A gentle whisper from the LORD...

"Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19:11-12

Sunday, July 25, 2010

I Just Can't Do This Anymore

God Whispers: "I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith." Philippians 3:9

The Ten Commandments

1 Corinthians 13 (The Love Chapter)

Treat others as you want to be treated

Be sweet

Put others first

Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry

The world is watching the way Christians handle this life

If you get in trouble at school, you get in trouble at home

You're children are learning by watching you

A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day.

Proverbs 31 - The Wife of Noble Character

And the list goes on and on. These are some of the guidelines that have led me to become the person I am today. On the surface, you might see a polite, obedient, soft-spoken, church-going wife and mother. In fact, my family use to tease my by calling me Mother Teresa! But if you were to open up my heart, you just might see a different view. I'm tired. I'm worn out. I'm overwhelmed, insecure and fearful. I dread things, put things off and cover things up. I'm broken, sinful and dirty. I have put pressure on myself to follow all the rules and regulations I've been taught. But I just can't do this anymore. I know what I really am and I cannot and will not ever measure up to what I've been told I need to be.

Thank the good and gracious God in heaven! Today He has whispered to my heart that my work is done. I no longer have to try on my own. I am not bound to these rules anymore! All I have to do is have faith in God. And all these things, the worries, the pressure, the fear, the insecurities are on Him. And He will change me and release me from the shackles that have so tightly held me down all my life. I am so thankful for my parents, family, teachers, youth leaders, friends that have encouraged me and taught me all of what the Bible says but my perspective all along the way has been off track. Today I'm thankful that God has reminded me that I cannot do it alone. But He is doing it through me.

One of my favorite quotes I love to say is, "You don't want to know me if I don't have Jesus!" So if you see anything ugly in me, please pray for me for at that moment for I am trying to do it alone. If you see anything beautiful in me, recognize that it's Jesus working through me!

1 comment:

  1. Bethann, I'm not sure why I clicked on this link. I don't usually follow links to blogs. But for some reason today, I did. It was God I am sure. I just want to encourage you and let you know that I had a similar "revelation" several months ago. It has brought me so much freedom to truly understand the depths of God's love and grace for me. I went to church all my life, but somehow I really missed the message that it is not up to me to "measure up". It's not possible! There is so much freedom in that! You will actually be a better wife and Mom than you have ever been because you now realize that. At least that has been my experience. The sweetest benefit of truly understanding grace is that you then undestand how to offer grace to others. Praising God with you for your new found freedom!'

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