Your best and your same (vs. your different and your truth)

Couldn’t help but reblog this from sethgodin.com

“If someone wants your very best version, that probably means that they’re going to get the same version that you’ve done before, the same as the best version you produced a week ago. If you want the best, it also means that you’re asking someone to repeat what’s come before.

On the other hand, if they want you, right here and right now, it won’t be perfect. It can’t be. It will merely be different and real and in the moment.
The opportunity in any given moment is to share your truth, to light a spark and to leap. But you can’t do that at the same time you’re being perfect.

There is no best jazz performance. That’s why it’s interesting.”

Upstream

Swimming against the current is difficult. The flow of this world can be overwhelming as it comes at you with all it has; you’re not loved, you’re all alone, you’re not good enough, you have nothing to offer and so much more. Often it’s tempting to stop swimming and just float along with everyone else but here’s great news, it’s not that deep. Stop swimming and stand up. Take life a step at a time with one foot firmly planted. The further you get the easier it becomes; you get stronger and the surge becomes a trickle. How God thinks about you overtakes the lies you’ve believed and you can give a hand to those still struggling.

The Spirit of Truth

1John 2:27
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher and He teaches that we need to allow Him to reveal the truth of scripture, to not depend on others for this and for us stay close to Jesus.

Be Anxious for Nothing?

Scripture says we’re to be anxious for nothing, really, nothing? Does God know how many things come our way each day that are really worthy of worrying about? I mean big things. And we don’t need to get worked up about them? Could it be true? The only way to know for sure is to give it a try. Is God real enough, does He care enough and is He big enough to meet us right here, come beside us and take on our worries, fears and concerns? It’s not easy; too often I’ll trust Him with something only to take it back upon myself only to find restlessness and unease. The better I get at leaving those things in His hands the more peace and ultimately resolution I find. I pray this for you today.

Veracity

The veracity of God indicates that He does not lie. He is truth. He can be counted on to fulfill all of His promises and to always be true to who He is. There is nothing we can’t trust Him with and no reason to try to go it without Him. The depth of our personal relationship with Him is directly proportional to how much we put our trust Him.

Holy

The holiness of God is that He is completely apart from sin and totally incorruptible. His every thought and action are pure and in the best interest of everyone. That’s a hard one to wrap our brains around but true. The other attributes we’ve looked at so far help us understand this a bit better but from our view sometimes it doesn’t seem so. I’ve heard it taught that it’s because of God’s holiness that He’s not around when we are in sin. Nonsense. God’s always around and eager to help us exchange our crap for treasure. I use the word help here because we are usually part of the process. We are faced with choice at every turn, we can choose with God, or we can choose without.

Creation

All of the earth and all of the heavens were created for us. The first 5 days were all to set the stage for day six. We were not an after thought but the focus of God’s every affection. His only desire for us is that we know Him, not for His benefit but for ours, as He truly is all that we need.

Humility

Confidence and humility are often thought of as opposites. This is not the case. True confidence, the kind we talked about yesterday, only comes through humility. When we know that we can rely on God we are truly secure. But this means that we have to relinquish relying on ourselves, that’s humility. When it’s all up to me, fear and doubt prevail. When it’s He and I together, peace and assurance reign.

Of Myself

Jesus said, “I can of Myself do nothing”, if this is true for Him, how much more so for us? Jesus sought the Father in everything. He leaned in close and when The Father spoke, He did it. This is the example Christ came to demonstrate for us, it’s been God’s intent for us from the very beginning.

Fooled About Tomorrow

Scripture says, “You do not know what will happen tomorrow” yet most of us live our lives like we know what’s coming. We get comfortable and settle into a life that we don’t need much help with and we consider this security. Then when something surprising happens we’re not equipped to handle the change. True security exists in a life dependent on God all the time.