Embrace Your Worth!

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Susie Larson here...

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog.  So leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend.

Also, if you're a parent, you need to listen to the podcast from yesterday's show. My guest was Catherine Hickem (family therapist, counselor, parenting expert, and speaker) and we talked about 'Regret Free Parenting'. We had a GREAT conversation. Check it out if you need some encouragement and insight: Tuesday's Show

Now on to my topic...

This morning I posted these words on my Facebook page: 

Joy Stealer: Looking for man's approval when you already have God's abounding love and acceptance.

You'd think I would know by now not to allow myself any deep introspection on Mondays. Let me explain. During the fall and spring seasons I do a lot of speaking on the weekends. And really, I've learned - for the most part - not to look inward too much on Mondays. As I rule, I typically guard my thoughts, refuse to look over my shoulder, or obsess over what I could have done or said differently. And really, for the most part, that's just what I do. I look ahead. I work out. I catch up on things around the house and on my computer. And I thank God by faith for how He moved at the event. Then I go on to pray for the women I just spoke to. All of these things keep me focused forward on the things God has given me to do for that day.

But...every once in a while, someone says something that gets in or takes me by surprise, and like a little rat that wiggles its way through the smallest crack in the door, fear and self-awareness finds its way in where faith and God-awareness reigned. I hate it when that happens!

Thankfully, though, it doesn't take me as long to get myself back to the place of peace and assurance. Even so, that door should never be open. You know the door I'm talking about: the one that leads to your value and acceptance as someone who belongs to God. Yes, people will reject and betray us, but they still don't have the power to diminish or decide our value. Right?

Read this excerpt from my book, "The Uncommon Woman"

Giving people easy access to dethrone our identity and devastate us is not healthy. Deep in our souls there must be an inner chamber where only Jesus resides. It's  in that place where Jesus sits on the throne of our lives. By His very presence there, we are made, and continually made whole. He has already decided our worth, so it must never be up for grabs again. Since we belong to God, we can rule in the midst of our enemies (See Psalm 110:2). Some people are just plain mean; and others, misguided. We can be kind to these people but we don't have to let them (or their words) in. Others might be on to something when they point out our flaws, but if they possess no fear of God, we must confidently leave their presence and bring ourselves before the Lord. In that safe and holy place we confess our sin, admit our need for more of Him, and then throw ourselves on the mercy of heaven's court." (p. 111)

God knows our frame. He doesn't forget that we are human. But He loves us still. And His Son paid an exorbitant price to save us. Our worth is a settled issue.

It's just true. We all need to be reminded of this from time to time. We all have days when the cold winds blow that door open and leave us vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. But every day, may we identify ourselves with the Lord, as His very own. Every day, may we embrace His love as the defining factor of our lives. And every day, may we turn and love others in the way that He has loved us, because we can.

Until next week~

Offering Forgiveness & Grace to Those Who Have Hurt You...

Happy Wednesday, Friends! Susie Larson here!

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a post, share an insight and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!

It's time to announce April's Starbucks gift card winner! Rachel Beran, congratulations! Email me at: info@susielarson.com to claim your prize. And thanks for posting on my blog!

Now on to my topic...

We had one of THE most powerful shows yesterday! My guest was Dr. David Anderson and we talked about his book, 'I For-Grace You: Doing Good to Those Who Have Hurt You.'

During the show a woman named Marti called in. She was a new listener and didn't know Christ. David so sweetly encouraged her and then as (super) natural as can be, he led her in a prayer to receive Christ. I was beside myself. You have to listen if you get the chance: Live the Promise (For-Graceness)

During the show we talked about what Christ has forgiven in us, and the implications of not forgiving others. I know how difficult it is to forgive someone hurt deeply, but you and I know that it's our only path to freedom and peace!

Read this powerful passage:

Mark 11:24-26~ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Do you see the POWER in this verse? Prayer that changes things is linked with a heart that releases things. Oh, that we could learn the importance of running to Jesus the moment we have a spec of offense within our hearts. 

Catherine Marshall - a prolific writer and follower of Christ, practiced nightly prayers of forgiveness with her husband. Together they'd sit down and search their hearts in prayer. If they could sense even the slightest edge or attitude towards another, they would bow their heads, pray for their offender, and entrust the offense to the Lord. All the way down to being ticked about the little boy that pushed her daughter on the playground (me paraphrasing here), she bathed it in prayer. She attributed this daily practice as significant in keeping her heart and mind at peace.

Dr. David Anderson, my guest from yesterday's show, suggests that as Christ-followers, there's even a next step we can and must take whenever possible. He says it's not enough to release our offender of the debt they owe us. To follow Christ is to bless those who hurt us. And of course, that looks different in every situation, and requires divine wisdom each and every time.

