Today we continue our look at chapter ten – Following Through in Faithfulness in the book “A Woman’s Walk with God” by Elizabeth George. It is a study of the Fruit of the Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is…faithfulness. Galatians 5:22
We must realize that we have a need for faithfulness. “As women, you and I have many-many!-assignments from God which we cannot accomplish without faithfulness.” The assignments vary from wife, mother, home management, money management, maybe desk management, devotional life. We must also be faithful in church. “Serving God calls for faithfulness-to Him and to His call to use His gifts and serve His people.”
We also have personal struggles to be faithful and can be struggles against our flesh. It surely isn’t easy. “The good news is that, as we yield our flesh to God and are led by His Spirit (Galatians 5:18), we can walk in faithfulness.”
“Walking in God’s faithfulness is a three-step operation.
1. Desire to live a godly life that manifests the graces of the Holy Spirit.
2. Look to God: His power from on high is available to us, and He gives it to us freely.The author discussed personal struggles:
3. Follow God’s Word by moving out intentionally and confidently, empowered and guided by God.
This three-step process can always help us in our struggles to be faithful.”
1. Tiredness. Tiredness says, ‘I can’t do it. Tiredness moans, ‘I can’t get up…I can’t get up…I can’t make it to church…I can’t run the errands…I can’t study…I’m just too tired! In the flesh, we think and feel that we can’t do it.”
a. While tiredness says ‘I can’t do it,’ God’s Word says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13).
2. Laziness. Laziness is a mental struggle. Laziness says, ‘I don’t want to do it. Laziness whines, ‘I don’t want to clean the house…I don’t want to cook…I don’t want to get involved in ministry…I don’t want to discipline my children…I just don’t want to do it.’
a. While laziness says, ‘I don’t want to do it,’ God’s Word beckons ‘Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth’ (Colossians 3:2). It is sobering to realize that all you and I do is not done only for people, but for our Savior. Serving people is a primary way for us to serve our Lord.
3. Hopelessness. Hopelessness says, ‘It doesn’t matter if I do it.’ We feel like giving up and asking ‘Why try?’ Fear sets in, fear of failing.
a. Hopelessness says, ‘It doesn’t matter if I do it,’ God’s Word encourages us ‘Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid; neither be thou dismayed’ (Joshua 1:9).
4. Procrastination. Procrastination says, ‘I’ll do it later.’ Procrastination announces, ‘I’ll prepare for that class later…I’ll finish (or start) that chapter later…I’ll reconcile the bank statement later…I’ll call the plumber later…I’ll do it later.’
a. Procratination says ‘I’ll do it later.’ God’s Word wisely prompts us ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might!’ (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Do it…just do it...and do it now!
5. Rationalization. Rationalization is an evil but subtle perspective on life, ministry, and responsibility that says, ‘Someone else will do it.’ Rationalization calculates, ‘Someone else will set up for the meeting…Someone else will make the announcement…Someone else will lead the discussion…Someone else will do it.’ The godly woman who is faithful is ‘faithful in all things’ (1 Timothy 3:11), all of the time no matter what.
a. Rationalization says, ‘Someone else will do it’, God’s Word tells us to be faithful until death (Revelation 2:10). A faithful woman will successfully defeat the unfruitful thought processes that lead to rationalizing, ‘Someone else will do it.’ By desiring to grow in faithfulness, by looking to God’s Spirit to supply His faithfulness in weakness, and by following God’s call that we be faithful in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:1). The way I chip away at rationalization is very simple: I try to be faithful for one day only.
6. Apathy. Apathy says, ‘I don’t care if I do it.’ Apathy shrugs, ‘I don’t care if the dishes get done…I don’t care if I’m a good mom or wife…I don’t care if I read my Bible…I don’t care if I grow…I don’t care if I’m faithful…I don’t care if I do it.’ Apathy is a spiritual numbness that creeps in and corrupts the good that God intends for our life and the good that He wants us to accomplish for Him and His kingdom.
a. Apathy says, ‘I don’t care’, God’s Word forces our gaze off of ourselves and on to our Father, ‘not…to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45).
7. Rebellion. Rebellion says, ‘I won’t do it.’ Rebellion stubbornly states, ‘I won’t do what the Bible says…I won’t do the laundry…I won’t do what my husband asks…I won’t do what the counselor advised…I won’t do it.’ Rebellion is a hardness we should fear because, as the Bible teaches, ‘the man [or woman] who hardens his [or her] neck…will suddenly be broken beyond remedy’ (Proverbs 29:1). There is no deadlier attitude of the heart than rebellion – whether blatant, open, outspoken rebellion or quiet rebellion which simply and silently goes about life in its own way.
a. Rebellion says, ‘I won’t do it’, but we can pray along with David, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me’ (Psalm 139:23-24).Once again, the author gives us a lot to take in. However, “Our great God has made all we need to be faithful available to us through His grace. He wants us to do what David, the shepherd-king of Israel, did when he ‘strengthened himself in the Lord his God’ (1 Samuel 30:6). David repeatedly declared, ‘the Lord is the strength of my life’ (Psalm 27:1).”
“Praise God that you and I can go to Him when we are too tired, too lazy, too uncommitted, too sick, or feeling too sorry for ourselves. In fact, moments like these are precisely when we need to call upon God and be filled with His faithfulness. We can go to Him and ask Him to fill us with His strength. We can find in Him the strength (His strength, the vision (His vision), and thereby the faithfulness (His faithfulness). Indeed, He is waiting to give us His faithfulness.”Tomorrow we will finish looking at the fruit of faithfulness and will look at women who were faithful to Jesus and walking in faithfulness.
I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow as we finish our look at faithfulness.
Blessings,
No comments:
Post a Comment