A humbled, grateful heart

Sometimes the pace we set for ourselves and the path we carve through the day’s to-do list, well, it doesn’t always go quite as planned. I’m learning as I get older, this is often times a gift. It is God’s way of humbling us to start with Him as our focus, everything else is secondary. It can be particularly jarring for some of us when our pride is a bit dented by what threw us off from a particular goal. A vision. A dream. A hope.

What is our response when suddenly we find ourselves thrown off balance by something? Or someone?

The only One who fully knows our heart’s intent is God. There is not a human being in your life that can see and know and grasp fully your heart’s intent. Our best aim is to pray for God’s presence to go before us and prevail in the hearts that are on the receiving end of our intent. It is inevitable when misunderstanding and assumption take root, and suddenly we are questioning how it got to this point. What a powerful and comforting thing to have key people in our lives to hold us accountable in moments like this. I am thankful for relationships I hold dear in my own life-family and friends-who have played a vital role that I count on to bring me back to a place of complete humility and gratitude. Pride is a very dangerous thing for any of us to have to manage. We cannot allow it to rule, we must call it out, and surrender it to the sovereignty of our God. When we humble ourselves to His leading and guiding, then we can step out with the confidence of the Holy Spirit. I was reminded through a message today, that release comes and peace enters fully from God only when we have released our prideful grip.

I am thankful for the opportunity I am given every day to encourage and challenge other women to reach for better and live the abundant life God has for them. I am thankful for the relationships that have grown out of years in ministry for my family across the country, and most recently with our church family, Story Church, and our beautiful women's ministry-Story Women. It’s a really sweet surprise when God connects me with someone new, a new friendship blossoms, and we find that unbreakable bond that comes with being part of the family of God. There is a strength and encouragement there that I believe every woman needs. When we choose to participate in our community of believers, it doesn’t just bring us together but it brings us into greater fellowship with the Father. We cannot do life alone, we truly need to invest in the relationships God brings into our lives. This is a big part of what keeps me humbled and grateful. When we release pride and any other thing that would attempt to distract us, we find ourselves securely seated in His presence. This is what I aim for daily. And when I start with this focus first, the flow of life is much better.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV