As we continue our blog bible study hosted by Lelia (http://leliachealey.blogspot.com/) from Lysa TerKeurst's book: What Happens When Women Say YES to God, we entered into chapter 8 'Giving up what was never ours: We are managers, not owners of God's resources'. Do I really need to say more? Can you read the chapter just in this title? You bet!! 
Lysa stated our treasure in life should be to "have a heart that rest in His presence" (pp. 136). I have experienced this, I wish I could say I live this daily but I don't. To get to this point you have to get out of your comfort zone and I am not very good at this on most days. I like being in control of my life. There have been times I sat my eyes on something and I succeeded to get what I wanted whether it was God's plans or not.
I have resigned from being a mother twice in the last month or two, not because the kids have done something drastically wrong, but just because I no longer felt like dealing with those things that irritate me such as the bickering and intolerance they have shown towards each other. I wonder where they have learned that (ouch!).
I love my husband and I don't think I would ever be able to breath if he wasn't in my life but what does it say in Matthew 22:30 "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven"-am I interrupting this right? I know my heart will be different in heaven but I don't want to not be Joe's wife even there...but my family is not mine, it is His and He has placed them in my life to "manage", not control, but provide for and take care of.
This treasure becomes reality when we start viewing everything as God's. When we do this "we come to understand that we are giving up what was never ours to begin with, we're walking in radical obedience" (pp. 137). I am weak in this area of ownership but I want to be radically obedient..to the point of changing my attitude in this-now!
I leave you with Lysa's prayer from pp. 137:
Lord, help me to lower my head past my selfishness and pride, past desiring others to serve me and on to serving others, past wanting more and on to giving more, past me in search of You. Help me to always desire the lowered head, full of Your fruit and consumed with Your presence. Help me be forever mindful of my ministry at home as well as the ministry opportunities that wait beyond my own mailbox.
How appropriate following mothers day...don't you think?
In His Graces~Pamela
7 comments:
I really relate to what you said about resigning from being a mother because of feeling like you aren't dealing with their "issues" well.....I'm having a hard time with my own right now, and the various conflicts that they are having with each other and with some of their friends.....It's hard to know where to draw the line sometimes. You want to step in and protect them, but at the same time, there are some things that they will just have to learn for themselves (and unfortunately, most of the time that is learning the "hard" way).
Thanks for sharing your heart. You encouraged me this morning.
God Bless,
Amy:)
You are right...nothing on this earth is our own. This earth is not our home either. I understand your feelings that you can't imagine breathing life without your precious husband, Joe. I can truly understand that. For whatever reason, right now God is proving that I can do that. My husband left and divorced me but I'm believing God to restore us in His time. I clutched to my husband instead of God. I felt I'd die if we were ever separated. God is showing me that is not true. Though, this week, I feel like I'm dying inside. I'm struggling biblically with what God's Word says and means about some issues...the consequences and just some of His Word that appears vague. I've discussed a particular issue with a Christian friend and her view--purely from scripture--has me confused and wondering exactly what does God's Word mean. I'm struggling with 1 Cor 6:9-11. If a man leaves a woman without infidelity and she remarries, she is committing adultery even though she attempted to reconcile and was left by an unbeliever. That means according to 1 Cor6 she is an adulterer (because she is in a second marriage of which the first didn't end in marital unfaithfulness) and that means she is not going to Heaven because she is STILl an adulteress due to the second marriage. This is just very hard for me. I've been told not to seek man's opinion but base it on the Word. But based on the Word, this is not a good feeling for many people who are in second marriages...one of which was me (and desire to restore my second marriage).
I'm sorry to go on with this but this is what is extremely heavy on my heart. I am overriden with guilt because all these years I thought I was released from my first marriage b/c he was an unbeliever that left me per 1 Cor 7:15. I've been told that in that verse the words "not bound" means bound in a wifely manner but it does not mean released from covenant. So, does that mean, 1) if I reconcile with my second husband that I will be committing adultery. 2) Will God not reconcile us because it would be adultery?
In Him,
Paula
I struggle with pride of ownership which was never mine to begin with anyways. The most difficult thing for me to do us total surrender. When I think I have conquer surrendering to Christ, I find myself bouncing right back. So, it's like taking one step forward and three steps back. But, I'm not giving up. Thanks for sharing.
A lot to think about. I really really need to read this book! I have really enjoyed following you and Lelia through it. I'm a little behind with my bloggy buddies, but I was so excited to read your last post about the scholarship! Yippeeee! Hope to see you there!
Sister,
I too desire in my humaness to keep my spouse in heaven!
:0)
Lovingly,
Yolanda
PS: Sometimes life is just plain.....hard!
Thanks for sharing. I definitely relate to having difficulty getting out of my comfort zone and trying to be in control. You're right - Lysa's prayer is perferct following Mother's Day.
Congratulations on your scholarship! God is good! It will be great to meet you in person at She Speaks. Blessings!
oh beautiful dear friend!!!! Real, honest & beautiful.
The thought that we won't be our little family unit in heaven is something I still have a hard time dwelling on. I want what I think is mine. Period. God's working on me.
So blessed to have read this...
Lelia
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