Monday, August 20, 2012

Less of me and more of You, Lord!


"He must increase, but I must decrease.” ~John 3:30

My birthday is coming up... Birthdays and the beginning of new years often tend to make me stop and take a look at this life in a different light. Am I wasting my life? What areas do I need to grow in?

Ever increasing is a desire within me to die to myself more and more. I recognize how very unhelpful my flesh is!  I find a growing frustration with my flesh and can echo Paul's words: "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15) Can you relate?

To be the hands and feet that bring refreshment to weary souls, is the desire of my heart. What could be better in the long run? Dying to self is eternally the most joy producing life, because what people really need is Jesus. And in Jesus is where true hope and refreshment is found.

For quite some time now, I've been fascinated by Job's description of his life before the Lord allowed Satan to test him:

"I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth."
~Job 29: 12-17

That kind of life starts now in being faithful in the little things {Luke 16:10}.

And yes, this quote rang a bell in my heart when I read it:

“The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus Christ, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you -- your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or you anything -- then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it. True Godliness leaves the world convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the only explanation for you, is Jesus Christ."
~Major Ian Thomas

 Oh, may there daily be less of self and more of the Lord. Let us follow hard after Him, and there find abundant life and peace.

4 comments:

Isabella Swenson said...

Thank you Ana! I was richly blessed when I read this. Oh to have our lives be more of Christ and less of ourselves.

P.S. Happy Birthday! I hope you had a great one.

Ana R.W. said...

I'm so glad it was a blessing to you, Isabella!

Thank you for the birthday greeting! I had a wonderful day. :) The Lord is good!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Ana!

This post was so encouraging. There is always that selfish internal and external struggle.

I pray that God continues to bless you in this "new" year and that He may teach you and us how to be more like Him. :-)

PS. I just visited your state! It was a blessing in every way. The weather was so much cooler than it is in mine (TX) and I loved it.

- Gabriela

Ana R.W. said...

Thank you, Gabriela!

Amen! I'm grateful it was an encouragement to you... The Lord is so faithful and so patient. :)

~Ana
P.S. Wow! I'm glad you enjoyed your time here. :) Yes, our summers are quite a bit milder compared to Texas... =)