"If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
I am a backstage girl trapped in a spotlight body. I love to serve and give and love on others. Typically, all is done quietly and goes unnoticed. I say I don't like attention and recognition, but, if I am being honest, it's nice to be in the spotlight sometimes. If I could stand and speak to a sold out crowd about Jesus and receive a standing ovation, my soul would most likely dance. Lately, however, I have been reminded that while I would love the applause and recognition of the world, I have an audience of One.
Opinions of others matter to me. I try not to let them matter, but they do. What can I say? I care what people think about me. I care about what is being said about me when I am not present. A couple years ago, I latched onto the saying, "confidence in Christ." I ran after the concept of finding my confidence in Him and Him alone. I still chase this dream knowing I am inching closer to my confidence in my Creator becoming my norm.
I believe confidence in Christ and realizing we have an audience of One go hand-in-hand. There is so much to be debated today; so many differing strong opinions. I hope, pray, and wish for every soul to truly know the truth about Jesus. Sometimes, however, I am completely misunderstood and begin to feel like I am very alone and isolated in this big wide world.
I talked to a trusted friend the other day. I had posted what I thought was a repost about love, listening, and living out the cause of Christ but it quickly became controversial. I felt alone and a little like I was living in the twilight zone. My heart was for Christ. My heart bled for those who felt persecuted by the church unloved and abandoned. But my audience saw something different. They saw something that seemed a little scary and maybe a little against what they have been taught in the church.
As I talked through my thoughts and opinions on my little controversy, she helped me realize and reminded me that I have an audience of One. As long as my heart is right with the Truth, I am good. I don't need accolades or acceptance of this world. I just need His approval and His alone. I no longer give others control of my soul. No one gets to choose my value and worth for me. I find it in Him.
Time and again, throughout Scripture, God reminds us that He is our spotlight. He is the only audience that matters. We are going to be mocked, gossiped about, misunderstood, questioned, abandoned, and have mistruths spoken about our lives. It doesn't matter. He is our listening ears. He knows our truths and our hearts. While we love and appreciate the opinions of others about ourselves, it isn't about them at the the end of the day.
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:1-5
Love & Blessings,
Meg
I am a backstage girl trapped in a spotlight body. I love to serve and give and love on others. Typically, all is done quietly and goes unnoticed. I say I don't like attention and recognition, but, if I am being honest, it's nice to be in the spotlight sometimes. If I could stand and speak to a sold out crowd about Jesus and receive a standing ovation, my soul would most likely dance. Lately, however, I have been reminded that while I would love the applause and recognition of the world, I have an audience of One.
Opinions of others matter to me. I try not to let them matter, but they do. What can I say? I care what people think about me. I care about what is being said about me when I am not present. A couple years ago, I latched onto the saying, "confidence in Christ." I ran after the concept of finding my confidence in Him and Him alone. I still chase this dream knowing I am inching closer to my confidence in my Creator becoming my norm.
I believe confidence in Christ and realizing we have an audience of One go hand-in-hand. There is so much to be debated today; so many differing strong opinions. I hope, pray, and wish for every soul to truly know the truth about Jesus. Sometimes, however, I am completely misunderstood and begin to feel like I am very alone and isolated in this big wide world.
I talked to a trusted friend the other day. I had posted what I thought was a repost about love, listening, and living out the cause of Christ but it quickly became controversial. I felt alone and a little like I was living in the twilight zone. My heart was for Christ. My heart bled for those who felt persecuted by the church unloved and abandoned. But my audience saw something different. They saw something that seemed a little scary and maybe a little against what they have been taught in the church.
As I talked through my thoughts and opinions on my little controversy, she helped me realize and reminded me that I have an audience of One. As long as my heart is right with the Truth, I am good. I don't need accolades or acceptance of this world. I just need His approval and His alone. I no longer give others control of my soul. No one gets to choose my value and worth for me. I find it in Him.
Time and again, throughout Scripture, God reminds us that He is our spotlight. He is the only audience that matters. We are going to be mocked, gossiped about, misunderstood, questioned, abandoned, and have mistruths spoken about our lives. It doesn't matter. He is our listening ears. He knows our truths and our hearts. While we love and appreciate the opinions of others about ourselves, it isn't about them at the the end of the day.
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:1-5
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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