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Step By Step
Posted By Guest Contributor
I want it all — right now. Don’t you? Doesn’t everyone?
I want to be always holy, passionate in my pursuit of Christ.
I also want an organized home, children who are obedient and well-groomed and a husband who hangs on my every word while giving fantastic foot massages. For good measure throw in hair that does not frizz in high humidity, an endless supply of calorie-free chocolate and a fulfilling career as a photographer.
Why not? Other Christian women have it all — right now.
In reading about or meeting Christian women who inspire me, I often feel despondent, not good enough…I will never be like that. What I fail to remember is these women became what they are. I did not witness the hidden steps, the hidden work. That they got there step by step, beginning with baby steps. I also forget that how I perceive these amazing women is not the complete picture…no one is perfect…no one has it all…no one is always holy and passionate in pursuit of Christ.
When we as Christian women remember that God is more interested in the process than the product, our walk with Christ will be transformed. We are to concentrate on obedience, not perfection. Setting a goal of perfection points out how far we have to go, but obedience shows how far we have already come. Perfection creates frustration. Obedience releases.
2 Chronicles 31:20-21 (NIV)
This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.
We will never become everything we ought to be overnight. Truthfully, we will never become everything we ought be while in human bodies. But we can go forward step by step in obedience to what God asks of us today.
Lord, help me understand what you had in mind when you created me. Help me obey and follow step by step in my walk with you.
Visit Melody at: Slurping Life
Aug 17th, 2007
I think you wrote this for me!!! LOL Only thin is I am soooo far back from perfect, I would just settle for being on the ROAD! LOL
thankyou for your words…it seems so right for thoughts going over in my head…I was thinking of a woman from school this morning that only seems to speak to me when I have new clothes on or have a new haircut. I was thinking of how I try so hard to measure up physically at times to others expectations and guess what…. surprise…I never do for them!!..but God reminded me that I was not created to measure up to the worlds standard and I will only ever be truly wonderful through Christ, but he also reminded me his clothes are best..when I put on his clothes of true righteousness, of real integrity, of his grace and of his love and of his purity,, he will be impressed by the way I look.
Oh, that is so true! We get so caught up in trying to match up to others, to be as good as so-and-so, or as righteous as what’s-her-name, or just to feel accepted and approved of by that-one, that we forget Whose approval really matters.
Thank you for this post I plan on visiting you at your blog.
“We will never become everything we ought to be overnight.”
Thanks for the gentle reminder. I needed this tonight.
Nell
You’re right–we don’t see the hidden work or steps, and unless we consciously evaluate ourselves, we don’t often remember how far we’ve come either!
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Perfection creates frustration.
Obedience releases.
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POWERFUL statement. Transformation truly does come through obedience.
Thanks for sharing.
I identify especially with the frizzy hair and calorie free chocolates! Not only do we not see the hidden steps but we don’t know what other women look like when they get up in the morning! Comparing ourselves only results in condemation and causes self doubt. Best to keep our eyes on Jesus and His incredible for for us - His love is wonderful, healing and provokes us to be like Him.
Karen
Sonya, the clothes metaphor is a powerful one. Karen, yes…eyes on Jesus.
Janice, Wendy, Amanda, Nell, Jennifer and Carla…God reminds us when we need it, doesn’t he? If we just listen. He was nudging me this week for sure.
Thankfully at this point in my life I have learned to just let go, let God. I know that I am a work in progress, and it’s wonderful to be able to look back and see how far I’ve come, and to know that I have still have a wonderful journey ahead of me. Great blessings come from walking in obedience with the Lord, even if we don’t always see them at the time.
I remember someone pointing out to me at one time that we tend to compare others’ strengths with our weaknesses — and we’ll never measure up.
How thankful to know that God is changing us step-by-step to be what HE created us to be!
Melody,
What a great post and reminder. You have an anointed pen and I can’t wait to read more of your works here and with your blog!
Blessings,
Julie
http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/
Amen Melody. I remember going back to Church after my divorce, with a small child and when my life was at a real crossroads. I saw many young families and felt so unworthy. I had failed as a wife, as a Christian. Then as I got to know people I found that many of the young nuclear families I saw were second marriages or blended families! These wonderful friends were given to me by God at just the right time to encourage me in my walk of faith. Step by step as you say.
Wonderful to see you in a new setting too. Good luck with it.
Many thanks for the posts written here. It is wonderful for a new christian to read such encouragement. Thanks again.
Obedience is such a tricky thing to write about, and you do it so well! Obedience isn’t fun! It’s not flashy, or results-oriented. It requires patience, and sometimes stillness, and sometimes acceptance. These things are not highly valued in popular culture: but they are so important in spiritual life. Thank you for helping me think about obedience.