I was washing dishes the other day and God began speaking to my heart. I was getting stressed as I thought about the things I needed to do that evening. One of them was to return something I borrowed. This was the dialogue in my mind:
“ME: I have to return this tonight. I have to return this tonight to show him I am responsible and dependable. GOD (as I heard him in first person): I don’t have to show him anything. I don’t have to prove myself to him. If there’s anything I want to show him it’s Christ. How can I show him Christ if I’m striving to show him I am responsible and dependable?”
Many times in my life I have thought about doing good in order to show people Christ, to be an example to others. I thought, “If I’m going to show people Christ then I must act like Christ”, so I strived to be like Christ. In this scenario, people weren’t really seeing Christ at all. They were seeing my flesh(my efforts) trying to acheive my own righteousness. I had it all backwards. I don’t have to do anything. I don’t have to strive to be responsible or dependable. I just abide in Christ and let Him live through me. That’s how Christ is seen!
Rebecca:-)
Rebecca,
Thanks so much for those words. I needed them.
Sheryl