Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:5-11
God wants to use you. Yes, He created each person for a specific purpose and goes to great lengths to empower us to move from our natural, self-centered tendencies. Every day God grants us opportunities to shift from being “selfish getters” to “selfless givers.” He desires for us to live on mission for Him, continuously striving for the next opportunity to bless others and point them to Jesus and His great gift of love and grace.
The heart and soul of Christian living really has to do with ownership. Jesus sacrificed all He had to pay the debt of our sins. Now we are His, and He desires for us to learn to die to self and live for Him. We, ourselves, are the greatest obstacle to living on mission as Jesus did, and we must make a choice: will we be hoarders or helpers, givers or getters, fearful or faith-filled? Withholding what we know about Christ and what He has blessed us with is no longer an option. Will you ask God to help you overcome the obstacle of self by overwhelming you with the reality of who He is?
- Praise God for His justice, His holiness, and His mercy.
- Repent from withholding any gift God has given you, particularly sharing the gift of His Son, Jesus with others.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live in light of eternity rather than in light of present circumstances.
- Yield to the Spirit and give of yourself sacrificially.
Blessings,
Jacqueline Heider
Director of Women’s Ministry, Prayer, & Resource Specialist