Are You Judging Yourself In The Middle Of Your Story?
Hey friend,
Let me ask you a question:
When you watch movies that are based on true stories, ones you know have a beautiful ending, where does your brain go when the main character is in the messy middle?
The part where you can see them start to change. They aren't where they need to be yet but you can tell they're on their way.
I don't know about you but at that point in the movie I get excited. I'm filled with hope looking forward to when they're full breakthrough shows up.
Why don't we do this for ourselves??
My husband and I took a holiday recently that involved a lot of walking. My husband told me one evening how proud he was with everything I was able to do because in the not too distant past I would have been way too weak and sick to do even a quarter of what I did.
Yet that's not where my brain was going at ALL.
I told him I really appreciated hearing that because in my brain, I was thinking of how far I had to go to be the grandma I really wanted to be in the future.
I felt like I still needed a lot more strength and a lot more stamina to run around Whistler or anywhere else for that matter with my grandkids one day.
This is just another one of the devil's schemes.
He wants you to focus on what you are not instead of what you are.
Because in that moment, I was a conqueror. A diligent, consistent, determined woman who never gave up when doctors told me I should.
But that sneaky Father of Lies whispered to me what I wasn't. And without thinking, I listened.
Shouldn't I be stronger by now?
I've got so far to go.
What if…
Friends, when the Father of Lies starts whispering you need to do two things:
Stop listening
And then replace it with truth.
The truth is I’ve come a very long way.
The truth is I'm doing my best at all times.
The truth is I was able to have a great holiday with my husband and I'm wildly grateful I had that opportunity, regardless if I get that opportunity again in the future.
The truth is I've surrendered my future to God and however that looks, I've already chosen to love it.
The truth is God loves me and knows what's best for me.
The truth is I trust God and what HE says about me.
Satan wants you to focus on lack rather than the abundance God has provided.
One of my favorite Christian songs right now contains the line:
I see the evidence of your goodness all over my life…
Satan is going to do all he can so you don't notice God's goodness.
He'll keep you focused on what you haven't been given yet.
Each of us is in our own true story movie that others are watching.
The question is…what will they see?
When you look back, what evidence can you see of God’s goodness in your story so far?
Where has God strengthened you in ways you once prayed for but might have forgotten to celebrate?
Stay filled with hope. The only way to do that is to focus on what is TRUE and not what hasn’t happened YET.
Keep looking at what God HAS done and IS doing. And point others to it as well.
KNOW God and make Him KNOWN in all you do my dear friends.
Like I said last week, we do NOT have time to live in apathy.
You are NOT behind. God is STILL actively writing your story. He did not hand the pen to someone else.
Keep walking, keep trusting, and keep pointing to the evidence of His goodness.
In passionate purpose,
Dorothy