“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).
I aim to please…please others in order to satisfy the intense need to feel validated – well, at the very least that was once my pattern for living.
I worked myself to a frenzy trying to make life work for others doing so until that I was burned out and overstretched.
As intensely as I sought approval from people, the more quickly (and severely) I built a life of resentments, bitterness and anger of others because my deposits into them were not refunded.
I fell from the very grace that I intended to climb BECAUSE the motivation was my own.
It was not based on God’s principle of giving which is to cheerfully give in love to compensate for a need…not give in need to be compensated.
Everything is a heart level matter weighed by our motivations.
Have you tried to build your own kingdom this way too?
Have you attempted to have your soul level needs to be fulfilled by “man?”
Have you given your “everything” to be fulfilled but instead came up short?
If you can admit it, then you can admit to sowing seeds to the flesh. In sowing to our flesh, every time we will fall from grace.
But falling can be a beautifully humbling experience when embraced for spiritual growth.
Every time I fall, I am reminded about how real He really is…and how wretched I really am.
Falling brings me back to remembering that I was not selected into His holy kingdom based on my worthinesss or to establish my own throne or that I will (or can) save myself.
The falls remind me that I am not to act on my own authority but IN and FOR HIM.
I am reminded that my ways are futile in which I am try to obtain satisfaction when not motivated by LOVE for Him but instead for validation, approval and worth from man.
The falls remind me that LivingOUTLoud is not based upon my own merit.
I am reminded that when I give in expectation of return (out of other people), it will not be rewarded by my Heavenly Father as it is not what is expected of me as a child of Christ.
I am reminded that I utterly fail at the commandment of loving others the way that Christ loves me when my motivation is for reward (something for self other than His eternal purpose).
And then I am reminded that no matter how hard I work for Christ, my works will never be greater than what He finished at the cross.
The exchange rate is NOT what I can now do for Christ but to be continually reminded of what Christ did for me.
I have come to loving the reminders of the falls when I fall short. And in measure against measure we need to hold tight to that reminder when it comes to dealing with others.
Because others will fall short too.
I cannot hold an expectation for others to treat me as the scriptures command, when I myself cannot adhere to the same policies that Christ commands.
I fall short…and I expect forgiveness from my Father through His grace upon my confession and repentance.
So what about others when they fall short? Can I grant forgiveness through grace FOR others? Will I give that same allowance FOR others. If not, I am double-minded and double-dealing.
I must stand in posture of forgiveness.
I want acceptance from the King of Kings though I am not worthy. Will I contradict my very conviction? Will I deny the very model for others that I live in expectation from HIM? I realize in my own strength I cannot…
My very human nature will not allow that to liveoutloud THROUGH me. It will only be through His Spirit that the model will avail.
We must crucify our own flesh and be motivated by Him to live by His Spirit so that we can keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
Be firm in the faith as to what the scripture really teaches – and the scriptures do not teach that by my fulfilling of the law that I am saved but that I am saved because Christ fulfilled the law.
I am united as ONE with Christ and it is by His righteous standing that I too have “right standing” God; it is only Christ’s covering over me that cleanses me and presents me before the worthy King. Without Christ’s covering, I am denied access.
It is the “promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galations 3:14) that I am saved. We are told to “test our own actions” to see if we are taking pride (self motivated action) and claiming it to be for Him (Galatians 6).
See where the reminders of falling short ourselves motivate us to love others better for Him?
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galations 3:13). We cling to the cross because our self efforts are worthless.
The Lord CHOSE to redeem me. He chose to call me to His light. I didn’t seek after it and I didn’t pursue it. It came to me. So if something that is so unattainable for me to seek for myself, why would I begin to believe that it is something that I can continue to claim as my own. And moreover, how can we yoke a burden of bondage to another…?
We give because He gave. We love because He loved.
Focus forward. Don’t fall backwards.
“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galations 5:4). Falling from grace is when we stop living under the cover of Christ and fall back into the flesh, trying to sanctify (prove, purify, dedicate) ourselves by the works of the law.