ALL WE EVER HAVE TO BE
Kendra Intihar
Today's Scripture: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, ESV
Theme: Life God’s way means having pure motives, not only commendable actions.
PEOPLE PLEASERS UNITE
Are you a striver? A people-pleaser? A person who wants to be liked? If so, please join my little club. I love Scripture that talks about doing good works because I LOVE doing good works. Just today, a colleague dropped her entire salad (a delicious one from Milkbread!) on the floor, and I lied to her, saying, “I’m actually not even hungry for lunch today, so why don't you have mine…” I then proceeded to prepare for her all the salad ingredients I had brought for myself. Why? Because I’m kind? Because I love her? To glorify God? Or, because my life ambition is to prove I’m a good person? I’ve thought about the “why” all day, but I still don’t know the answer to that question. I try not to overthink it, but it’s also good to examine our motives when we’re doing good works so that we’re not doing anything “out of selfish ambition or empty pride…” (Philippians 2:3, BSB).
“ALL I EVER HAVE TO BE”
In 1986, my mom bought Amy Grant’s new compilation album, “The Collection.” She bought it for herself, but I had a Fisher Price tape player, and I needed a tape to play.
I was just a little girl, but I wore that cassette tape out! I still have it, of course. It’s got paint flecks and cracks, the case is missing some bits of plastic, and I honestly don’t even know if the tape works anymore because I’ve not listened to a cassette tape in nearly two decades, but the lyrics of many of the songs on that album have stuck with me all these years later.
One of the songs on that album, written by Gary Chapman and sung by Amy, called “All I Ever Have to Be,” is about laying down ambition and simply resting in the knowledge that all we need to do is pick up the thing God puts before us and do it faithfully. I’ve been listening to it on a loop while I’m writing this devotion, and I want to share the beautiful words with you, too:
When the weight of all my dreams
Is resting heavy on my head
And the thoughtful words of help and hope
Have all been nicely said
But I'm still hurting
Wondering if I'll ever be the one
I think I am…
Then you gently re-remind me
That You've made me from the first
And the more I try to be the best
The more I get, the worst
And I realize the good in me
Is only there because of
Who You are…
And all I ever have to be is what
You've made me
Any more or less would be
A step out of Your plan
As you daily recreate me
Help me always keep in mind
That I only have to do what I can find
And all I ever have to be…is what You’ve made me
WILL I BE ENOUGH?
Have you ever wondered if you’ll ever be the person you’ve aspired to in your mind? Be encouraged by this: “A person’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, CSB). God is the author of our steps, and all He asks us to do is focus on glorifying Him. He’ll place our next assignment in front of us, and to His glory alone, we can pick it up and faithfully begin.
Make it Personal: Do you regularly examine your motives? What would it look like if your motivation in all things was to point others to the goodness of God? Would that change the desires of your heart?
Pray: God, please help me to glorify You in all that I do. Help me to live my life simply and selflessly to bring honor to Your Name. Thank you for the peace of knowing that You are more than enough, and I don’t have to be anything more than what You’ve created me to be. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Read: Matthew 6:1-18; Galatians 1:10; Colossians 3:23
Weekly Memory Verse: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” I John 2:16, ESV