Hey friends, how are you today? How is your day? It’s another beautiful day in my neighborhood. Thick, white clouds blanket the skies but every so often the sun peeks through. The birds tweet their calls and the cicadas sing their summer song. The squirrels play their tag game, and the groundhog desperately tries to sneak its way into my kitchen garden. The kids are still asleep or perhaps they watch television because the street is still quiet. Love the silence and the stillness of the mornings. The day’s happenings have yet not cluttered my brain. The Lord has blessed us with another brand-new day, we decided what we want written on this day. At the end of today, what shall this page say?
When I was younger, well, actually not that long ago, I believed that my time with the Lord guaranteed me a perfect day. I was convinced that the Lord would ensure that everything and everyone associated with me, on that day, would come together to provide the best day. I would be joyful and happy and peaceful because I spent time with the Lord. Isn’t that how life works? But after a while, I began to sense a problem, I must admit it took me a minute to get there. Well, I do admit I had to have some help in arriving at the right conclusion.
The problem with that immature thinking is that it removes the onus on me to do right and places it first on the Lord (He will always do right) and secondly on the people and circumstances in my life. If I believe that my time with the Lord guarantees me a perfect day and the people at my job band together to make my life miserable and my reaction is to ‘give them a piece of my mind’, (which I was more likely to do) then surely, I cannot be held responsible for my actions, right? After all, I spent time with the Lord and time with the Lord should assure me of a perfect day.
Well, I’m afraid I had to change my thinking when seemingly something always went wrong, especially on those days I spent time with Lord. Why or why? Here I am feeling absolutely wonderful because my time with the Lord brought encouragement and peace and then the people and my circumstances threaten to steal it all from me.
Eventually I realized that my time with the Lord is exactly that, MY time with the Lord. My devotional time in the Word of God and prayer is for MY good. Time with the Lord does guarantee a change, but that change is in me. Time with Lord does guarantee perfection but again that perfection is developed in me. People will be people; circumstances may not change immediately but time with the Lord demands a change in my behavior. That’s the beauty of salvation; a change in ME. Salvation was brought to ME to change ME. Salvation demands change, I must become a better person, even if those around me never change. I must do better, even when my circumstances remain the same.
Time with the Lord puts the onus on me to BE brave, to BE strong, to BE courageous. Time with the Lord strengthens me to BE kind, to BE humble, to BE gentle and tender-hearted. Time with the Lord pushes me to BE obedient to the Word of God and leaves me without excuse for my failure to BEcome more like Christ. But time with the Lord also provides space for forgiveness and provides the opportunity for me to receive grace and mercy from the God of the Universe.
In HIS presence there I find peace and joy and all the encouragement I need for today. Time with the Lord helps me to ‘walk with the Lord’ throughout the day. With Him, I can love the unlovely, I can give the ungrateful, I can be humble to the proud, I can face my fears and accomplish the impossible. With Him I can BE better.
I can have a great day, in fact, I can have a perfect day but that depends on me. The Lord has given me everything I need to tell today’s tale and it starts with my time with Him.
Without Him, the people around me and my circumstances will define my Becoming, I will allow them to decide on my attitude and behavior for that day.
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Becoming HIS Tapestry 
22 responses to “BECOMING ME”
Great reminder and thank you Brenda for your perspective towards reactions. We choose what we want to feel and that decision for a Christ-follower blesses others if we draw from His way of love. ~Torrie
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Amen! That’s exactly right. As we draw close to the Lord we become a blessing to others
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Beautiful reminder that we are the best versions of ourself when we do life with God—every moment even.❤️
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Perfectly said, my friend. Perfectly said. We do life best with Him
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That is a fine string of deep truths you have laid out for us. Thanks!
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To our GOD be all the glory. He is good
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Beautifully stated, Brenda. God does the saving, He does the work in us. But we have responsibilities, and His Word is clear about how His work in us transfers to us working His work in others. And our attitudes.
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Amen 🙏🏽 we are responsible for our growth in Him. We are responsible for our obedience
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Spending time with Jesus in the morning helps me to experience his presence and prepare for the day whatever might happen good or bad.
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Amen and amen 🙏🏽 in His presence we are prepared for whatever comes our way
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So true ! It’s so easy to forget the verses I just read and the prayer I just said when I walk out of my quiet room into the world . I finally understand why we have to abide in Him constantly. But I still fail . I’m thankful for his mercy!
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Oh my friend, we all fall short, ALL! That’s why we remain in Him and through Him. He is our God
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One of the problems I always had with “prosperity Gospel” preachers was when they would read Hebrews 11, they always stopped with the first half of verse 35: “Women received back their dead by resurrection.” [HERE is where they would stop.] “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.”
So how did Stephen, Peter, John Huss, Dietrich Bonhoeffer or Jim Elliot and Nate Saint keep the “peace that passes understanding” in their hearts as they were tortured or killed for their faith? Honestly, I do not know, as I have not been challenged at that level of faith, yet, and hope I will not be. BUT if I ever am, I pray that I will be as faithful to let Him “define my BECOMING,” so that when we meet, I will not be ashamed. Thanx for a great challenge to BE changed! ❤️&🙏, c.a.
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Amen and amen 🙏🏽 I too pray that my life is defined by my faith in the Lord, not just for ‘things’ but more so to become
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Your posts are always good but this one is extra good!
Blessings
Lynn
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Thank you 🙏🏽 To our God be all the glory.
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I like how you said your quiet time was YOUR time with God— not necessarily someone else’s. At my elementary school we remind the children daily that they are responsible for their own behavior. Blessings!
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I think sometimes we are too concerned about others’ spiritual journey and not enough about ours.
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You’re exactly right. It’s all about attitudes and choices.
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Amen 🙏🏽 we have today’s choices to make and may we make the best ones today
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Right on, sister! WE are the ones blessed, strengthened. and encouraged by time spent with the Lord. And like the manna in the desert, He supplies what we need to face the challenges of the DAY! Always enough, no more no less because He in His loving heart knows exactly what we need. Such an awesome God and He loves each one of us.
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Amen 🙏🏽 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness
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