see, say, then do

I am frequently approached by Christians who want....

They want a simpler life.
They want more time with their family.
They want to live debt free.
They want to be in a healthy relationship...
The list goes on and on (and the self-help books continue to sell).

When further pressed about any of these "wants" their most prominent desire soon becomes their want to grow more spiritually.
Usually, this is because many Christians believe God is able to save them from their circumstances.... at least they believe it in theory.
But do they live it?
Or do they contradict their own statement of belief by expecting a desired blessing without accepting ownership of their own actions?

I hear a lot of folks claim they want to know God... to spend time alone with God... to be with God and to follow after Him.
However, when you get right down to it, their actions don't line up with their words.
They talk a great talk, but don't actually take the time to seek Him or live as God has called them to live.
They want salvation and freedom from their sinful nature, but they fail to actually DO anything to change their direction.

Wanting vs. doing are two completely different things.

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:8)

Ask yourself...
What do you really want?
What do you really value?
Where are your priorities?
Do you value people over things?
Do you value simplicity over chaos?
Do you value responsibility over debt?
Do you value humility over image?
Do you value a life in Christ over comfort?
Godliness over wickedness?
Do you seek to live as Jesus lived and follow after His ways?

Thoreau once said, "Your priorities are what you do."

With that in mind, consider how you are living and what you are DOING to be close to Jesus.
Do your actions match your stated values?
Is GOD really your priority?
Is there a dichotomy between how you say you live and the way you are actually living?
Or do you find yourself living hypocritically as you contradict yourself at every turn?
Are you living what you are really hoping... saying... claiming... all in Jesus Name?
If not, I suggest that it is time to stop deceiving yourself and to start getting honest with a repentant heart.
It's go time, Ladies.
It is time to DO!

From my perspective, the only way to live for God is with focused perseverance.
By doing so, we become mature and complete and learn to lack nothing outside of God.
The closer we are with Him, the more our wants become His wants.
So, to avoid becoming double-minded and hypocritical in what we say vs. what we do, we must own our end of the relationship with God and apply ourselves to live as Christ lived.
We must choose to DO!

Lethargic faith does not align with scripture.
So, we must choose to love God first.
We must take up our own cross and follow Him.
Nothing else is more important than actually being with Jesus.... NOTHING!
We were created to live glorifying Him.
We were made to adhere to His will - not our own.
Because of this, we must confess, believe, seek and follow in order to experience His full blessing.

We must see, say, and then DO!!!

If anyone speaks, he should DO IT as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should DO IT with the strength God provides, so that IN ALL THINGS God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.... Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:22; 25-27)

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, DO IT ALL for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Oh, how I pray that we each DO!

Blessings!

© The Devoted Woman | Victoria Anderson