Hi there! I’m wondering, how did you go this last week in considering where you might be trusting in yourself instead of trusting God? I find it so easy to slip into trusting myself, it comes out in a multitude of ways. I noticed there was times that I should have been faithful to what was right in front of me, I’d have the choice to follow Jesus and what he wanted, or I could do what felt right for me. There was times I knew that I was pushing hard to keep going and make things how I wanted it go. I think it’s because I wanted to achieve lots and tick off all my boxes. 

 

Do you notice how often we do that? Keep striving to be that ideal woman. To please the people around us. To be the superwoman we want to be. To be in control. To impress. To not let anyone down. To give our kids the best. We keep striving to meet these imposed expectations. 

 

Is there an element that we aren’t handing over the reigns to God with? 

That we aren’t trusting him with our life completely? 

 

Our hopes for our family that we’re holding too tightly? 

Our dreams of success that disorient what God has called us to? 

Our struggles that feel too weighty that we want to eliminate? 

 

Do we fear that our kids or our life won’t turn out how we hoped?

Do we believe the life that we’re not worthy until we’ve achieved something great?

Do we fear the pain that comes with this life? The unmet expectations, our inadequacies, the suffering, anxiety and overwhelm we’re confronted with. 
 

What would happen if we lean into these fears and trust God with them? 

 

What if they are GOOD for both us, but also for Gods Kingdom? 

What if all these fears and failures are agents that herald grace? 

 

Because really, our fears are true. 

We are not able to please everybody. 

We are not able to live up to a perfect standard. 

What if, and I think this is true, what if we don’t have the strength or wisdom or ability to achieve the tasks we’ve been given, or what to achieve. 

 

If it wasn’t from God doing the work in us, that it wasn’t from him blessing and working through our fumbling and bumbling efforts, it wouldn’t come to fruition. Nothing would come from our labors if it wasn’t through God working through them. 

 

Like that verse in 2 Corinthians says, we must stop trusting in our own strength, but again and again humbly depend on Him. Its in our weakness Christs power is on display. The outcome of our labor is in his hands. It was never in our hands to begin with. 

 

We have but one task: Be faithful. 

 

This world will pull our attention every which way. Our heart will want what we want instead of trusting in Gods plan. 

We can have honorable intent with our actions, but still be wholly self reliant to accomplish that - like discipling our children or putting our sin to death. 

 

Of course we are not going to be perfect as Christian mums. We cannot be. 

 

Can I encourage you though:

Work hard at seeking Jesus. 

 

His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 

 

Look to his word to set the standard, to set the expectations of our performance, to define what is good or successful or worthy of our striving. 

 

Hear the sweet, sweet message of grace when we fail. 

 

Know that our failures are not failures in his economy. What you judge as a failure, God can and will use for his greater purpose. He can and will use our failures and weakness to shape us (to humble us!) to be more like Jesus. 

 

Let’s be women who surrender our vain attempts of perfection. 

Let’s surrender our failures, or our fear of failing - instead imitating God in his holiness and imitating Jesus in his love and humility. 

Let’s be women who abandon trust in ourselves and forge ahead in trusting Gods plans purposes for our hearts and for his kingdom and for this world. 

 

God's way isnt the simple or easy answer. It is the narrow path that few take! 

Choose him, every time choose him!