Thursday, February 26, 2009

Your Report Card

So...who all are you passing your report card out to to fill in your grades? How many different "subjects" does your report card report? Maybe,the subject of mother, daughter, wife, employee, employer, church leader, community leader, neighbor???? How exhausting.....how exhausting it can be to "try" and wear so many titles and be all things to all people. Can we ever "really" measure up? Maybe for a day...maybe even two. Do you remember those days back in school when you just knew you had done well on a test? You had done everything within your power to prepare for that test and in your own mind you felt confident.....only to get that test paper back graded and be a much lower grade than you expected or you failed. You received a grade you did not expect in spite of trying so hard. It can knock the wind right out of you, you start loosing confidence, next time you go to take a test, you find yourself second guessing yourself.
Life can be that same way......you on any given day are going to disappoint someone, unwillingly, or maybe willingly depending on your attitude that day or maybe you hurt someones spirit. Maybe someone had expectations on you that you could never measure up to. Maybe someone in their own attitude and walking in the flesh decided to make you the target of their frustration or criticism. Heck... maybe you being human just flat out fail in the eyes of our world.
You will find yourself in complete condemnation, bondage, guilt, tired, weary, feeling unappreciated, prosecuted...hmmm sound familiar??
Stop and remember... you only have one that truly has the right to fill out your grade on that report card. He is the only one that really knows your heart. He is the only one that can truly pass judgement upon us. If we wake each morning and pray before our feet ever hit the ground the full armor of God and walk in His Spirit....if we truly, honestly, and earnestly seek God in His Word, prayer, worship, "quiet" time listening for His voice....... if we chase after having a heart, and wisdom like Him..... then we will not fail in the eyes of God. He turns what we see as failures into victories after walking through them with us.
We need to sit back and rest....we need to realize that some of those "busy works" we fail at are because they were never meant for us to do ....Are you too quick to say "yes" again seeking mans approval? God calls us to be Kingdom builders not "thing" builders. Nor should we seek and crave those pats on the back or the recognitions from man.
If I am seeking to bring a smile to God's face and hearing his words... "well done" then I am a success. My only desire is to see His "A" on my report card. My grade does not come from my performance but comes from who He is to me and the condition of my heart.
People pleasing is exhausting but God pleasing is FREEING!!

Galatians 1:10 "Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i never liked report card.
Standard measurement is not always accurate. I wish i can learn without a grade.