Encouragement Prevails

There are things consciously or subconsciously that I feel like I need to be doing or have accomplished to succeed as a wife, mother, Christian, and just an adult in general. I want to be this certain person, a perfect person. Something that was brought to mind today when coming to God with this was the Proverbs 31 woman. That I should read it. I honestly didn’t want to. I was afraid that I would just add to my list of things that I should be, as I have before when reading it. God reassured me and suggested I go into it with an open mind. So I tried to read it not as a list of things I had to do, but stuck with the theme of the first verse. Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a wife with a strong character? She is worth far more than jewels.” What character traits does she show in the things she does? I began to make a list as I read not focusing on the tasks themselves. As I was making the list a lot of them pointed to a woman of God... wise, tender, strong, purposeful, works as thoug...

Romans 8:30 He approved of those whom He had called and He gave glory to those whom He had approved of. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our approval, our holiness, and our ransom from sin. As scripture says, “Whoever brags must brag about what the Lord has done.” Time to brag! How amazing is God?! He approves of you. Soak that in. An approving, loving Father that created the world. That doesn’t approve of you because of anything you do or can do. That approves of you, because of what Jesus did. WHO HE SENT TO DO IT!!! He approves of you completely of His own accord and will. He has called you to be His. He has picked you! You are chosen! Oh the weight that lifts off of my shoulders. The motivation that gives me to better myself, to pour into others. On top of it all He not only did all of that for you, but continues to do more by equipping you with the Holy Spirit to be able to achieve what H...

My mind started to wonder, what kind of an impact did that good act have? How much was done by obeying God? How amazing would it be if one day, in heaven, we got to see just how huge of an effect those things had. The domino effect it had. How many people it truly reached and how much it really changed things. How much God’s kingdom was affected by it. Then I had another thought… I really don’t want to see the effect my sin had on things. I don’t want to see how much I ruined something or hurt someone. How much I messed things up by not obeying God. God immediately interjected. Or do you want to see? See how much I am really working. See how great of a God I really am. See how despite you falling short, sinning, My plan was not ruined. See how I still saved that person and brought them to me. See how someone else was blessed in getting to be the person to do that. John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. B...