One month into 2019, and I’ve definitely already learned over 2019 new things about life. The new year isn’t really a momentous occasion in my mind, but this year it seemed to hold a little more weight. In 2018 I went from being a helpless, selfish girl, to a helpless, selfish girl who understood her salvation. Growth has become inevitable and change so sweet.
I think we as humans are very stuck in our ways. We tell ourselves that we are inherently good and have so much to offer the world, if only others could see that. Yet, we are still miserable. We feel guilt and shame, and we try to hide it in the good traits we possess. If we truly took a moment to observe our lives, we would notice a trend in the way they are being played out. Every good deed that we are capable of doing exemplifies who God is and magnifies His glory. We cannot possibly believe that out of our selfish hearts would come love without the presence of God in our lives.
That realization, however, should not be one of despair. It is one of joy and hope because as much as we fail daily, God is there picking us back up and calling us sons and daughters. Last year, around this time I had the opportunity to attend a church conference with my college ministry. I remember bawling my eyes out because of the overwhelming weight of sin that I felt. This is part of the process, but what I was missing was the joy that comes with the gospel truth. This year at the same conference, I felt forgiveness for my sin and sheer joy for the ways that God has been working in the past 365 days. That is what we should feel when we realize that God has cleansed us of our inherent sins and has given us a chance to proclaim His glory in our growth.
Realizing that we need to change is a hard pill to swallow. It seems like an offense to who we are as people. Who wants to admit that they are flawed? But doing so gives us peace in our failings and hope in our successes. We cannot earn love and attention through our own good deeds. Gods love and attentiveness is already surrounding us, and all we have to do is surrender our lives to His cause. “My heart and flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”- Psalm 73:26
Find your hope in that today, friends!
❤ Lyd
A Little More Than Lyd 