As women, we have a lot of roles and we wear many hats. If we are married or desire to be married, we have the responsibility of being a loving, respectful, and submissive wife. If we have children or desire them, we have the job of nurturing, raising, and training them up in the way that they should go. And if we have jobs, whether at home or outside the home, then we have to find the proper balance in juggling it all, right? I would even venture to say that some of us are quite active in our local church or community as well. Yet, with all of these things happening, there still comes a time in our lives when God says, “I want more of you…better yet, I want all of you.”
This requires laying down your life for the sake of others. If God said those words to you right now, what would you say? Would it be a wholehearted “Yes, Lord!” or “Wait one moment…” or “Not now, Lord.” Now, you probably wouldn’t say it exactly this way, but where is your true heart on this today? Are you surrendering easily, or is it a bit of a struggle? Is there something that you’re holding onto tightly that needs to be let go? Is God calling you to do something that will require more of your time and effort? Only you and God would know the answer to this question. But I hope you’ll say, “Yes.”
Don’t be like the rich young ruler in the Bible who struggled with giving his all. He was doing everything that he thought was right like following all the commandments, but then Jesus asked for all of him, he struggled with it. In Luke 18:18-23 Jesus said to him, “There is still one thing you lack…Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ But when the man heard this, he became very sad because he was rich. Jesus watched him go.” (NLT)
*The moral behind this story is that Jesus was trying to show his disciples and us today that it’s hard for a rich person to get into heaven, because it’s tough to get rid of everything one owns for the sake of someone else. And to the average person, it’s tough to surrender all when you have a lot of things or want to do things that bring you more pleasure. But what it really boils down to is becoming more of a living sacrifice, and laying down your life for others. Romans 12:1 states, “And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice-the kind he will accept.” (NLT) Our lives are not our own. We’ve been bought with a very high price…Jesus Christ!
With that being said, I’m also reminded of those who did surrender all. In Matthew 4:19-20 Jesus called out to Peter and Andrew saying, “‘Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!’ And they left their nets at once and went with him.” (NLT) Wow! Talk about immediate obedience. What a difference from the rich young ruler who walked away from giving more. Yet you see Peter and Andrew giving it all. As a result, they went on to do GREAT things for the Lord and now they’re going to inherit heaven! So…are you willing to leave your ideas, plans, and pleasures to be a greater light for others to enter into that glorious place as well?
Matthew 6:33 tells us, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” God is first. He’s above everything. And walking with Jesus and doing God’s will is higher than everything else. Once our priorities are in order, everything else will flow and those other things that we desire to do will be added unto us. And that’s because we’ve delighted ourselves in the Lord in every way (Read Psalm 37:4).
Personally, in my own life, God is beckoning me to come up higher, go deeper, press harder, do more for His glory, and make sure that I keep Him first in all things. Trust me. With the demands of life and ministry, that’s not always easy. But I’ve had to settle in my mind and heart and God wants all of me, not part of me. It’s not about my conveniences, but it’s about doing His will and making sure that I fulfill it in His timing. And so if it’s important to Him, then it’s important to me. It’s a choice.
Embrace this message today. As I mentioned earlier, we wear a lot of hats as women. But in these times, God is requiring more, because time is running out. There are souls that need to be saved and lives that need to be changed because of our testimony and gifts and talents that God has placed inside of us. We can't let them lie dormant. If God wants more of you, then close your eyes, take a deep breath, pray for supernatural strength, prioritize your schedule, and get it done. Yes, it will be a sacrifice. Yes, you will get tired sometimes. But Jesus assures us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” So keep pressing until you’ve completed what God has called you to do in this season, sis. Hold on, and know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! Give Him your all today.
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s get ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
*Thanks for reading! I hope and pray that you’ve been enlightened from this post. Feel absolutely free to leave a comment or for questions you can email me directly at insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com, and I will respond promptly. Also, tune in every Monday at 7:30am for new posts! Don’t forget to “Like” my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutWCourtnaye) and share this blog with friends, family, co-workers, or your women’s group or ministry. I’d love to stay connected and help more women grow in the Lord! Thanks again and may God be with you!
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