Flower Power

"Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His GLORIOUS MIGHT, for all endurance and patience with joy, GIVING THANKS TO THE FATHER, WHO HAS QUALIFIED YOU to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light." Col.1




I heard something the other day that has changed me. It is a lesson that the Holy Spirit of God has been prepping me for.



I won't put it in quotes, but the premise is that if I really want to know if the Lord is working THROUGH my life, then the evidence will be that I wouldn't get any of the credit. Any of the glory. Any of the attention. That the "changed" or "touched" or "transformed" life would give complete and total credit to God. Without me having to say " ALL GLORY TO GOD".



It is something that I have been praying for in my life. Am I able to handle this? To not be given credit? There is the temptation, ALWAYS to put in a friendly reminder that it was I who "passed on" that incredible truth, or I who was able to help connect the dots. or I who shared that salvation message and saw hundreds of people come to Christ. (Okay, so that hasn't actually been an experience of mine...I am venting).



The truth is that I often pray this for and in my life, but so rarely do I like the way that it makes me FEEL when the Lord accomplishes it.



I am not talking here of false humility. I am truly asking God to remove me from the message or from the situation. I am asking to be used and poured out and that the glory would be evidently GOD and not me. I am praying sincerely for those who I feel have an insatiable need to be noticed for what they do for God. I am sad about it. "Doing" and "false fruit" has crept into our Christian circles with such great tenacity. It is a subtle sin, but one that Jesus dealt with so strongly while He was walking amongst us.



It is so subtle. So subtle.



How can we preach against worldliness and allow ourselves to have this worldly mindset?

After speaking of persecution for our faith, Jesus states in Matthew 10 that the disciples shouldn't worry about what they were to say in defense of their faith. Instead, he reminds them that "the Spirit of your Father" will speak through them.



I am reminded daily that the enemy takes truth and for his pleasure and our destruction. He will twist and distort it to gratify our flesh.

I heard somewhere that Satan tempts in three ways ( I am sure there are more...)

1. To follow the path of self-fulfillment

2. He twists the Word of God for our comfort and

3. He plays on pride by saying, "You deserve more!"

So, the other day I was praying for a few of the other ladies who are working here on the Island with us this summer. I was trying to think of a way to communicate to them that I love them and that I am praying for them. I thought that I might cut off some of the blooms from my hydrangea bush on my front porch. I smiled as I thought of dropping them off in their room when they weren't there and what a special treat it would be after a long day to find these happy flowers smiling back at them. Then, I thought about how this would bring ME some sort of silly fulfillment as they would naturally lean towards thinking of how neat I am. How thoughtful I am. How sweet of me to think of giving them this gift.

It was almost an immediate reaction (praise GOD) to my ridiculousness...

Did I design those flowers? Did I paint them? Plant them? Nurture them? Water them? Put them into the pot even? No. Why then, do I feel that I am deserving of the recognition that comes with the flower? Shouldn't all glory naturally go to the creator of the flower? The Designer of the flower? The Painter of the flower? Truly, ALL that I did was pass on to them what was given to me. I am not the creator, painter, designer, nurturer. I watered them and then passed them on. He then deserves the respect and the glory. WITHOUT my disclaimer of " all glory to God."

It does change the way that you look at yourself and your insatiable desire to be noticed, recognized, thanked, praised, acknowledged, ect.

It is nothing less than a subtle idol that can be all consuming and self-loving and NOT God-honoring.

Thankful for the reminder that all that I am, is a direct result of what HE has done and is doing in my life. He is the creator, desinger and ultimatly HE is revealing to me all that I know about Him as well.

"For it is God who works in you, both to WILL and to WORK for HIS GOOD PLEASURE." Phil. 2:13