“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:1, Isaiah 43:1
When I was a little girl, I lived on a ranch in Southern California. I LOVED to walk through fields of wild yellow flowers, drenched in sunlight while I gathered a bouquet of wild flowers for my mother. Why did I do this act of kindness nearly every day? Because I loved my mother! I wasn’t seeking to please her…but to simply show her my love, because I loved her! I believe God has brought this memory back to the forefront of my mind today to remind me of a time when my “performance” wasn’t calculated, but instead was coming from a place of purity and genuine love. Somewhere over the course of life, I believe that a motivation to serve and love from a pure place in our hearts gets twisted up and distorted in this crazy world we live in. Don’t you long for a world where there are no ill motives, ultimatums or worse–threats of punishment or control? Honestly, that world just doesn’t exist because we are living in a fallen world full of sin. But Jesus came to change all of that didn’t He? Praise the Lord! Jesus loves us with a pure love. He served from his heart and sacrificed everything–even his very life– to show us the way to the Father and gain eternal life! Jesus simply speaks words of love, kindness, acceptance, peace and grace over our inescapable brokenness with these three simple words:
“YOU ARE MINE”
(Isaiah 43:1).
So, how do we get back to where we started? How do we become as little children once again…and love the way Jesus loves? I believe it begins with RECEIVING THE LOVE OF JESUS and BELIEVING the words he continues to speak over us like a gentle breeze flowing from the purity of our childhood….YOU ARE MINE—YOU ARE LOVED.
Don’t you love that Jesus knows exactly what we’ve done…or haven’t done… and still– he draws us in with the loving kindness of his grace? Instead of “I told you so” we hear “You are MINE”.
Jesus doesn’t throw our sins or failings in our face;
He allows us to SAVE FACE
and then gives us much needed grace as he rescues us from our crazy selves!
I can’t speak for you, but I know that if there is one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s how to be an overachiever. I have literally pushed myself to the point of exhaustion to “make the grade”—in an attempt to impress and receive praise, and in doing so, have fallen into the trap of “performance anxiety” rather than trusting that our best is “good enough” and that Jesus loves us AS WE ARE…WHERE WE ARE.
Performance anxiety is deeply imbedded in my psyche. I believe it’s a side effect of our culture–this need to achieve–and it wins us all kinds of very attractive things on the front end…namely praise of man. But Jesus tells us that “no one can serve two masters” or in other words, we can’t love God and the world (Luke 16:13)
At some point in life, we must chose who and what to love,
for where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.
(Matt 6:21).
Paul explained that Jesus commanded us to die to ourselves to live for him (Romans 6:6-7; 8:12-13; Luke 9:23-24). Jesus also told us that in the last days men will be lovers of themselves—selfish and carnal (2 Tim 3:2). The long and short of it:
Our self-worth is found in Jesus Christ, not our worldly achievements or credentials—
Jesus cares about our HEARTS and our FAITH.
So how’s your heart today? Are you measuring yourself based on your performance? Are you finding yourself opening up one of the myriad of social media sites available to us today and thinking…I’m such a loser…what am I doing with my life–? I am convinced that Satan is throwing back his head in laughter over the defeated thoughts that fly through our heads when we compare ourselves to others. Satan gets ecstatic over our sense of failure…and his job gets easier and easier every day because he doesn’t even have to speak failure over us because we are doing it FOR HIM.
Don’t be the next victim of the social media inflicted
“What have I done lately?” syndrome.
STOMP the devil in his short lived celebration and put him back where he belongs–under the heel of your shoe!
Jesus is ALREADY VICTORIOUS and holds the keys of SIN, DEATH AND HELL in HIS WORTHY HANDS.
Truth is, Satan has already LOST the battle and he knows it, but he will continue to try to harass us as much as possible until the day Jesus returns to settle the score ONCE AND FOR ALL.
Instead of focusing on creating an “identity” on social media, TAKE BACK your identity from social media and place it where it belongs— in the center of the unconditional love of Jesus!
Measure yourself based on God’s standards
NOT the world’s standards.
Do you find yourself comparing, compromising, rationalizing or sacrificing to please man’s agenda or are you choosing to lay down your “performance anxiety” and trust that Jesus loves you—JUST AS YOU ARE?
This is the Jesus I know and love. He tells me I am LOVED. He tells me I am FORGIVEN. He tells me I GOOD ENOUGH because I BELIEVE HIM and have put my FAITH and TRUST in Him. He tells me that no weapon formed against me shall stand in Jesus Name (Isaiah 54:17) and turns ALL THINGS for the good of those who LOVE HIM! (Romans 8:28)
Today, I chose to lay down my “performance anxiety” and instead BREATHE in deeply…the pure LOVE OF JESUS–while I RECEIVE his GRACE! This is FREEDOM: the peace of Christ. This is liberty: living for Christ and NOT for MAN. This is TRUE ABUNDANCE.
Hear Jesus calling as He gently speaks these healing words:
“YOU ARE MINE.”
Heavenly Father,
Forgive me for seeking the praise of man. Forgive me for striving for perfection when you have told me that in YOU I have everything I could ever want or need. I come to you now, in full surrender. Today Lord, I lay down my performance anxiety, insecurity, comparison to others and feelings of failure and instead choose to receive your grace, your love and your peace, knowing that my true identity is found in YOU ALONE, for you Lord, died for me that I might receive these gifts from you and an inheritance with you in your Kingdom that will NEVER perish, spoil or fade! I will fix my eyes on you Lord…only you Lord…and nothing else. I praise you Lord for all your kindness mercy and love…and for your amazing GRACE!
In Jesus Mighty Name I pray,
Amen.
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Copyright Be Free Ministry 2016 | Written by Ashley Gronholm | www.BeFreeInChristMinistry.org