Have you ever wondered what the gospel looks like in real life?
My Story
I didn’t plan ahead. Well, I did. I planned to do four days of work in one morning.
It was a bad plan.
On the morning in question, I got multiple phone calls needing me to step out of my office and into other situations. Situations I couldn’t say no to. Situations I wouldn’t say no to.
To top it all off I was out of sugar to sweeten my morning coffee. I had issues to say the least.
In addition to my four days of work, I had planned to run to the store, make a costume for my daughter’s school project, and take care of a whole slew of other errands that day. Between basketball practice and dental appointments, my day was jam-packed from beginning to end.
But In the Middle of My Mess…
One of my new tasks was picking up the yard before an unexpected rain shower. My mind was running a million miles a minute while I trudged around the yard picking up belongings that couldn’t weather the storm. I wasn’t upset with anyone but me. And while I would happily love and serve my family, a sense of panic was rising within.
I was silently beating myself up while trying to beat the storm.
Why didn’t I plan better? Why wasn’t I further ahead. Was I even qualified to do any of it? Was this really my calling? I obviously wasn’t the best choice. Maybe God was trying to tell me something. Maybe He wanted me to hand off my ministry or graciously step down. How could you tell the difference between God’s prompting and Satan’s schemes anyways? Obviously it wasn’t dependent on my own opinions in the moment. What did God want from me?
And in the middle of my mess, I sensed that whisper deep within my soul. The one that could only be Jesus. The panic ceased, and I knew the answer was found in the gospel.
The Gospel for Real Life
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:16-17
God loves me so much He sent His Son to live and die for me. And not just me, but everyone. He created me to bring Him glory. To shine His light to the world. That’s what my ministry and obligations are truly about.
Pointing people to Jesus.; that’s what it’s really about.
In the middle of my mess, I can do that because it’s not about me. It’s not about whether or not I have it all together. It isn’t about whether or not I’m caught up or have a good plan. It’s about knowing we are loved by God no matter where life find us.
God’s Got This
Looking back on my blog posts, it is obvious that I am a failure by the world’s standards. Nobody would ever look at me and think #lifegoals or even #squadgoals. I’m better defined by #hotmess and #lifehappens. But God doesn’t pick out the perfect people to do His will. He doesn’t stand back and wait for the cream of the crop to fight their way to the top and then send them on a mission for Him.
God calls the runts out of the field and makes them Kings. He singles out the faithful, even if they are failures. And that’s where I found myself today. I have no idea how my morning will play out. I don’t know if I’ll get it all done. But I know God is with me. I know that I am unworthy, and I know He called me anyway.
Maybe I just need to unplug for a moment and read Exodus 3. When Moses told God he was unworthy, when he questioned his calling, God didn’t offer up reassurances, He just told Moses that He had it under control. It wasn’t about Moses, it was about God. And the same is true in my life and in my calling. It’s not about me, it’s about Jesus.
P.S. If you wrote a post recently about Moses and God just needing his stick – I loved it, and lost it (#truestory) – please let me know in the comments below and I’ll highlight it here.
God singles out the faithful, even if they're failures… Click To TweetThis is an edited excerpt from Heather’s anthology, Candid Conversations. While each story in the anthology shares a unique perspective, the prevailing theme is that we all struggle, but there is hope to be found in Jesus. Now available on Amazon.
I love your honesty Heather! God has been keeping this theme of identity in front of me since December. I’ve written about it several times, including my post this week (the one I linked up). I also had the privilege of speaking to a group of women this past Saturday about identity. Such an amazing experience! But more importantly, the response I received reinforced the message God has been laying on my heart—as women, we need to remember who we are in Jesus! We need to be grounded in our God-given identities! Otherwise, we are tempted to believe the enemy’s lies—that who we are is defined by what we do, don’t do, and what the world says about us.
I love your site here!
Blessings,
Laura
Amen, Laura! I loved your post. Too often we let the world define who we are, but it’s not up to them. On the wallpaper for my desktop background I have a reminder from Colossians 3: I am chosen by God and dearly loved.
Heather, thank you so much for this encouragement! “God calls the runts out of the field and makes them Kings.” That is wonderful… I SO OFTEN feel that I have bitten off more than I can chew, and it is such a relief to know that it is about Jesus and not me 🙂
Elizabeth! I loved your post about mommy fails. It was just what I needed to read this morning. Thank you so much for linking up.
I like being real and having candid conversations. I also appreciate when Christian women can get together and truly talk about life and the gospel as they play-out in real-time. I find it’s often messy, but we all need to get our elbows dirty. Thank you for sharing and hosting this link-up!
Yes and Amen! Life isn’t always neat and tidy, but Jesus isn’t afraid to meet us wherever we’re at.
Love this! We’re not perfect and God is refining us daily. So glad He is patient with me!
Amen! God is so good. I’m so thankful for His grace.
Sometimes I find myself saying “God’s got this” when I’m going thru stuff
That is such a great reminder! I use it too. Another reminder I use is, “God’s timing is perfect, His ways are best, and He loves me.”
Ha! I have days like this too. I have these crazy days where I think I can get what normally takes me 4 hours done in 30 min. Thanks for the linkup and introducing us to some great blog posts.
Seriously! Some days I must think I’m super woman, but in reality I just have unrealistic expectations. My husband calls me on it quite frequently if I’m honest.
You know acting like we have it all together pushes people away. Real brokenness is such a better tool. I think that is partially why God used so many desperately broken people in the Bible, so other broken people could relate and so His strength would be clear.
I think you are so right, Jennifer! Our brokenness is a testimony to God’s mercy and grace.
Heather, your hot messes sound a lot like mine. I have a big tendency to plan more than I can do in a day and much of the reason is because I didn’t do things sooner. 🙁 Thanks for sharing!
It is so easy to pack our schedules too full, isn’t it Donna. And it seems like the fuller it gets, the more I stress and procrastinate, only making it worse. But God is teaching me a lot about trusting His timing and keeping my eyes fixed on Him.
I am definitely finding through blogging and reading other Christian women’s blogs, that we have a very real community, and through that transparency, I don’t feel alone in “my failures” and others may not feel alone reading my shortcomings. But the biggest take home message is that we have a God who is right there with us in our mess and is ready and waiting to pick us up and show Himself mighty in our lives so that through our testimonies He and only He is glorified.
Thank you so much for sharing so candidly and reminding us that God loves us no matter what.
Thanks for stopping in and linking up, Karen! It’s funny that you mentioned God being right there, ready to lift us up, because that’s what my blog post was about this morning.
This was an amazing devotional. I was teary reading it. Thank you, Jesus, for your calm in the storm. He uses our mess and spreads His message.
Thank you also for sharing with CBF.
God bless!
Amen! I am so thankful that our failures are not futile.
A lot of times people are looking at us and seeing the kind of Christians we really are
Just what I needed to be reminded of today! I am enjoying your posts, blogs, and just following you. I appreciate the encourgenrnt and uplifting I get.
Thanks, Kathleen. I can’t take any of the credit though, I’m just a hot mess of a Christian gal who is ever so thankful for a Savior who did it all on the cross.