This is my weekly post for the Bloggy Bible Study What Happens When Women Say Yes To God by Lysa Terkeurst
Chapter 5
This weeks chapter was enlightening, convicting, and motivating.
The first thing that caused me to stop and think was the description of a "naysayer." Naysayers do not understand people who are choosing the life of radical obedience. Lysa states, "They don't understand you. They don't want to understand you. And often what you're doing makes them feel convicted. If someone is quick to find fault in something good someone else is doing, that person is usually wrapped up in his or her own self-centered outlook. Naysayers make themselves feel better by tearing others down." This statement caused me to evaluate the naysayers in my life and also the times that I have been guilty of being one myself. Ouch. I found it interesting to read the section in this chapter regarding naysayers since my blog post from yesterday: Fear Is Gone
was about a naysayer in my life. So, I appreciated the encouragement and the reminders to live in the truth. The questions Lysa posed - Is the person active in pursuing a relationship with the Lord? Is the person answering God's call on his own life, producing evidence of God's fruit? Does he have my best interest in mind? When the answers are no, I will look for any truth that might be in what this person has said, forgive him for any hurt he may have caused and let the rest go. I also appreciated the wisdom from Lysa on what if this person is a strong believer and the sound advice from her friend, "Never let others' compliments go to your head or their criticisms go to your heart." Good stuff.
Grace. The next topic in this chapter and something that I need. Grace for the journey. It was helpful for me to look at the two foes to grace - acceptance and rejection. They do lure me and the battle is on. But my Jesus is standing there between those two gatekeepers of Satan's and HE is waiting to embrace me in the security of His truth. I love these truth's, that "No matter what choices I make, His love is not based on my performance. His love is based on His perfect surrender at the cross. But, I must choose to accept this love and walk this truth for it to make a difference in how I journey through life." This is meets me right where I am.
Peace like a river is what I get when I choose to worship over worry. I love it and I want it. I have known the scripture and I can hear the sentence in the old hymn, but the concept of peace being like a river was new to me this week! A river? It is not calm and it is not inactive. A river is moving constantly and it is cleansing. Think of how smooth a river rock is. The moving water wears down all the roughness of the stone and leaves it smooth. Peaceful? I believe so. And a river knows where it is going and is confident of the direction it takes. That, my friend, is peace. How wonderful that our Lord gives us that.
And my favorite...the story of Lysa's little Brooke at dance performance. I read it when it was the devotional for Proverbs 31 and it touched me then. It was just as beautiful reading it again.
What a perfect way to end the chapter and the perfect ending to this post. God wants us to dance through life with our eyes fixed on him, just like little Brooke was the night of that performance.
Lysa's beautiful words express so clearly what is on my heart at the end of this chapter:
"The touch of His gaze wraps about me, comforts me,assures me, and makes the world seem strangely dim. As long as my gaze is locked on His, I dance and He smiles. The snickers and jeers of others fade away. Thought I hear their razor sharp intentions, they are unable to pierce my heart and distract my focus. Even my own stumblings don't cause the same feelings of defeat. My steps so often betray the desire of my heart, but it is not my perfect performance that captures His attention. Rather, it is my complete dependence on Him that He notices.
He then whispers, 'Hold on to Me and what I say about you. For My words are the truth of who you are and the essence of what you were created to be.' I then imagine Him pausing and, with tears in His eyes and a crack in His voice, He adds...
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!"
John 8:32
Blessings!
~Liz
The first thing that caused me to stop and think was the description of a "naysayer." Naysayers do not understand people who are choosing the life of radical obedience. Lysa states, "They don't understand you. They don't want to understand you. And often what you're doing makes them feel convicted. If someone is quick to find fault in something good someone else is doing, that person is usually wrapped up in his or her own self-centered outlook. Naysayers make themselves feel better by tearing others down." This statement caused me to evaluate the naysayers in my life and also the times that I have been guilty of being one myself. Ouch. I found it interesting to read the section in this chapter regarding naysayers since my blog post from yesterday: Fear Is Gone
was about a naysayer in my life. So, I appreciated the encouragement and the reminders to live in the truth. The questions Lysa posed - Is the person active in pursuing a relationship with the Lord? Is the person answering God's call on his own life, producing evidence of God's fruit? Does he have my best interest in mind? When the answers are no, I will look for any truth that might be in what this person has said, forgive him for any hurt he may have caused and let the rest go. I also appreciated the wisdom from Lysa on what if this person is a strong believer and the sound advice from her friend, "Never let others' compliments go to your head or their criticisms go to your heart." Good stuff.
Grace. The next topic in this chapter and something that I need. Grace for the journey. It was helpful for me to look at the two foes to grace - acceptance and rejection. They do lure me and the battle is on. But my Jesus is standing there between those two gatekeepers of Satan's and HE is waiting to embrace me in the security of His truth. I love these truth's, that "No matter what choices I make, His love is not based on my performance. His love is based on His perfect surrender at the cross. But, I must choose to accept this love and walk this truth for it to make a difference in how I journey through life." This is meets me right where I am.
Peace like a river is what I get when I choose to worship over worry. I love it and I want it. I have known the scripture and I can hear the sentence in the old hymn, but the concept of peace being like a river was new to me this week! A river? It is not calm and it is not inactive. A river is moving constantly and it is cleansing. Think of how smooth a river rock is. The moving water wears down all the roughness of the stone and leaves it smooth. Peaceful? I believe so. And a river knows where it is going and is confident of the direction it takes. That, my friend, is peace. How wonderful that our Lord gives us that.
And my favorite...the story of Lysa's little Brooke at dance performance. I read it when it was the devotional for Proverbs 31 and it touched me then. It was just as beautiful reading it again.
What a perfect way to end the chapter and the perfect ending to this post. God wants us to dance through life with our eyes fixed on him, just like little Brooke was the night of that performance.
Lysa's beautiful words express so clearly what is on my heart at the end of this chapter:
"The touch of His gaze wraps about me, comforts me,assures me, and makes the world seem strangely dim. As long as my gaze is locked on His, I dance and He smiles. The snickers and jeers of others fade away. Thought I hear their razor sharp intentions, they are unable to pierce my heart and distract my focus. Even my own stumblings don't cause the same feelings of defeat. My steps so often betray the desire of my heart, but it is not my perfect performance that captures His attention. Rather, it is my complete dependence on Him that He notices.
He then whispers, 'Hold on to Me and what I say about you. For My words are the truth of who you are and the essence of what you were created to be.' I then imagine Him pausing and, with tears in His eyes and a crack in His voice, He adds...
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!"
John 8:32
Blessings!
~Liz
2 comments:
I too loved how Lysa closed out our chapter with the story of her daughter. Very touching.
OKAY I'm back. After reading your post I realized I put Ashley instead of Brooke regarding the dance story. Goodness gracious! Thanks for saying Brooke's name on your blog. :) I had to go to my blog & make the correction.
Anyway, you had some great points here. We just HAVE to say yes to Him don't we Liz? Have to.
Love ya,
Lelia
Hey, bio Dad--visiting Alyssa next month on of all weekends-
Graduation! Oh boy~prayers please. :)
This study is touching our hearts, and causing us to not only say YES to God, but also to make a difference for the Kingdom.
Blessings,
Yolanda
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