I Am, I Will

Hey Friends, 

This is something I wrote a few months ago as I was thinking about the person I am and want to be in Christ. This is not to say that I am successfully doing any or all of these things. I am far from perfect and make mistakes daily. But this is a recognition of and reflection on who God calls us to be through scripture. I was challenged and encouraged when I read through it again today, and I thought I'd share it in hopes that it might do the same for someone else. 

I Am, I Will

I am loved - eternally, perfectly, fully and unconditionally - by God. I will remember that it is by grace, not by works, that I have been saved. I do not have to strive for His love and acceptance, but accept it in thankfulness and faith. I have been set free through Christ. Ultimate joy, love, peace, security and beauty are found in living life in His presence and remembering what He has done for me. (Psalm 103:12, John 3:16, Romans 5:8 & 8:2, Ephesians 2:4-5)

I am made in God's image. He knows me perfectly, and I am precious in His sight. My ultimate value and worth are found in Him and Him alone. He is my creator, Father, guide, teacher, protector and provider. I cannot walk through this life in my own strength, but through Him, all things are possible. ((Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13-14, Isaiah 43:4, Jeremiah 1:5, Matthew 6:31-32, Philippians 4:13 & 4:19)

I am here to love God, love others and build His kingdom here on earth. I will remind myself each day to live for His will and His glory - not my own. (Habakkuk 2:14, Matthew 24-25, Mark 16:15, John 13:34)

I will find time to spend alone with God each day. I will continue to seek the ways that He wants to communicate with me though His Spirit. I will seek His wisdom. I will listen to His voice, His guidance and His prompting. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Matthew 6:33, Romans 5:5, 1 Corinthians 3:16, James 4:8)

I will seek to become more in tune with the gifts God has given me and to discover the ways He wants me to use those to bring glory to His name. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 1 Peter 14:10)

I will not allow earthly things to become idols in my life. Even though some of these things are good – love, marriage, family, a career, money, health, success, etc. – I will not allow my happiness to be determined by whether or not I have them. I will remember not to give them more weight in my life than I give to God. (Exodus 20:3-6, 1 Corinthians 10:14, Colossians 3:5)

I will not pull away from God when I sin, fall short or do things I'm not proud of. When I become more aware of the areas of my life and heart I need to work on, I will see these as opportunities to draw closer to Him, to experience more of His grace and mercy, and to allow Him to continue molding me into the person He made me to be. (Psalm 139: 23-24,  Romans 3:22-23, 2 Corinthians 12:9)

I will stop and take a deep breath when I become annoyed or upset and am tempted to take that out on others. I will be patient, kind and slow to anger. I will not be judgmental. (Matthew 7: 1-5, Luke 6:31)

I will seek to be honest, trustworthy, helpful and compassionate in all relationships - with friends, family, neighbors and strangers. I will love on and speak life into others. I will remember that words have power both to heal and to wound, and I will refrain from gossip. (Proverbs 18:21 & 31:26, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 4:29)

I will be sensitive to what others may be going though. I will not allow my own needs or busy schedule cause me to look past them. I will listen to them and their stories. I will look for the little ways that I can make a difference in someone's day. (Proverbs 17:17, Ephesians 4:2-3, 1 Corinthians 13:13, James 1:19)

I will be a prayer warrior. This, alone, is a powerful form of ministry. (Luke 18:1, Romans 12:12, James 5:14-16, 1 Peter 3:12)

I will serve without agenda and with a kind and open heart. I will never expect anything in return for what I give (Luke 6:35, Acts 20:35, 2 Corinthians 9:7-9)

I will not compare my life or my faith journey to the journeys of others. That is a sign that my heart is in the wrong place - a sign of jealousy, a sign of doubt, a sign of selfishness. I will remember that God works differently in each of our lives. He communicates with each of us differently. He has given us each different gifts. I will celebrate God's work and faithfulness in the lives of others. (Proverbs 14:30, 2 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 6:4-5, James 3:16)

I will not allow negativity or pride to control me. I will seek to be humble in all that I do. (Proverbs 11:2, Isaiah 2:12, Philippians 2:3, James 4:6)

I will not focus so much on what other people think of me. I will be myself. I will remember that my true worth is found in God, not the opinions of those who don’t fully know me. (John 14:27, Romans 12:2, Galatians 1:10)

I will not over-obsess, over-think, over-worry or over-plan. These are some of my greatest weaknesses, and they are signs that I am trying too hard to control things. They allow God no room to work. I will do my best to pray about everything, and worry about nothing. (Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 4:6, 1 Peter 5:7)

I will trust that God will give me the words when I'm presented an opportunity to speak to someone about my faith. I will give the moment to Him. I will remember that it's about Him and His good news, not about me or how much I appear to "know." I won't worry so much about saying the "right" thing. In any situation where I feel He is calling me to step out in faith, I will trust that He has equipped me for the task. (Joshua 1:9, Luke 12:12, Ephesians 2:10)

I will thank God each day for the blessings He has given me. I will remember that every good and perfect thing comes from above. It is all from Him. I will thank Him for all of the ways He is working in my life. (Psalm 100:4, Ephesians 5:20, James 1:17)

I will take time to notice and relish the beauty God has placed in the world - the sunset, laughter, the ocean, a smile, animals, music, the wind rustling through the trees - it is all part of His creation. (Psalm 19:1 & 95:4-5 & 104:24-25, John 1:3)

I will be quick to forgive, but I will not allow others to take advantage of me. I will surround myself with a community of loving, supportive, honest people. I will remember that just as iron sharpens iron, one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 13:12 & 27:17, Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:13)

I will be confident in who I am and willing to stand up for what I believe in. I will be strong and courageous. (Proverbs 3:26, Matthew 10:22, 1 Corinthians 6:13)

I will stop and pray when I'm tempted or distracted by sin or when I almost fall back into things I've worked hard to leave behind. I will practice self-control. I will pray for the strength to say no and walk away. I will remember not to put those things above Him. I will seek that security, acceptance, beauty, attention, answer, validation - whatever temporary satisfaction those temptations would give me - in God alone. (1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 2:18)

I will remember that God is still there, and will always be there, when life gets hard - when pain, discouragement and hardship seem too much to bare. He is constant and unwavering. He can provide purpose and meaning in all circumstances. He has a plan that is way bigger and higher than what I can see or understand now. It might not always make sense, but I will trust Him. I will praise Him through it all. (Psalm 31:19 & 37:7, Isaiah 41:10 & 55:9, Romans 8:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:13)

I will remember that the day of His return is coming. Although the evilness of this world can become overwhelming, I can find peace in knowing that, one day, He will come back in glory. Evil will be brought to justice, and He will wipe away every tear. The pain we experience now won’t even compare to the glory He will reveal to us. (Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Revelation 21:4, 22:12)

I will be excited, faith-filled and expectant as I walk into the future and all He has planned for me. I will live my life in response to the overwhelming beauty of God that is shown to us in the Gospel, and I will rest in the assurance of the finished work of Christ. (Proverbs 31:25, Philippians 1:13)