Realizing that I needed to “grow up” in certain areas of my life, I’ve been doing quite a bit of soul searching and talking to God about the state of my soul and spirit. One of the things He’s shown me is that I have a lot…a lot of stinking thinking that impacts and affects the way I do life. So, not only is it time to “grow up” in certain areas, it’s also time to mature in the things of God.
I don’t want to ever be guilty of settling for good or better when best is on the horizon.
So, the journey has begun and I’m fearfully excited as I anticipate what the Lord may require of me. As part of the process toward growth and change, I’ve amped up my reading so that my mind may be renewed, which led me to something that I share with you today. It’s part of a newsletter written by Leslie Vernick. Read on, dear ones, and hear what the Spirit would say to you:
The Good That is Never Good Enough¹
“Have you ever seen a verse in the Bible for the first time – one that you were sure you never noticed before, even though it is underlined in your Bible?
That’s what happened to me recently, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Paul prays for the Philippians. He said ..that your love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be able to be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness, that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory of God (Philippians 1:9-11).
I usually have no problem figuring out the difference between good things and bad things, but Paul prays for something greater. He prays that we would learn to discern between the better things and the best things. That is a whole lot trickier. There have been times in my life where the good things have distracted me from pursuing the best things. Other times I was so busy enjoying the good things, I got lulled into a false belief that they were the best things.
Mary of Bethany is a woman who learned to discern the best thing. She chose to spend her time loving Jesus; her sister Martha chose serving Jesus. I used to think of the Mary and Martha story as an illustration of personality differences. Martha was a worker, Mary a listener, but I’m more convinced than ever that it wasn’t a matter of personality but of discernment. Mary’s love for Jesus taught her how to see what the best things were at the moment. Whether sitting at his feet in rapt attention or spilling her treasured perfume over her Savior’s tired and callused feet, Jesus said Mary made the right choice.
To be honest, in the busyness of ministry, sometimes I fail to take that quiet time to sit at Jesus’ feet. I struggle to be still, simply love Him, learn from Him and allow Him to fill me with His love. I’m so busy doing things for Jesus, I am not taking the time to be with Jesus.
As a Christian counselor I know I’m not alone. I work with many women who feel too busy to take time to be alone with Jesus. Multiple priorities, ministry responsibilities, a hectic home life and people constantly tugging for something, keep them lost in the good that is not good enough.
Oswald Chambers writes, “The great struggle in the life of faith is not sin but the good that is not good enough.”
I don’t want to settle for the good and forsake the best God has for me. I hope you don’t either.”
Sisters, I hope this spoke to your heart as it did mine. If so, consider pausing right now and make any necessary confessions to the Lord. Ask for increased discernment so that, like Mary, we can know when to choose the best thing over the better. And may the result be that we make time to sit at the feet of Jesus!!
Stephanie Paul
Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Director.
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