...and you will find ALL that you have longed for.
We are designed to desire God. Reading this was a deep breathe of relief for me. Despite our humanness and our human tendencies that make us "prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love" (from one of my favorite hymns, that I don't know the name of. haha i'm so spiritual.), we are made and designed by God to desire Him. We find our deepest fulfilment in Him. Isn't it cool to know how and where to find our deepest fulfilment? Those who do not know Christ must seek theirs in other things - things of this world that I don't need to name, because we all know them too well - but we who have been blessed to find our Holy Father and have chosen to be blessed by His Presence in us know EXACTLY where to go to feel our deepest yearnings be completely satisfied.
I loved that term "homesickness", because that just communicates to me how comforting Jesus is for us. Being with Him is like being at Home. mmmm. yeah, that's good.
"Do not be afraid to be different from other people. The path I have called you to travel is exquisitely right for you." Ladies, I am NOT good at this. Comparing ourselves and the paths that God has us on can be a straight shot to lack of trust, lack of contentment, and especially lack of thankfulness. I have never been the biggest advocator of the journey to "finding yourself", but I have been learning the peace of being thankful and content in who God has made you to be, not by comparison or the approval of others. UGH! This is not natural. But when we are so disconnected from the approval of others in the world, we are so FREE to live in Jesus the way we were meant to! Free to be transformed and to be taken on a journey through life like no other. Eyes on God.
The last line in this was like God screaming the word GRACE at me for my longing to make others happy. "However, your closeness to Me will bless others by enabling you to shine brightly in this dark world." Girls, in God's revelation and wisdom, to me this is just saying to God knows how to make others happy and bless them way better than we do. The opposite of a people-pleaser is not a people-unpleaser in God's eyes, but rather a people-blesser. Throwing away the idea of doing things to make others happy is not the answer. But again, it is not US but God IN US. Do you know what I mean? I would love to have some comments back on thoughts of this.
So, to be continued! You are so awesome! Praise God for women of such godly character around me. Love you!!
Jaymee
Jaymee I love your entries! I think you bring more wisdom to each thing you write about than you even know, because in your words what might feel like your mind processing or even wrestling with the ideas, you are speaking truth and wisdom to the rest of us! So, keep this up because it is so encouraging!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of being a people-pleaser versus a people-blesser is so cool, and I think we could have a whole Bible study on that idea alone :) But, I think the difference comes when our focus genuinely shifts from US to JESUS. Anyone can be a people-pleaser, only people who care with their whole heart, mind and soul that Jesus gets the glory in their lives can be a people-blesser. I have never met you, Jaymee, but my guess is you are one of the later!
Sorry for the long comment! You're great ;)
AW! Wow. Praise God for words and wisdom, my goodness. I am completely humbled and He gets ALL of the glory most definitely. Praise God, how encouraging and cool that He really does give us wisdom when we ask!
ReplyDeleteAnd you are totally right. I LOVE how you said.. "Anyone can be a people-pleaser, only people who care with their whole heart, mind and soul that Jesus gets the glory in their lives can be a people-blesser". You are so right, and isn't it cool that God makes us the latter?
THANK YOU for the encouragement and wise words too. I better meet you someday! :)