The world values, and then covets, DOING. God is pleased with, and then blesses, BEING.
That’s the essence of May’s theme for this blog. It comes after intense focus on a single theme during each of the year’s first four months: JAN: Release Control to God; FEB: Reject The World; MAR: Recognize Our Inadequacy; APR: Believe with a CAPITAL B; and now MAY: Switch From Doing To Being—How to be authentic in Christ. Authentic in your relationships. And authentic in pursuing God’s purpose for your life.
Our focus now is all about AUTHENTICITY in Christ.
Of course God is interested in the DOING. But only when it comes after his authentic nature is resident in us to determine who we are (the BEING). That’s why he REALLY wants to know the answers to these three heart-probing and life-changing questions:
- What is the level of your Christ-like AUTHENTICITY?
- What is the focus of your day-in, day-out ATTENTION?
- What are the FRUITS produced on your faith walk?
We MUST do more than just talk through the immutable truth that God wants us to BE in him over DOING in the world. We need to focus on the action steps necessary to make sure we are BEING over DOING. To that end, here are the five areas I focus on to make sure I am thinking about BEING authentic in Christ, and not merely DOING in the world:
SELF-WORTH
Thinking that God could never bless me is one of Satan’s lies to thwart our faith journey.
FEAR
Our level of trembling fear is determined by how much we BELIEVE that God is in control.
HOPELESSNESS
We cannot allow distance to form between us and God because hopelessness is a gateway to our full surrender to God. We must be ready to make that move.
PAIN
We need to set aside our mind’s negative chatter and realize that our pain is a disguised opportunity to help others.
ANGER
Our anger is a gauge for how much of our life we have YIELDED to God–yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever.
What’s worse than being called INAUTHENTIC in Christ? I can’t think of anything.
I ask God to keep me focused on BEING and ever-vigilant to fight off the urge to concentrate on DOING.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
The world values, and then covets, DOING. God is pleased with, and then blesses, BEING. As we start this month-long journey of exploration into the authenticity of our faith, where do you stand today on DOING vs BEING?
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
