Seen
Lately I have been paying attention to why I do the things I do the way I do. I was surprised to find that a majority of my motives were based on "what people would say." My mom would say that phrase all the time when I was growing up like it was a huge threat and obviously it has influenced my entire life, until now.
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from you Father in heaven.
Matt. 6:1 NIV
Here Jesus clearly tells us to live our lives before God and not before men. He goes on in the chapter to say that we cannot serve two masters. We either live in reverential fear of God or in fear of men.
God created us to live with Him and to work with Him in reaching the lost and the hurting. The abundant life Jesus promises us in John 10:10 does not include living according to fear of what people will say. We were made to live God first.
Living under the fear of man is like being a slave. It stifles your creativity and individuality to the point that you can actually lose sight of who you really are and it leaves you not only full of fear but also full of feelings of inadequacy and inner turmoil.
I challenge you today to take a good look at your motives and to check your thoughts. Do you find yourself doing or not doing something because of what people might say? Are you doing things so people will notice you? If so, now is the time that you can take that next step of freedom and live for God instead of men.
The 'how' to do this sounds easy but as human beings with strong emotions, it can be difficult. It all boils down to choice. God has given us a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7) and the ability to use it. We can choose what we do and why we do it.
God is always watching, people are not.
God sees everything, people don't.
Let God be your compass. Let Him lead and guide you. Ignore the thoughts that try to turn you away from living God's way.
Heidirn
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from you Father in heaven.
Matt. 6:1 NIV
Here Jesus clearly tells us to live our lives before God and not before men. He goes on in the chapter to say that we cannot serve two masters. We either live in reverential fear of God or in fear of men.
God created us to live with Him and to work with Him in reaching the lost and the hurting. The abundant life Jesus promises us in John 10:10 does not include living according to fear of what people will say. We were made to live God first.
Living under the fear of man is like being a slave. It stifles your creativity and individuality to the point that you can actually lose sight of who you really are and it leaves you not only full of fear but also full of feelings of inadequacy and inner turmoil.
I challenge you today to take a good look at your motives and to check your thoughts. Do you find yourself doing or not doing something because of what people might say? Are you doing things so people will notice you? If so, now is the time that you can take that next step of freedom and live for God instead of men.
The 'how' to do this sounds easy but as human beings with strong emotions, it can be difficult. It all boils down to choice. God has given us a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7) and the ability to use it. We can choose what we do and why we do it.
God is always watching, people are not.
God sees everything, people don't.
Let God be your compass. Let Him lead and guide you. Ignore the thoughts that try to turn you away from living God's way.
Heidirn
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