First off, yesterday I failed to post a devotion and I'm sorry. I spent my entire day facilitating a small group for a great Christian Woman's Ministry called Planting Roots and when the day was over I was just talked out! My plan for yesterday was to peel back the next layer in a "heart of Gratitude". We already discussed perspective and now let's talk about peace. If perspective is the heart of gratitude, peace is the blood that keeps things pumping. My husband often jokes with me that my generation will all have heart attacks by the time we are 40 because of Pinterest. He is convinced we are stressing ourselves out with self imposed levels of "greatness" to attain approval or praise. We become driven by pinterest and the need to be Super - mom and not driven by what God actually calls us to do to be Spiritual - mom's. I am not about to call Pinterest the devil. I find it very helpful when I need a fresh recipe idea or in planning a party. But I also have to keep myself in check so I don't go overboard in competition with professionally taken birthday photos, hand carved watermelon sculptures and monogrammed goodie bags. I asked a bible study of women I was leading last fall to list the top 10 things that steal their peace- these are some of their answers.
1. Not prepping ahead of time for the day, and having to rush (there is that rush word again)
2. Comparing ourselves to other Mom's
3. Competition via FB, Pinterest, Instagram to appear to have it "all together"
4. Traffic
5. When our children don't listen
1. Not prepping ahead of time for the day, and having to rush (there is that rush word again)
2. Comparing ourselves to other Mom's
3. Competition via FB, Pinterest, Instagram to appear to have it "all together"
4. Traffic
5. When our children don't listen
I won't list all 10, but the top 5 gives us plenty to talk about. So, why is peace so important to gratitude? Because when our hearts are truly at peace then all that stuff that gets in the way of our gratitude falls away. If you're confident in WHO God says you are, what Polly-PTA or Peggy-Pinterest think of you doesn't matter. When you align your will with the Lord's and don't just say "this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad" but you act on that rejoicing - then traffic, rushing... none of that can steal your peace because you're putting God back in the drivers seat and you're letting go of control. Ohhh that's a hard word. Especially for me, I have a hard time not trying to do it all on my own. I don't know who I'm trying to prove myself to half of the time. I confess that I am so guilty of not giving God enough of the control and doing too much on my own. When I feel myself running low on peace, chances are I'm clinging to done of those peace thieves listed above and I haven't been listening to God's gentle guiding voice because I'm blaring my Super-mom anthem a little too loud.
Isaiah 26:12 "LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us." Ouch again. Did you catch that last part? "ALL we have accomplished YOU (the Lord) have done FOR us." That means even if I rock that cake out and my fondant skills are on point, or we all get off one perfect family photo for the holidays... we get zero credit. It was God given skill, God gifted timing, or God's grace that helped us accomplish the desires of our heart. And Ta-da we just arrived at true Gratitude!
Isaiah 26:12 "LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us." Ouch again. Did you catch that last part? "ALL we have accomplished YOU (the Lord) have done FOR us." That means even if I rock that cake out and my fondant skills are on point, or we all get off one perfect family photo for the holidays... we get zero credit. It was God given skill, God gifted timing, or God's grace that helped us accomplish the desires of our heart. And Ta-da we just arrived at true Gratitude!
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