Who You Belong To

Blog – 7-27-16 Who You Belong To

I’ve always been a doer, a shaker, a mover, the go-to girl. Want something done, I’m your gal. My parents taught me a very strong work ethic, and I’m proud to be someone who has always worked hard.

There’s a down side to being driven, however. The problem with this endless activity and striving for me is I lose sight of the fact that God doesn’t love me because of what I do but because of who I am…His child. His unique creation.

It’s not about what I do, it’s about who I belong to. ClicktoTweet

Can you relate? Are you sometimes more caught up in what you get done than who you are, or rather whose you are?

God loves us to work hard, especially on things that are benefiting His Kingdom and done for His Glory. My music, for instance, is done for His glory. It’s a good thing, right.

Here’s where the trouble comes in for me. I turn that good thing into an idol. I turn music “success” into the goal, the thing I can’t do without. Success becomes my master. The ultimate prize.

God’s word tells us very clearly we can only have one master.

Having a hit song on the radio would be incredible, I’m not going to lie, and I’m all about goals. I’m teaching classes on leadership, so I believe with my whole heart we are supposed to chase after excellence and always give things our best effort.

However, and this is a big however for a striver like me, success can’t be where my focus is.

My focus needs to remain on the fact that I belong to a loving Father who will love me as much today as He will the day I have that hit song on the radio. (Okay, I still have to dream!) Truth is, none of my working and striving can make Him love me more…or less.

And that, my friend, leads to freedom!

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,  to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Instead of focusing on all you want to do and the goals you are striving for, rest firmly on the fact the more deeply you feel unconditional love and grace from God and the more you are filled to the brim with the fullness of God, the less likely it is you will be caught up in the striving game.

We have to be diligent about letting our striving not get the best of us, not kneeling at its altar, ready to give up everything in order to gain the prize. The prize is already there! It was bought with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Nothing we do, N-O-T-H-I-N-G, can make God love us more or less. Here’s the very simple truth: God loves us, period! ClicktoTweet

Hard work is good. I encourage you to keep reaching for excellence. But while you’re doing the work God gave you to do, remember that who you belong to is way more important than what you do.

Hugs and love,

~Jill

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