I had no sooner gotten into bed last night, when the lyrics to a song began to run through my head. It’s been another rough week, spiritually speaking. And truthfully the lyrics came from a dark place inside my mind where I allow thoughts to gather and attack my peace. Am I alone? I kind of doubt it, which not so coincidentally is the title of the song, “I’m not alone.” One of my favorite lines in the lyrics is “A saint is just a sinner who fails yet still believes.”
It’s never been a secret that I struggle with confidence. I push through it because I know God has called me to serve Him in front of people, and so I do. Flaws and all. But then there are days when someone looks at me wrong, or says something, for which they likely gave no thought, but it cuts me to core and I’m feeling less. I know that I’m less than I could be, but I feel less than I am, and that’s down right pathetic! I’m self critical, I fail God daily, and the tole it takes is running me down spiritually and causing me to run from God.
Let me just say… that’s a bad idea.
So why does God choose to use me in spite of it all. I have only one answer that makes any sense. I’m my own sermon illustration.
If you don’t take notes in church, you should. It will make the sermon connect with you better if you write down key points that speak to your heart. I need life application preaching, because I know that God doesn’t say anything without purpose and when I hear the preacher speak, I know it’s going to be something I need for my spiritual tool kit this week. Maybe that’s what this blog is for you today, it’s a spiritual tool kit.
One of the things that the preacher said Sunday was “Satan comes after us with the things we agree with.” He can captivate our attention with that and distract us from the work of God for hours. P.R.E.A.C.H.! That is me in a nutshell. He distracts me by allowing me to get hung up on things I have no control over. Like churches not preaching the gospel, or self righteous people, or what about politics? Satan doesn’t care if I go on a tyrannical posting jag over things like that. If I’m on those subjects, I’m not winning souls or encouraging someone in their faith. I’m also not focusing on my own flaws. Hello?
So this morning I just wanted to remind you, if you’re feeling like a failure, you’re not alone. That too is something Satan will pack his arsenal full of to keep you down. I’m fighting my way back out of that hole, I’ve been there so much lately I keep snacks in there so I don’t get hungry. I ain’t lyin!
Here’s my game plan.
Face reality… what ever it is.
Let God work through it and you pray.
Commit to faithfulness to His word. (READ!)
That’s a game plan that will work… I just keep forgetting.
Romans 8:31-39 KJVS
[31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? [32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.