Maybe the 'doing good' is simply to talk kindly to the one who hurt you when you'd rather be rude. Maybe it's earnest prayer on their behalf. Maybe it is washing their feet, or buying them groceries. Maybe you extend grace by asking them how they're doing that particular day.

Now of course, we need to keep distance from some of our offenders, but we can still pray for them. We need to keep boundaries with perpetual offenders, but we can still pray for them.

However, every once in a while, the Lord gives us an opportunity to actually and literally bless those who persecute us or hurt us in some way. That's what I'm talking about.

May the Lord Himself give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to do His will. Remember, Jesus asked the Father to forgive His executioners while they gambled for His clothes below - before they ever realized the gravity of their sin. 

We can't even comprehend the depths of forgiveness offered us by Christ because we don't really know the depths of our sin. But one day, in Heaven, we will. Oh, the depths of God's love! While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

May we likewise forgive and (whenever possible) bless those who also don't deserve it. 

Seeing Others (and yourself) Redemptively...

Greetings, Dear Friends!

 Susie Larson here...

 And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. 

Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!

 Now on to my topic...

Do you have someone in your world that has made a decision about you, has you judged, and won't let you off the hook? Or maybe you have your mind made up about a certain person because of some of the things they've done. You have them pegged in your mind and you refuse to believe anything different about them.

What's a person to do? 

Let's look at Jesus.

In the Gospel of John, chapter one, we read about when Jesus went to Galilee and called Philip to come be His disciple. Philip went off to find Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!" 

Nathanael's response? 

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" 

But Nathanael went with Philip, and as the two men approached Jesus, here's what Jesus said about Nathanael:

"Here comes an honest man. A true son of Israel."

If Jesus was petty, He could have taken an offense with Nathanael. But Jesus always looks at people redemptively. Rather than getting tripped up by our humanity, He sees the destiny written over our lives. He knows we are works in progress and uses us in profound ways though we still have such a long ways to go. 

 

If Jesus can extend us such grace, how is it that we can be so un-forgiving with one another?

Second Corinthians 5:16 reminds us, "So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view." 

We have to fight sometimes to get that eternal perspective on certain people, that's our call as Believers. As Christ followers we must guard our hearts and minds from forming judgmental attitudes and wrong perceptions. We may even be quite convinced that our perception is spot on; we may be partially right about what we see and still totally wrong about our conclusions. 

There's always more to the story. And God always has a bigger picture.

Jesus is the One who knows things fully - and with all of our dirty information at His disposal, He still loves us. No one can gossip enough to Jesus to make Him change His mind about us! And we aren't afforded the luxury of holding on to past offenses because we think someone owes us. And we are nobody when it comes to judging others. In the whole scheme of things, our judgments hold no weight with God. In fact, it's just the opposite. He distances Himself from the proud, but draws near, and gives grace to the humble. 

When we judge others, we come to a conclusion about them. The very word conclusion is synonymous with: finish, close, and verdict. This is important: There's nothing redemptive about a wrong or limiting conclusion. We do great damage when we assume a conclusion when God is still busy, active, and changing lives every minute of every day.

Jesus is still working in and through all of us! He knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of wrong assessments and judgments. Even today many think He's nothing more than a figment of our imagination. Even so, He is God and He's coming back in all of His glory!

When Jesus died on the Cross, many thought the enemy had won. But there was more to the story.

When we judge others based on what we think we know, we are sinning, and Jesus knows there's more to the story.

When others judge us, we can hide in the shadow of His wing. We can embrace the refining work of the Lord in that safe and precious place. And we can trust Him - the One who has all of the information - to defend us. 

 If someone has a snapshot of you when...and they've come to a conclusion about you based on a chapter of your life, refuse to let it weigh you down. They are accountable to God! Rise up and say, "The Lord isn't finished with me yet! He renews! He restores! And I am a work in progress. I'm not who I was. I'm not what I do. I am someone He enjoys!"

Be joyful in the fact that God knows you fully and loves you deeply.

Humbly embrace your own call to love others in the very same, deep and wonderful way.

Lord, forgive me for the countless times I've summed up others because of how they've affected me. Forgive me for forming judgements with only partial information. Forgive me for not pushing past my human tendency to judge when Your spirit inside me calls me to love and to intercede, and to forgive. I want to be a clean vessel used for Your holy work. I want to live with a pure heart that I might see You in every person I meet, because, in one way or another, they were made in the image of God. Make me more like You, Lord. Amen.

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12).

PS ~ If you haven't signed up for my FREE Quarterly E-zine yet, you might want to. I'm doing a great book giveaway again. I write some devotional insights, great book recommendations, great quotes, and a prayer to send you on your way. The next issue releases on April 15th; here's the link:

 Sign up for Susie's E-zine...

Recipe for Greatness

Greetings, Friends! Susie Larson here!

And to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.

Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe, you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend! 

I've had a GREAT line up on the show this week! All week long we're talking about the things that can hinder our growth in faith. Monday we talked about media, Tuesday, addictions, today we'll talk about 'religion', and tomorrow, unforgiveness. Check out podcasts of the shows - I think you'll be blessed: Live the Promise Podcasts

Now on to my topic...

While reading through the book of 2 Chronicles I found myself both intrigued and grieved by the ripple effect of a King's choice of whether or not to follow and honor God.

When a King humbled himself and trusted the Lord, God gave him victory and granted his efforts success. When a king exalted himself and trusted his own efforts and acted on his own whims, many people paid with their lives. Kingdoms fell, God's people were enslaved, and idolatry flourished.

Just today I read about how King Uzziah started out by seeking after God and God blessed him as a result. But then we read this in chapter 26:16

But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall.

Why are we so quick to idolize our own efforts?

Though a king's choices have far more reaching effects than our choices, we must embrace the fact that our choices matter, and that people are deeply affected by whether or not we honor God and live a life of greatness. 

Here are a few things I observed about greatness by reading about some of the Kings in the Bible.

Embrace Your Identity - Obey Him Fully: Do you remember the story in 1 Samuel 15 when Saul did not follow through with obeying the Lord (I just blogged about this last week)? This is what Samuel said to him, "Although you may think little of yourself, are you not leader of the tribes of Israel?" Saul had a job to do but he minimized the importance of his identity and his choices. We do the same thing.

We cower, we run, and we hide from the GREAT things God wants to do in us and through us. We justify our partial obedience and we dance around the things God has asked of us. We put off taking our next step into the unknown zone because the comfort zone feels better to us. And this is what the Lord says: You may have forgotten how important you are to Me, but remember today! You may not understand your important place in history, but embrace it today! Are you not My beloved? Have I not promised to take you to high places? Do you not have access to all of the riches of Heaven? Remember who you are today. Obey me fully. No more hiding.

Humble Yourself - Trust His Timing: Do you remember the story of when David was in the cave with (a raging, jealous) Saul (see 1 Samuel 24)? Clearly the Lord had delivered Saul into his hands, right? David was a God-fearing man and even though deliverance seemed to be at his fingertips, he would not take it until the Lord gave it.

I can think of a number of times when my 'dream' was at my fingertips, there for the taking. But I knew deep inside it wasn't my time yet. I would have had to drop the ball on something else to grab hold of what I believed God had promised me. It was so close, but not close enough to be mine yet. But when my time finally came, it was like plucking a ripe piece of fruit from a tree. 

Are you there? This is what the Lord would say to you: My beloved one, I have you! That dream in your heart? I put it there! Trust me in this, and see if I won't establish you beyond your wildest dreams. I love to work mightily through my people, but first I must do a mighty work in them. Humble yourself before me; refuse jealousy or a competitive spirit; embrace Me, embrace My timing, and I will establish you. I promise.

Tune Out the Enemy - Face Down Your Fears: Remember when a young David faced down Goliath? By all appearances, David had no physical chance of winning a fight against this beast of a man. And Goliath knew it. He spewed all kinds of insults David's way. But David didn't acknowledge Goliath's taunts. He refused to allow himself to be singled out. instead he spewed back, "Who is this Philistine that dares to defy the army of the Living God?" If David would have spoken to Goliath, he would have said something like this: 'When you come against me, you come against the host of heaven, so don't try to bully me with your insults. I am not alone in this battle and you are going down!" (okay, my paraphrase). :)

If the enemy's voice rings loud in your ear, tune him out, and listen to what the Lord has to say to you: My brave and precious one, you are not alone! Not by a long shot! Even if what the enemy says feels true to you, remember that I AM TRUE and I will establish you! This is not about your ability, it is about Mine. You have a choice of whether to be brave or to cower in fear. Be strong and courageous! I am with you! I will not forsake you! And you cannot please me without faith! Put those fears under your feet and follow Me to the high places I have for you! We have a great adventure ahead. Remember, never allow yourself to be singled out. As My child, you are a part of something greater than you can imagine; and far greater are those who are for you than those who stand against you! Listen to My voice alone!"

Dear Friend,

Though it's important to cultivate skills and always be learning, it's even more important to identify yourself as someone God loves and whom God has called. Hone your craft, practice your skills; be a great steward of the gifts God has entrusted to you.

But remember this: To truly walk in places that are far beyond your qualifications, to make an impact that is bigger than you are, you need God. You need to remember that it's in HIS hands to make great. And He really wants to do great things through you.

Embrace Your Identity. Obey Him Fully. Humble Yourself before Him. Trust His Timing. Tune out the enemy. And face down your fears. That's a recipe for greatness.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us (Ephesians 3:20 MSG).  

Wait for the Lord...

