When You Want to do Great and Glorious Things (Delight God)

Can I be honest with you? I have a history of feeling I’ve not done enough or not done something well enough.

In response, I strive to do more. In fact, if I’m not proactive,

• my daily to-do list becomes miles long;
• I stew about decisions and answers far longer than is healthy;
• I tend to go to two extremes: procrastinate because I’m scared I’ll fail, or overload myself by saying yes to earn approval;
• the final thoughts of my day center on what I did wrong or said poorly.

I foolishly believe: If I can only do enough, I’ll be enough. 

Striving for Worthiness

Striving for worthiness. I’d venture this is an area in which many of us struggle.

We want to do things well, to be known as someone who has something great to give. We want to be seen as worthy in the eyes of others.

So we ever strive to do more and be more. But maybe striving more is actually the way to being less.

Less than who God created us to be. Accomplishing less than what God would otherwise do through us.

Maybe instead of looking to do more, we need to look to follow Him into that thing that is ours to do. We don’t need to be enough; we need to let God be our enough in the area He’s called us.

Maybe instead of looking to do more, we need to look to follow God into that thing that is ours to do. Click To Tweet

Your Assignment

What is the station God has you in right now?

Has He called you into motherhood? Give that your attention. 

Has He called you to be an encourager or a teacher? Fill that role.

Are you to bless others with letters or prayers, or is it your calling to minister in person? Either one is equally important.

Have you ever considered that perhaps we do great and glorious things, not when we do everything, but when we faithfully step into that one thing He’s placed before us.

We do glorious things, not when we do everything, but when we faithfully step into that thing God's placed before us. Click To Tweet

I love to read about the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11. One thing that stands out to me about each of them is they trusted God for their increase. They didn’t go out intending to be a great hero.

Each one simply stepped out in faith right where God had them. They put one foot in front of the other, stepping into God’s appointment for them, and trusting it was a good plan.

These faithful men and women didn’t try to fill someone else’s assignment, but stayed true to their own. Abraham didn’t try to part the Red Sea like Moses did. David didn’t attempt to build an ark like Noah did.

They pleased God by their faith, by walking in His plan for them.

Delight God

The Lord must delight in the faithful leading faith-filled and faith-directed lives. And that’s when we see great and glorious things happen. 

The Lord must delight in the faithful leading faith-filled and faith-directed lives. Click To Tweet

On a whiteboard at my desk I scribbled,

“Is what I’m doing bringing glory to God or affirming myself?”

and

“Do what God puts before me and do it with passion!”

When I begin to give into over-striving, I now ask myself these three questions:

Who am I trying to please with all my striving, other people or God?

Who am I looking to glorify by trying to do it all, myself or my Lord?

What has God for me to do now?

When we try to do it all, striving in our own strength, we end up falling short in many ways. But when we walk by faith in the tasks God specifically appoints for us, we succeed in glorifying Him.

We can try to be and do it all and fall miserably short, or we can move forward in faith, pleasing God as we walk as He intended. 

Try to be and do it all and fall miserably short, or move forward in faith, pleasing God as you walk as He intended. Click To Tweet

“Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Reflections: When you know you’re beginning to over-strive, how do you refocus and be one of the faithful who are living faith-directed lives?

I am always thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefreeThursday and this week’s prompt, “delighting the heart of God.” Click on the image to check out the wonderful encouragement.

By His grace ≈

Julie