Living Up to Standards that Keep Us Distant from God...

Bible readings...
(Why are we trying to stay strong on our own, while attempting to rise high, on broken ladders, when all we need to do is give God our heart; so He can work to make all things brand new.” Let go of the standards we attempt to place on ourselves.)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,” Proverbs 23:26
“What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?” Romans 8:31-32
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Hello everyone! Happy Sunday and a big welcome today, to Sunday Inspiration…thru the Risen Hope Ministries! I am so happy to have you with me today and my prayer for all of us; is that we will come to live the simple life; that can truly be found through knowing God!
 
Why do we make life difficult for ourselves…that is the question for today? Here we have a God, who never promised that life would be trouble free; but yet offered to make it easier…but yet we choose to either fix our own problems or live up to standards that God never intended for us to live up to.
 
I remember a time in my life, when I was always working hard, to live up to the standards of my family and friends. I always felt that I needed to be good enough; to what I felt they expected of me. Little did I know that these standards would take me up to the top of a pole…a place high up, where I always felt that I was expected to be, for the remainder of my life.
 
One thing I came to quickly see, while residing at the top of this pole, was that it became much more difficult to stay up there, as time went by.  It seemed like every time, I tried to come down from the pole and be myself…I found myself heading right back up to the top of the pole. After a while, life became even more difficult, as I began to feel the standards placing me higher on the pole…and before I knew it, I came crashing down…down to a pit of total despair.
 
As I worked with God, to get back up to my feet; He began to show me that He did not expect me to live up to the standards of man…and the only one that I had to please or obey was Him. As I began to think this through…I also began to see how life could be easier…walking after a God, who had already accepted me, for who I was…flaws and all. Another thing that I began to see with time, was that there were no standards to live up to with God because He had already been willing to walk way beyond my little imperfections and love me, which made it easier for me to respect and obey Him, in return. Here I had been working overtime to please others, who never really loved me, when all along, there was a God, who offered to truly love me…just for who I was.
 
Within a short time…I found that the pole was coming down and I was no longer feeling the need, to climb that pole again. In fact, I came to the place in my life, where nothing mattered but God and if He was all I had…then that would be all I needed in my life.
 
How many times are we going to attempt to climb a set of broken stairs, to the top of a pole; that came about, by the standards of man…before realizing that God can take control over these moments that control our lives?  We must remember that Jesus never died, to keep us in a place of bondage…and a life of standards; but He died; that we may live a life of freedom and hope. Through my own life, I had to come to the realization that God was all I truly needed…and you know what…life has been much easier.
 
No matter what you’re facing today, just know that Jesus died a death that could make life easier for you, while facing the troubles and imperfections of life. It’s us, who tries to twist life up and make it work for ourselves. Maybe today, it’s time to take down the pole; that has kept you away from an easier life…and I know that when you truly come to see God, for who He really is; that will be the time, when life will become easier…just knowing that He will be there, to love and care for you…no matter what comes your way.
Blessings on your Sunday!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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