Episode #40 Are You Bypassing God’s Care for You? – What God Sees

Have you ever had one of those days where it just feels like everyone needs something from you? Maybe it's a really busy season at work or things going on with your kids.

Sometimes I can get in really heavy seasons where it just feels like I'm surrounded by needs and I can mistakenly put that false expectation on God and actually hesitate to spend time with him because it feels like just another thing that someone needs from me, just another thing that I need to do. And that false perspective can actually make it harder for us to receive the good that he has for us.

So if you're used to being the one that cares for others, the strong one, the capable one, this episode is especially for you because if you're one of those strong, capable, caring people, sometimes it can be hard to recognize and receive when God wants to care for you.

I feel like there's a common myth that I'm hearing pop up in a lot of different Christian circles. The perspective is basically that God wants us because he wants other people. That as those who follow Christ already God wants us to come near because he wants to reach the rest of the world.

And this myth becomes so dangerous because it puts a false lens on God's invitation to come and connect with him. It perpetuates this perspective that the reason God wants you is because he wants the other people. No, God wants you because you are one of his people. And the reason God wants them is because they too are one of his people.

Yes, we're invited to participate with God. Yes, Jesus left us the great commission to go and make disciples, but we come to God because he loves each of us. And as we grow with God, we then get to go with God in his ministry to other people.

This is such a relevant topic when talking about being the ones who care and receiving God's care for us, because sometimes we can unintentionally or even intentionally view ourselves as less important to receive God's care.

It doesn't really matter if I am connecting with God. What's more important is if I'm helping other people know God.

It's okay if I don't necessarily feel God's care because I, I know he cares for me, but I need other people to know. God wants that person to know he cares for them.

It also can become problematic because we can see our times with God, we can see the expression of our gifts, we can see even the, the day-to-day aspects of our relationship with him being more about the output of what we can do for him than about who he is, us being with him, and us being transformed by him. We can focus on trying to, to produce all of this output when really God is trying to make an investment back into us.

A few years ago, I was in a particularly busy season of motherhood, and I was just hustling. And I was writing quite a bit and I had a regular rhythm for when I wanted to publish articles on my website.

I remember sitting in a moment with God and he was bringing fresh revelation, and I remember telling him, "oh, this will be so encouraging for others. I can't wait to write about it." And honestly, I was somewhat relieved that I was actually going to have good, helpful content to meet my writing deadline.

And God responded to me so sweetly, so gently, and also so clearly "this isn't for them today. This is just for me and you. Is that all right with you?"

And it caught me off guard. I realized that I had somewhat bypassed the reality of the moment that the King of the Universe was connecting with me because he wanted to talk with me about something, and I had jumped into output mode. I was almost even assuming or projecting that God is sharing this with me so that I can share this with them.

And so what God and I started talking about in that moment was God was sharing that with me because God wanted to share that with me. Sure, it may end up in resources at some point, but there that day, sitting in my time with God, he wanted to connect with me.

I wonder if you can relate to that? Assuming that the energy you have, the revelation or insight, the use of your giftings, the conversations and the connection you have with God are just an output for him to reach other people and not also an infilling for what he wants to give you.

Our passage today is from Isaiah 40, and the heading of this chapter in my Bible is Comfort for God's People. And in Isaiah 40:6, God is telling Isaiah Shout and Isaiah asks him, what shall I shout?

And then God continues on and I'll read for us Isaiah 40:11

"He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young."

God feeds, God carries, and God leads. I love how those words are highlighted in this verse because those are words we can often use to describe ourselves.

We feed, we carry, we lead.

We don't just have to be those who offer that provision. We are also those who get to receive that provision. Even the way that God talks about himself as a shepherd and the way he cares for a mother with her young.

Maybe you're a mom and you're in a season of leading young kids. Maybe you are a leader, or a mentor and you have young leaders who are learning from you. Maybe you are a leader in your church or you're leading young believers.

This isn't just a season for your output to be gentle and caring for them. God also wants to be gentle and caring for you. I wonder what care he offers for you today. Let's talk with him about it.

And here's our question,

God, how do you gently care for me right now?

I wonder what he wants to show you.

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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