I’ve been praying constantly—more consistently than I’ve ever prayed. Some of my prayers ask God to for lessons to help me through this time in my life. This chapter of What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst was definitely relevant.
Notes:
What Happens When Women – Lysa TerKeurst – 12/27/10 – What Keeps Us from Saying Yes
When you choose to obey God, you are going to encounter naysayers. They don’t understand you. They don’t want to understand you. And often what you’re doing makes them feel convicted. If someone is quick to find fault in something good someone else is doing, that person is usually wrapped up in his or her own self-centered outlook. Naysayers make themselves feel better by tearing others down.
Mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them (2 Timothy 3:11).
Your responsibility is to obey God, and He will handle the outcome. When you start to worry, you will know how to be swept in God’s assurance rather than swept away in fear.
Instead of allowing those feelings of conviction to produce good changes in them, these people seek to discourage you in hopes of hushing Christ in you.
Is this person criticizing me active in pursuing a relationship with the Lord? Is this person answering God’s call in his life, producing evidence of Christ’s fruit? Does this person have my best interest in mind?
Never let compliments of others go to your head or their criticisms go to your heart.
“If my life is fruitless, it doesn’t matter who praises me, and if my life is fruitful, it doesn’t matter who criticizes me.” John Bunyan
“You will find that people who do not understand your shape for ministry will criticize you and try to get you to conform to what they think you should be doing. Ignore them. Paul often had to deal with critics who misunderstood and maligned his service. His response was always the same: Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God’s commendation.” Rick Warren
The Foes of Grace
Grace has two foes: acceptance and rejection.
Gatekeeper of Acceptance: Enticing with his offerings of compliments and big promises.
Gatekeeper of Rejection: Gives me permission to excuse myself from following my true calling.
With acceptance, I must try to keep impressing him and keep score on the table of comparison. It feeds on the pride that has yet to be driven from my heart. With rejection, I shy away from following God and being obedient. The ease of settling for less is tempting.
God stands behind the gate. His love is not based on my performance. His love is based on His surrender at the cross.
Gatekeeper of Acceptance: Enticing with his offerings of compliments and big promises.
Gatekeeper of Rejection: Gives me permission to excuse myself from following my true calling.
With acceptance, I must try to keep impressing him and keep score on the table of comparison. It feeds on the pride that has yet to be driven from my heart. With rejection, I shy away from following God and being obedient. The ease of settling for less is tempting.
God stands behind the gate. His love is not based on my performance. His love is based on His surrender at the cross.
The Great Dance
Our flesh seeks the approval of others, is swayed by Satan’s voice of condemnation, and looks for the comfortable way out.
There is a pull between condemnation and conviction. Condemnation leaves us feeling hopeless and worthless; conviction invites us to make positive changes in our lives.
Being too busy for quiet times with Jesus can lead to confusion.
You must remember that this is not your real home. Your real home is with Jesus. Realizing this is only temporary helps me to live beyond and rejoice in what is to come.
Our flesh seeks the approval of others, is swayed by Satan’s voice of condemnation, and looks for the comfortable way out.
There is a pull between condemnation and conviction. Condemnation leaves us feeling hopeless and worthless; conviction invites us to make positive changes in our lives.
Being too busy for quiet times with Jesus can lead to confusion.
You must remember that this is not your real home. Your real home is with Jesus. Realizing this is only temporary helps me to live beyond and rejoice in what is to come.
The Choice to Worry or Worship
When we worship, we are reminded that none of this is about us—it’s about God.
Turn the focus off of us and back to God Almighty.
God uses empty places in your life to draw your heart to Him.
I thank Him for the empty places, for they remind me that only He has the ability to fill me completely.
We all worship something. We must choose whom—or what—we will worship. Will it be the opinions of others, our fears, or even our own comfort? Or will it be the One who created our souls to worship? Whatever we worship, we will obey. As we choose to be radically obedient and say yes to the Lord, we must be radical about choosing to worship Him and Him alone.
When we worship, we are reminded that none of this is about us—it’s about God.
Turn the focus off of us and back to God Almighty.
God uses empty places in your life to draw your heart to Him.
I thank Him for the empty places, for they remind me that only He has the ability to fill me completely.
We all worship something. We must choose whom—or what—we will worship. Will it be the opinions of others, our fears, or even our own comfort? Or will it be the One who created our souls to worship? Whatever we worship, we will obey. As we choose to be radically obedient and say yes to the Lord, we must be radical about choosing to worship Him and Him alone.
Peace Like a River
Choose daily to walk in absolute obedience to the moment-by-moment, day-by-day, assignment-by-assignment commands of the Lord.
We are to die to our self-centeredness so we can have more Christ in our hearts and minds.
Our attention is like a magnifying glass; when we focus our minds and fix our attention on Christ, He is magnified and made bigger in our lives.
Saying yes to God is a lot more about being than doing.
Choose daily to walk in absolute obedience to the moment-by-moment, day-by-day, assignment-by-assignment commands of the Lord.
We are to die to our self-centeredness so we can have more Christ in our hearts and minds.
Our attention is like a magnifying glass; when we focus our minds and fix our attention on Christ, He is magnified and made bigger in our lives.
Saying yes to God is a lot more about being than doing.
