Tweaking your faith

Not long ago I was getting out the bicycle for a little work out and I noticed the back tire looked pretty soft. So, I took out the air pump and put some air back into it and it was good to go.  It’s not very long before the ladies start noticing the floors need swept (we men are a little more oblivious to that !) or guys see that lawn needs cutting again, or the car could stand a tuneup.  What I’m saying is, no matter how far along we move in the Christian life,  just like these physical things need tweaking, so does our faith.

Solomon wrote this, “The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord is safe.” (Prov.29:25).  The Hebrew word for safe has the idea of being put up high out of harm’s way !   But here’s where the tweaking comes in for us many times.  Because we see, work, and live around people it’s easy to focus on them and what they expect of us, we can fear their rejection, live mainly for their approval, etc.  Yet over and over again we’re reminded in the Scriptures that God is to be our trust.  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. . . ” (Prov.3:5); “Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” (Ps.37:3); “Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” (Ps.20:7); etc., etc., etc. !!

With some of us, we clamor so after man’s approval from others because a parent or some other authority in our past never seemed to approve of us. The bar was set so high by them we couldn’t possibly meet it, or they wrestled with their own sin issues and the love simply wasn’t there for us, so we seek out the commendations of others and before you know it you are not trusting in God and His definite acceptance of you as His child !  Or you work hard only to be dissed in some way by envious people and you want to just throw in the towel. Or you try harder to please others and you get slammed before long by people and your focus is on them not Him.   Weariness, discouragement, even depression sets in and your spiritual tires are flat.   You need some air, friend !!  The bottom line is, why focus on what imperfect man thinks or does when the One Who made us all accepts YOU in the beloved (Jesus) !!!!!   He will make things alright, He will never let you down and those times you think He may be, He is actually trying to lift you higher, you simply need to focus on Him and TRUST.

So, do your best FOR God, not others. Don’t worry about what man thinks, don’t let their sin take you down also and remember God is the One with Whom we ALL have to do. If people give you grief He will handle them, but you keep trusting God by doing what He wants and knowing there is therefore NO condemnation from Him about you (Rom.8:1).  Today, stay focused on Him and no matter what you have to do, do it FOR Him !!!  When thoughts of others attempt to drag you down, think on Him and how much He truly loves you !!!