE created.
"He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
HE is wanting me to know that when I come into HIS presence, I must NOT be boastful or prideful of ALL the good that I have done, as I need to always remember that I, Heather have done NOTHING, rather HE has done everything that is good in my life. HE is reminding me that I didn't just wake up one day and say, "hey I think I'll be a good person today, one who isn't easily offended, who loves everyone, and forgives anyone who hurts me...." um yeah I'm pretty sure I didn't do any of that.
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." Proverbs 11:2
"Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice" Proverbs 13:10
However, in walking so intimately with HIM on a daily basis, and seeking HIM in every situation, that is exactly what my hearts cry has been. So much that lately when someone hurts my feelings, I want so badly to just be able to forgive them right away, but I'm human so sometimes it's not an immediate thing.
Joyce Meyer once said, "you should be so full of forgiveness, that when someone is offending you, you can already forgive them..... before...... then even finish offending you."
Say what now??? Do what now??? Yes, this is it, it's NOT that I am forgiving so that I will "look" good in other peoples eyes, rather I will be in RIGHT STANDING with HIM as I that is when I will become more like HIM, and less like me, the hott mess that the world is making excuses for me to stay. I know this because if you know my story, which most of you do, in our humanness it's easy to say, "well of course you are having a hard time, you've had a hard life, and anyone who has ever suffered as much as you have would understand that. You don't owe anyone ANYTHING, this is your life, and you deserve to be Happy. After all EVERYONE deserves to be happy. So what if your choices, words, thoughts, and actions offend someone, WHO cares it's your life, life it the way you want, and don't worry about how other people will feel. "
"A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them." Proverbs 14:3
"The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day." Isaiah 2:11
I can't tell you how much my heart breaks every single time I read, or hear the news about another pedophile, murderer, cheater, liar, robbery, and even CHRIST followers who condemn those who do not know HIM like they do, and instead of loving choose to judge. My heart breaks because if this world doesn't truly understand and know what HIS unfailing, relentless, unending, unconditional love is really all about, people will be lost, souls will be lost. If we are so content on doing what we "think" is right, instead of doing what is "righteous," then we won't be SHINING HIS light for the last, the least, and the lost. What I mean is, I know what I have been through in my life, and I know what HE has done in me and through me, to FREE me from the bondage and lies that the enemy "tried" to bury deep into my heart, soul, and mind. I know how HE has begun a good work in me to SEE all of HIS good, beyond all the sorrow sadness and pain that I have endured in my life. I know how HE has gifted me HIS wisdom, HIS discernment, and HIS mercy for people who offend, hurt, destroy, kill, lie, and steal. I know in the flesh, I, Heather am human, and I couldn't possibly comprehend how anyone could have compassion for someone who commits such horrific crimes. However, in and through HIS SPIRIT, I am able to SEE the world as HE SEES it, and because of that I am able to do what HE calls me to do, even if in my own "thinking" it doesn't make sense.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8
I can look back on my journey with HIM, and can say that I haven't always had the mentality that HE is doing ALL the work, it's just the willingness of opening my heart for HIM to do the work that I have gotten to the mentality that I have today. I haven't always had a heart for the last, the least, and the lost. So much in fact that as soon as I realized I had a story to tell, I told it that way I wanted to, when I wanted to, and when I told it, I wanted everyone's heart to break, as my story was so incredibly sad. I wanted sympathy, I wanted to "feel" better as I was locked in my own prison without a key. A KEY, THE KEY, of which was revealed to me was HIS TRUE FREEDOM.
When I received my first taste of HIS TRUE FREEDOM I was blown away. I was SHOCKED that anyone would love me enough to relentlessly pursue my heart, and mind so that I would know the TRUTH, HIS TRUTH, so that when the time was right, I would be able to share my story the way HE had always intended it, and because I was no longer hurting, or in pain from my story, I wouldn't be looking for sympathy, rather a HUGE desire would be created deep within me to be encouraging, and inspiring as when I would share my story, HIS story it would be so that they would SEE ALL the good that HE has done in my life, and that because I was HIS FAITHFUL FOLLOWER HE poured HIS blessings and favor ALL over my life.
" Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
Today I am resting, peacefully in HIS peaceful, peace filled presence. I am TRUSTING HIM that no matter what happens to me in my life today, NOTHING can upset HIS perfect peace, as I know that no matter what the outcome is for today, HE has already paved HIS peace filled path for me to walk. Even if that path means the end of my life here in this world and it is time for my eternal life to begin.
At the end of each and every single day, I want to have a clean heart, to know that ALL that I did today, I did because HE poured into me HIS strength, HIS wisdom, HIS discernment, HIS mercy, HIS grace, HIS peace, through HIS perfect unfailing love. I want to be able to lay my head down each and every night acknowledging HIM and ALL the good HE is doing in me and through me. I want to be able to say if I am not given tomorrow that I was HIS FAITHFUL FOLLOWER, I ran the race, I NEVER gave up, I chose to seek HIM daily, and I TRUSTED HIM, I surrendered my selfish ways, and let go of ALL selfish ambition, and chose to seek HIS face so that HE could teach, lead, and guide me through each and every single step of my journey towards wholeness with HIM. I want to be able say that, "LORD I love you, I have loved you for the last thirteen years of my life, and I done what you have called me to do, by being YOUR LIGHT, as YOUR Ambassador, as YOUR living vessel, and shared YOUR TRUTH, and spoke YOUR words, and LIVED the life that YOU LORD have called me to LIVE. I have become the ME YOU have created me to BE. LORD I have surrendered ALL of me, and have said,"anything for you LORD, always." I have let go of my way of doing things LORD, and chose to seek out YOUR will and YOUR ways, by TRUSTING YOU to LIVE out YOUR plans for my life. I have STOPPED doing things because I felt I should do them, and STARTED doing them because my desire to be a close to you as I can possibly get, outweighed any worldly reward, or recognition I could have EVER received. This is ALL because YOU LORD have loved me with an everlasting love, and because of YOUR love, I was able to overcome ALL the ways of this world, and I finished the race in the way that YOU LORD have always intended."
This..... is my hearts plea, my hearts cry....... for when I meet JESUS face to face, and Oh what a glorious day that will be! Holding tight to that image of meeting HIM, so that when the days are long, and life seems unbearable, I will remember that in the end ALL will be made right, ALL of my tears will be wiped away, and I won't ever have to suffer EVER again.
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.This is the second death.” Revelations 21:1-8
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST JESUS, it is my fervent prayers that you set aside, set down, ALL expectations that you "think" HE has of you, and just be still..... and wait in HIS peaceful, peace filled presence. Allow HIM to work in you and through you to know what HE wants you to do, NOT what the world is telling you that you have to do. I pray that today will be the day that you are set free from your own prison without a key as HE breathes HIS truth into your heart, and you receive HIS amazing gift of TRUE FREEDOM. I pray that today that you will choose to seek HIM in everything that you are doing, and SEE ALL the good that HE is doing in you and through you. I pray that if you too always thought that being a CHRIST Follower meant to "Do good for Daddy" that you will know that it doesn't matter how much good you "think" or the world "thinks" you are doing, what matters is that you know that without HIM you can't do anything, but with HIM, you can do anything.
Always in love and prayers, with much grace, compassion, and understanding,
Your Sister in CHRIST JESUS,
~ Heather
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