God's overflow of love

Monday, May 4, 2015 (7:18 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You.

(8:36 a.m.)

Thank You for time. Time to sit. Reflect. Compare. Chat. Judge. “Waste”.

Mm, Father. I do not want to waste. Or compare. Nor judge. No. Shift my heart, mind, soul and being to the joy found in rejoicing.

I confess to having slipped deeper into the poisoning offense of comparing myself with others. Harshly. Negatively. Unmercifully.

That is not of You. You would not have me doing this. I've noticed it for quite some time now. All the while thinking I could just muscle through on my own. I can't!

I don't see myself as You might. I pick at the flaws. All the places I am not enough. How this one has achieved more. Done worthwhile things.

I want to not waste. I long to flourish and thrive. My desire is to see myself as You really do. I think myself instead. Think myself unworthy. You created me in Your image. How does that not translate to being enough for me?

You sent Your Son to His painfully, sacrificial death on my behalf. How is THAT not enough? Mm, enough. Sufficient.

YOU are sufficient! Your grace is sufficient! And in Your sufficiency, I am again breathing freely. Deeply. Soulfully. Thank You.

Thank You that in my scatteredness this morning I get to keep coming back to Your Word. Your Truth. Thank You that  my entire being relaxes and takes hope in You just as The Message encourages me to “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that” (Galatians 6:4-5).

I confess to not being and thinking and wanting and loving (Mark 12:30) as You would have me. I push on in my prayer that You would empower me to believe and trust You to do ALL in and through, by and for me that I absolutely cannot do on my own.

Paul continued in his message to the Galatians, “Don't be impressed with yourself [trust me, You know I am not!]. Don't compare yourself with others [Your work is definitely needed here!]. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” Oh, how I implore Your help Blessed Father.

Reading under Dealing with Failures; [Galatians] 6:1-6, Illustrated Bible Handbook directed me to read more about unconditional love in John 13:33-34. Thank You that I have the choice of continuing to judge myself unmercifully or look to The One Who provides all mercy and grace.

Thank You that it is only in Him that we find the capacity to love as You would have us love. The Life Recovery Bible comment for [John] 13:34-35 tells us, “Our ability to love others (and ourselves) is based on the degree to which we have received God's love (most often through other people). When we try to love others without God's love, we try to give them what we don't have; we end up giving to others in hopes of receiving something in return. This kind of selfish gift never feels good to us or to the person we are trying to help. When we love one another out of the overflow of God's love, our witness and service can be effective toward recovery.”

Thank You Father. Thank You that there is no limit to the overflow of Your love. I can't match it. Manufacture it. Mimic it. Oh, but I can absolutely accept it.

Please, as I go out into this day, go before me. Above me. Beneath and beside me. Encompass me with Your overflow of love that I will flourish and thrive within it. I love You so much.

Thank You for hearing my heart even before I offer it up to You. Make something lovely of all I am in Your precious name. I love You. I thank You. I'm Yours! Amen.

(657 words ~ 10:08 a.m.)