{Reposting today...just something I've (again) been thinking on.}
It has been swirling in my head lately, drumming in my heart, sprinkled in my conversations. A people pleaser to the core, I've spent years trying to extract myself from that, the over-consideration of others' view of me.
And now this realization that sometimes you have to look at the outside to see what is on the inside, it seems I've come full circle. The health and value of something is frequently visible from the outside: tree heavy with apples or barren, sick.
We should be most concerned with what God sees, what the Bible says.
"Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
At the same time I believe much can be gained by looking at your life and considering - what does the way I live my life say about my priorities, beliefs, passions, loves? How does the fruit belie the health of the tree?
If a video was made of my day, what would come across as my main intention in life? Sometimes those outward appearances can reveal to us things we didn't even know about ourselves.
Preoccupation with the Internet? Not enough time for one more story? Constant Impatience with children? Under prioritizing marriage partner? Lazyness? Stress?
Admitting here that, when I look at my life, there is much that I do not like. Many things that tell of my hypocrisy, flying directly in the face of my professed morals and standards.
Painful discoveries that I am not who I say I am. I talk out both sides of my mouth.
There is beauty and redemption there, for once you see, you can change.
"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."
Col. 1:10
Looking and and praying to see and learn today.
This is beautiful. What you wrote about here is something I know God has been really trying to teach me lately. He used your blog to speak directly to me and I'm sure many will be touched by this message today.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to me the things you say. They are often things that could have come right out of my own heart. Somehow, you manage to eloquently organize deep thoughts of the sould into beatiful words. They are like a balm. I think if we are honest, most mom's experience the pain of guilt over failures each and every day. But like you said, there is redemtion in seeing what needs fixing. That is the starting point. In the fixing process, we can't grow weary in doing good or become complacent - comfortable with our shortcomings. Sometimes we can give up fighting for necessary change thinking it's too big for us. Our husband's and children need us to keep up the fight. We even need that ourselves for our own sakes. Great post Lydia! God bless you today.
ReplyDeleteWe all can agree that we are ALL just as guilty to be preoccupied with the worldly and nonsensical things of the day to day..... even laundry! I have wanted to seize each moment I have with my children knowing that my example and direction will also, one day, be theirs! We should all begin each day with this prayer and motivation.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
I've just realized that words can be cheap, but how a life is lived speaks so much more truth about a person, their priorities, etc. What is my life saying about me?
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