Colossians Chapter 3 Part 2

Colossians Chapter 3:18 – 25 Part II

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, …” (Colossians Chapter 3:23)  

A Prayer for My Daughter

I pray, dear Lord, that You will bless my daughter with a loving, Godly marriage. May You bless her with a husband who loves and cherishes her as Christ does the church. Likewise, may she respect and submit to her husband in love. Bless them with children who will honor and obey. Fill her future husband with a patient and wise love of their children that builds and encourages them up in Christ. May my daughter labor in all sincerity and reverence for the Lord, offering her best and working her hardest for the glory of God. 

An interesting week, one humbling at best and one soul crushing at the least. Sometimes we think so highly of ourselves, believing our brand of enlightenment far outshines the others. It is subtle, sneaking in with quiet stealth and wrapping deceiving folds over our eyes. Yet, often we are unaware of what monkey’s dangle off our shoulders, blind to their weighty existence. Shamefully, I admit that this was me this past week. There I sat, surrounded by people, thinking I held all the answers, when indeed, it is they who possessed the presence, answers, and expertise. I felt so inadequate, so inept in my offerings and thoughts. How could I even compare to them? I wondered, what value can I even bring?

​I shrunk into myself and closed the door to my heart and left myself to self-a base. The remaining part of the week as Sweet one battled me, trying to find balance between autonomy, control, and obedience, my voice of confidence and assurance continued spiraling downward until nothing, but my bare bones remained. I lay on the bed one evening after Sweet girl was tucked in for the night, wearily telling my husband that I was to blame for everything that had gone awry. Even as I heard my voice vomit forth a spray of self-blame, I could not stop myself. I felt so unworthy, so valueless, and beaten down by my perceived inadequacy as a mom, wife, and follower of Christ. All I could do was merely sprawl exhausted and drained on that bed like a fish out of water, gasping for breath and praying for deliverance.​

The next morning rose with a fresh start, yet I still felt weak and uncertain. Do I really know what I am doing with this parenting thing? Do I even believe in myself? Not wanting to test the waters, I just let my husband take the lead as I faded into the background. As I hurried out for a women’s event, I kissed my little girl and hugged my husband goodbye. How I hoped for a Word from the Lord to fill my raw and vulnerable spirit. It’s funny how God has a sense of humor and knows exactly what we need. Once more, I sat confronted by my pride and self as the talent and gifts of other people washed over me, knocking me down with my small fish minnow status. Surprisingly though, this time the reminder did not wound or pierce me as it had before. It’s reality check soothed like a comforting blanket with the gentle reassurance of a caring, Heavenly Father.

​Later that evening as I sat curled on the love seat under my cozy afghan, I felt washed clean by the sweet, gentle love of the Father, who bandaged my scars from the week. Remember, it is not you, but Me that this is all about. It is not about whether you are talented or gifted, but whether you will go where I tell you to go, do what I tell you to do, and stay where I want you to stay. It is about Me, not you. I realized in this moment, that it was okay for me to be less talented, less wise, less assured and confidant then others because it wasn’t about me, it was about God and what He can do through our weaknesses and small gifts. For God can take the smallest of mustard seeds and grow it into the largest, longest, and most extensive plant, multiplying it beyond borders and scaling the highest of walls. We just need to get out of the way, His way, and be obedient and faithful to what He is calling us to do. It doesn’t matter how measly our portions of gifting’s may be, because it is God who waters and grows what He has given to use as He sees fit. ​

​Yes, we need to still be good stewards of what He has given us, faithfully putting to use our gifts and not burying them beneath the sand. But, it is up to God to bless our gift and it is He who multiplies them from 10 talents to 20 or from 5 loaves and 2 fish to enough to feed 5,000. So, the pressure is off us to produce a 5-star quality show but rather we are to obey God’s leading and do our best. 

​Remember for whom we are working. We are to work our hardest for God, not man. Let us be reminded that our most fragrant of offerings, our first fruits, and our best efforts are to be for God and not the praise or pleasure of man. Instead, we are to work our hardest for the praise of God and to bring Him glory. Examining whom we serve and shifting our work ethics to a Heavenly one helps remove our focus from self away from the danger of pride. It moves our eyes upward, onto the only One worthy of any worship – not ourselves, but, the Creator of our Universe, the Lord of all, the Master of our Lives and Lover of our souls – God. ​

So tonight, as I lay myself on the altar of surrender, I offered up what little pieces of myself remained and let go of my wounded pride. I embraced my inadequacies, my inabilities and lack of expertise with the comforting assurance that I didn’t have to be what I thought I needed to be, only what God wants me to be. And, right now, that is a child of God, immersed in His presence, sitting at His feet, hearing His still, soft voice, and basking in the sweet, sweet presence of the Lord God in Heaven while walking in submission and obedience by faith in trust to the One who gave it all for me. Silently worshipping our awesome God in the quiet darkness, I found myself thanking God for the periods of humble pie I ate earlier this week and for my sense of insufficiency. For it is these very things that drive us with greater intensity and passion to the throne room. Likewise, it is the very thing that lifts the veil of self-pride from our faces. And in the very act of humility as all pretense disappears, we can see ourselves as we truly are – dependent upon the goodness and strength of our Heavenly Father, unable to do things in our own strength but only in our reliance upon Him. IF we cannot see beyond the walls of pride that sometimes masks our eyes, then we miss the opportunity to allow our vulnerabilities and weaknesses to be used by God while allowing Him to minister to us, in us, and through us. May we thank the Lord today for humbling our hearts and opening our eyes to see our great need for Him.​

A Prayer for Myself

Oh Lord, strip away my self-pride and false humility. Help me bow low so that I may cast myself at Your feet and know Your love. Help me be faithful with what You have given me to be a good steward of Your gifts. With an open hand, I lay before You my most humble of offerings and ask that You may bless it tenfold and beyond. Expand my sphere of influence, oh Lord for Your glory and protect me from sin and harm. Grant me favor oh God and grant joy in the offering.