The Un-list (Part 1)

Luci Swindoll talked at Women of Faith about times when she had done something unexpected or surprising and was asked why.  Her response? "Nobody told me I couldn't."  At first this got me thinking about my list of things undone or unfinished.  There is a list of such things much longer than I want to admit to myself.  I am calling it my un-list.  I wondered why I wasn't doing the things on that list.  Is anybody telling me I can't?  Well, no, not really.  Except ONE person- ME!  I realized that truly I am the only one keeping me from doing the things I have not done.  For some things, it's negative self-talk and fear of rejection. For other things, it's allowing my life circumstances as a busy wife, homemaker and homeschooling mom to be an excuse for not doing them (and, thus, avoiding said rejection!).

I realized that my fear of rejection is only because I am allowing my worth to be defined by what others think.  I do (should) not aim to please others.  I (should) aim to please God.  And even the very hairs of your head are numbered.  So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:30-31

Yesterday, I broke free of that fear.  I had found a recipe contest through Pacific Natural Foods about a month ago.  I made up my very own recipe.  I cooked it a couple times.  We thought it was great.  My girls encouraged me to enter it.  My husband encouraged me to enter.  But, still, I didn't enter.  Until yesterday!  It was the very last day to enter and to vote.  First thing in the morning, I filled out that form.  I hesitated a bit, but I hit the submit button and shared it on Facebook.  When it was done, I felt the guilt lift.  I had been silently torturing myself wondering if I should enter and feeling guilty for not entering for a month.  It was done!  (The results will be posted today, so I will let you know!)

My sister called me a few hours later and told me she had voted for my recipe, but that it didn't seem like something she would like.  I thanked her for supporting me with her vote and just kind of chuckled that she didn't care for it.  That's ok.  I don't need her to like it (I need the judge to like it! LOL).  Sure, it'd be great to win, but that's not why I entered.  I entered for exactly what she helped me with in her comment- baby steps toward kicking my fear of rejection to the curb.  I told that liar Satan who kept me telling myself that I am not good enough- NOT TODAY, bozo!  NOT TODAY!  I will not be ruled by fear today!

Today, I want to challenge you to do something that's on your un-list.  First you may have to acknowledge what's on it.  I encourage you to take that step.  Then, pick something that you can either do in it's entirety or partly and DO IT!  You will be glad you do!  I pray that we may all learn to live free of the guilt of unfinished business, free of the fear of rejection, and free to live for Him.

Let Go and Let God

A friend at church told me the following story that really got me thinking. Picture a party, where a group of people got into a not unusual conversation about whether a glass of water was half empty or half full. (Most people know this in relation to one's perspective on life as an optimist or a pessimist.)  One party-goer changed it up and asked how heavy the glass was.  The person holding it said it wasn't very heavy.  Now consider that you have only held that glass for an hour.  After holding it for a whole day, it would feel much heavier.  After two days, a week, a month...heavier and heavier until you would be physically unable to hold the weight, no matter how full or empty the glass.  This is much like our everyday troubles and cares.  We can carry them alone for a short time, but without God, we quickly grow weak and cannot bear them.  No matter the size to begin with, we must give it all to God.  Otherwise our small and temporary troubles will become long-term and unbearable burdens.  David reminds us of this in Psalm 55:22. Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

What are your cares today?  Is there something you need to give to God?  It may be hard to let go of the control, but it’s so much harder to hold and carry the weight alone.  How wonderful that we don’t have to carry it alone!  We have an amazing Lord and Savior who wants to carry our load with us, if we give it to Him in faith. Let’s Let Go and Let God today and be free of the weight that we don’t have to carry!