Episode #173 It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Have Positive Impact – Know You from God’s Point of View

Friends, have you ever felt like you just kept messing up? Like, you wanted to be patient with your kids, and you couldn't make it the whole day. Or you kept forgetting things that you really wanted to remember and follow through on, or like you just were too tired to be able to show up the way that you want to in different areas of your life?

I think most of us can relate to at least one of those areas. And today we're bringing that topic into conversation with God and we're asking him to show us the opposite. We're asking God to show us where He has been pleased by the positive impact that we're making with our lives.

In Matthew 5 it's talking about light and it says in verse 16,

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 NIV)

And then in Hebrews 13:15-16, it says

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15-16 NIV)

Now you might be sitting here saying, Jen, I just admitted to myself based on your questions that I'm having a hard time, that I feel like I'm failing. Why are you talking about being a bright light in the world and doing good deeds and making sacrifices to please God? Like I'm struggling here. And that is actually the very reason why I'm bringing these up.

See, I think sometimes we can disqualify the light that we are in the world.

We can disqualify the offerings that we bring to God, the way that we do good towards others and share what we have, the way that we give of ourselves for those that we love.

We can disqualify those things because our frame of reference is too focused on the areas where we're not measuring up to where we want to be.

And we're in this series of getting to know ourselves from the point of view of God. And it doesn't say here because you did everything perfectly. Hebrews 13 doesn't say because you have everything you could ever ask for, you can give without noticing that it costs you anything.

Instead, this passage is talking about sacrifices that cost us something. Sacrifices of praise. Which can include our words, doing good and sharing with others, living in a way that shines a light in our troubled world. That others would see our actions and give glory to God because of them.

And so today we're asking God to show us a little bit more about this from his perspective. And I think you're going to be encouraged by what he wants to share with you.
See, we might feel frustrated with our shortcomings. We might get down on ourselves because we forgot something. And yes, there's a place to try things again, or to apologize or repent if we've missed the mark, but these passages talk about God being pleased with our offerings, talk about God receiving glory by the way that we live. And so I wonder what those areas are in your life that make God happy, that he's pleased with, where he sees your sacrifices and he's glorified by them. Let's ask him about it.

God, what's one way I make a positive impact on others that makes you happy?

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

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