15 comments

Paula Hendricks

Before I Fall

Posted on 09.16.11 by Paula Hendricks | Twitter: @PaulaWrites678
Topics: Relationship with God

Life Action held a revival conference at my church for the past four days. Honestly, I wasn’t crazy about letting the dishes, laundry, emails, and—well, life—pile up while I attended seven services in four days.

In addition to not being able to “keep up” with life, lately I had found myself unusually distracted and unfocused during my personal times with the Lord. I didn’t seem to be connecting with Him. Surely I didn’t need more in my schedule; I needed less! But I decided to go anyway, and I’m glad I did, because God showed me I was in a dangerous place.

My Thirst Quencher
The first evening, Ryan Loveing (the preacher at this conference), talked about how we try to quench our thirst for God (John 7:37, Col. 1:16) with artificial substitutes. We take His gifts—good gifts He’s given us to enjoy—and elevate them above the Giver. When I asked God what I run to for satisfaction, His answer was startlingly clear: Your reputation.

A Dinosaur and a Warning
A few weeks ago, I took Dad and Mom to the Creation Museum as a late Father’s/Mother’s Day gift. While there, they snapped this picture. Mom said something about it being symbolic of me taking on Satan. That visual scared me—in a good way. Oh, yes! Life is a battle. I’m fighting a big, scary enemy who wants to devour me. I need God and His grace in order to stay in the fight.  

When I attended the ladies luncheon this week, a woman named Jennifer shared how her Christian husband had fallen, taking her completely by surprise. She asked: “Are you overconfident in your ability not to fall? Are you letting your boundaries down?” It was a sober reminder that I’m in a dangerous place when I think things are going great and . . . surely I couldn’t fall!

Striving for . . .  
One verse, more than any other, spoke to me at this conference: Hebrews 12:14. It says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

I strive for a lot of things—a clean house, a completed to-do list, but . . . holiness? Not so much. Maybe that’s why I’ve felt so soul-hungry lately—’cause I was made for this holy, holy, holy God; and I can’t see and enjoy Him when I’m not making an intentional effort to live the holy life He created and empowered me to live.

It’s funny. I used to think pursuing holiness sounded legalistic. Now I’m seeing “holy” and “holiness” everywhere I turn in His Word—not as a burdensome goal—but as my position in Christ, my inheritance, the beautiful goal and destiny of my life. (By the way, I’m looking forward to digging into Holiness over the next few days and weeks.) 

Agreeing with God
Speaking of holiness, I was challenged at the conference to more and more agree with God about my sin. To stop downplaying it and to call it what it is . . . sin. My lack of love, selfishness, impatience, irritation, discontent, prayerlessness, laziness, worry . . .

After all, that’s what confession is—agreeing with God, and acknowledging my need for Him. If you can relate, you might want to join me in praying/confessing/repenting your way through this “Put Off . . . Put On” PDF from Life Action. (It’ll take some time!)

How about you?
Is it just me, or does anyone else struggle with the “good girl syndrome”? Let me ask you . . .

What are you pursuing in order to satisfy your thirst?

Are you prioritizing holiness in your daily life?

Are you feeling secure in your own goodness, or are you loudly and persistently crying out “Jesus, have mercy on me!” like blind Bartimaeus?

As you cry out for Him, be encouraged. Matthew 5:6 says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied” (emphasis added).

Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing, I needed this!!
    www.bval.blogpost.com
    posted by Brittany
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 9:06 am
  2. This summer I put away my books feeling led by the Lord to spend uninterrupted time in Psalm 119. I inhale books, not fiction but good christian books and yet God was calling me to put them away. I knew He wanted to teach me more about Himself through His Word in an intensive study because I do suffer from good girl(pastor's wife) syndrome. I spent the summer worshipping and knowing my Great God and continue everyday to fall at His feet. Some of what He taught me I blogged about. Thanks for this post and Happy Friday.
    www.jodylynne.com
    posted by Jody
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 9:43 am
  3. I agree with your desire to know Him and His will for us. Our desire to be Holy even as He is Holy will be a struggle and has been for years while we are in our human bodies. Thanks for sharing your hope in Him for Holiness; I will keep us in prayer for this trip. I will refresh my efforts and join you in Holy, Holy, Holy worship of our LORD who makes even our faith possible through His unconditional love. I'm so grateful for the True Woman Blog and the encouragement it is to me in these last days. I praise Him for the gift of the fellowship of the saints.
    posted by Carla
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 10:15 am
  4. Amen! thank you for this today.
    posted by Ruth
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 11:46 am
  5. This is exactly how I feel, and exactly what I need. Lord, please forgive me.
    Thank you for posting this. I hope to be ordering all three books in the series at the first of the month (on disability, only get paid once a month). Again, Thank You.
    God Bless Always
    posted by Sandra Inberg
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 11:55 am
  6. Oh my...me too??? I try so hard not to make a mistake. I try to be perfect and inevitably, I'm gonna mess up and then I'm gonna try harder. I get so frustrated with myself and I pray that God would help me see what's wrong with me and why I just can't seem to get it.

    As I read some of the comments above, something caught my eye...Jody Lynn's comment about putting away the books and focusing on the what God says about Himself...that has come to my mind several times in the past few months...put those books away...get on your knees and pray through my word...Let me show you what I want from you. So, Jody Lynn...thank you for posting that comment...I think I will..put away the books and spend time just listening for the voice of God. I, so need to hear from Him...people sometimes miss the message, but God never does. Jodi C.
    posted by Jodi C.
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 12:14 pm
  7. Thank you Jodi C.! God leads beside still waters.
    www.jodylynne.com
    posted by Jody
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 12:35 pm
  8. Thank you for sharing,needed !
    posted by Kim Cannon
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 1:51 pm
  9. Truly a great post today! God Bless You and thaks so much!
    posted by ~Lynn
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 4:08 pm
  10. Good thoughts...thanks for the link to the "Put Off - Put On" list....something I need to work through!
    momsheart48.blotspot.com
    posted by Susan McCurdy
    on Friday, September 16, 2011 at 9:36 pm
  11. Thanks for this post. It truely speaks to me right now. Lately i've been feeling frustrated and unhappy-it seems like i don't know what the Lord wants me to do.

    It's comforting to know that someone else has walk my shoes and that there is hope.

    God Bless
    posted by I- AM- THE- CLAY
    on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 1:00 pm
  12. What a lovely post!
    Thanks!
    posted by Stephanie
    on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 11:37 pm
  13. I am so grateful to read this today. Its 6 am, I have 5 children( 2 teens and 3 grandbabys) and my husband asleep, its Sunday and in my mind I have a huge TO DO list before I even get ready for church. I am praying to God that he keeps me breathing in his grace and that I need to work on just the important things. I cannot tell you how much my life has changed since I visited this site a month ago and continue daily to be encouraged and taught. I listen to my husband and even turned over all the finances to him last week.God is so Good and he desires our worship and walk. thank you
    posted by Susan J
    on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 6:27 am
  14. You hit the nail on top of the head. I can so relate to this and agree. It was what I needed to hear.

    I can identify with the good girl syndrome, it is easy to let our guard down, which is the opposite of what we need to do. Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

    Thank you for the reminder sister. Continue to walk worthy and glorify Him.
    posted by Sarah S.
    on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 7:02 am
  15. Dear Susan,

    (Officially) . . . welcome to this site/community! Thanks for taking the time on a crazy Sunday morning to leave a comment. It encouraged me in a big way on this Monday morning, and I'll be sharing it with the rest of the blogging team. Praise God for fresh evidences of His power and work in your life!

    Praying with you that you receive bucketloads of His grace so you're able to then pour it out on others.

    Gratefully,

    paula
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Monday, September 19, 2011 at 11:33 am

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