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Susie Larson here...

I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. And, it's time to announce the winner for February. Drum Roll Please...

Starla Smith, congratulations! Please email me your mailing address (before I announce next month's winner) at: info@susielarson.com  Congratulations and thanks everyone for your posts! 

We had a number of powerful shows last week. I talked with Dannah Gresh about a very spiritual insight on sex. I talked with Gary Thomas about his contemporary classic, 'Sacred Marriage.' And I talked with Ruthanne Garlock about spiritual warfare and standing strong in the battle. You can listen to a podcast of any of these shows by going to: www.faith900.com  (Go to the Live the Promise page and you'll find the show archives there).

Now on to my topic...

The other morning, I was reading the 32nd chapter of Exodus. Moses was up on the mountain having a face to face encounter with God. This Israelites hadn't heard from him in a while and they got bored waiting for him.

Let's look in at their response:

When the people saw how long it was taking for Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. "Come on," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt."

This fellow? 

Moses risked his life to secure their freedom. God used Moses to preform mighty miracles on their behalf. Moses wasn't just a fellow, he was the one God used to save them.

Moses' journey with the Israelites very much parallels Christ's journey with us.

And with that in mind, I noticed three things about the Israelites' reaction to Moses' delay:

• Impatience with God's plan.


• Minimizing God's place in their lives.


• A willingness to default to idol worship.

And we do the very same thing.

We just have to look back over our shoulder to see some of the mighty ways God has moved on our behalf. We don't have to think too far back to recall the times He has met us and spoke directly to our hearts. Our faith is encouraged when we remember the ways God has come through for us when we needed Him most.

And yet, when we are asked to wait longer than we want for the thing He has promised, we get impatient, and we wonder about plan B. We are very quick to make a back up plan when God takes too long to come through for us.

Wouldn't God appreciate a little help on our part to, you know, hurry the plan along? I mean He has the whole galaxy to manage, and well, this is just a little itty bitty thing to Him. Right? Wrong. 

Nothing is too hard for God, but that doesn't mean little things mean nothing to Him. He is the God of detail! Look at the butterfly, or the hummingbird, or the pedals of a flower. Try to wrap your brain around the human body! He loves detail and cares deeply about the details of our lives.

God is big. He is near. And He is intimately engaged in this journey with us. Even when He seems silent, He has a divinely wise purpose for being so.

His part in our journey is of ultimate importance to us. He hasn't forgotten us. He doesn't ever accidentally look away when we take our leaps of faith. He catches us when we jump. He lifts us up when we stumble. And, when He makes us wait, it's because He's making us ready. 

Our part is vitally important as well.

We must not think for a minute that He won't come through for us. During the waiting season, we'll be tempted to get bored and lose heart. We'll be tempted minimize God's involvement in our process. And we'll be tempted to build a counterfeit with our own hands. The time in between the promise and the realization of it, matters. Infinitely so.

The time in between shows us what we're made of. The time in between is like the tide that pulls back to sea and reveals the garbage on the beach. The time in between reveals our motives, our intentions, and our character. When you are waiting for a certain breakthrough, how do you spend the time in between? Do you see it as a time to leave the Well and play in mud puddles instead?

Do you stay by the Well but just bide your time by chewing your nails and watching the grass grow?
Or do you consider your time of waiting an active season? A time to lean in and listen. A time to keep your ear bent towards heaven and your eyes fixed on Jesus?

Waiting is a true test of our hearts. 

When we don't get what we want when we want it, our impatience surfaces. Our selfishness rears its ugly head. Our sense of entitlement makes us clench our fists and grit our teeth. And that's why the time in between is so important. 

It's a time to humble ourselves and admit our need for more of Christ's character in us. It's a time to allow God to make us more fit for the blessing He so longs to give. And, it's a time to pursue a deeper relationship with God. More than the treasures we receive from His hand, may we treasure the gift of better knowing His heart.

Over and over again, we read stories from the Bible of people who mishandled the time in between.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is of Joseph from the Old Testament. God gave him a mighty vision for his life, and then allowed him to endure one injustice after another. And what did Joseph do with his time in between?

He was faithful and patient and humble. And every time, he landed on top of his circumstances. His character proved him ready to handle the management of a mighty nation.

This morning I was reading from the book of Matthew where Jesus was warning the disciples not to be deceived. He said that many will be partying and getting drunk right up to the moment Christ returns to earth.

Here again, whether we like it or not, we are living in the "time in between" when Christ came and when He comes again.

Will we get bored of waiting and make our own idols?

Or will we use this time to deal with what our inconveniences bring up in us? Jesus wonders this, "When I return will I find faith on the earth?" May He find faith in our hearts and faithfulness in our footsteps! No matter what breakthrough you're waiting for, be faithful in the waiting.

Have a blessed week~