Yesterday, I challenged you to resolve to put God's Truth into action in 2014. I gave you five action steps based on the Truths Nancy writes about in Lies Women Believe.
Here are five more ways you can live out God's Truth in 2014.
At True Woman conferences, the goodie bag handed out to all attendees always includes a white hankie. That handkerchief is intended to symbolize surrender to God's will and plans for our lives. One of the highlights for me at each conference is watching those hankies wave all over the auditorium. Without speaking, each woman who waves one is screaming, "I know God's will for me is good! I choose to surrender to it."
Nothing can touch our lives that has not first been "filtered through His fingers of love."
At the dawn of a new year, it may be easy for some of us to express that very sentiment. But challenges will come, and that is when the rubber will really meet the road about our feelings toward God's will.
We may find ourselves wondering, Is this a mistake, God? Surely this is not what you have planned for my life.
When those moments come in the year ahead, we have the choice to wave a white flag (figuratively or literally), knowing that our lives are in God's hand, and nothing can touch our lives that has not first been "filtered through His fingers of love."
"He makes no mistakes with His children's lives. Someone has said, 'God's will is exactly what we would choose, if we knew what God knows.' When we stand in eternity looking back on this earthly existence, we will know by sight what we can only see now by faith: He has done all things well" (Lies Women Believe).
The Bible says that God's grace is sufficient for us.
When you come to a bend in the road in 2014, God's grace will already be there waiting. He has ample grace for all that you are facing. He has copious amounts of grace for whatever is ahead. When you're out of options, He has grace galore.
"Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. When I am weak, He is strong. When I am empty, He is full. When I have no resources of my own left, His resources have not begun to be depleted. . . . We need to speak the Truth to ourselves; we need to speak it to each other. In every season, in every circumstance, His grace is sufficient. It is sufficient for me; it is sufficient for you" (Lies Women Believe).
All of us need to be reminded that God's grace is enough to carry us through. Why not name this the year of grace! Take every opportunity to talk about God's grace to yourself and to others.
Are there sins in your life that have become habitual? Are there areas where you are operating under the false belief that you will never have victory over your sin? Do you secretly doubt that Christ's blood is enough to cover a secret or addictive sin?
There is no sin you have committed and no sin you will commit that cannot be forgiven and covered by Jesus' sacrifice.
Jesus offers forgiveness of sins willingly. The realization of this should motivate us to be intolerant toward sin in our own lives.
"This [Christ's sacrifice] should not cause us to take sin more lightly; to the contrary, the realization that our sin required the lifeblood of the Lord Jesus should leave us broken and humble in spirit, and determined to choose the pathway of obedience, by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit" (Lies Women Believe).
Make this your mantra: "The Truth is, I don't have to sin (Rom. 6:14).
There is nothing in your past that God cannot use.
There is nothing you've experienced that makes you damaged goods.
Your past does not have to plague you.
"The Truth is that our past—our upbringing, the ways we have been wronged, and the ways we have wronged others—these things do not have to be hindrances. In fact, by God's grace, they can actually become stepping-stones to greater victory and fruitfulness" (Lies Women Believe).
What burdens have you brought into this New Year? You are free to drop them at God's feet, trusting that He will work them for your good (Rom. 8:28).
"The Truth is, the Word of God is alive and powerful; it is medicine for troubled hearts and peace for plagued minds. It is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Whatever our need, whatever our circumstances, the Word of God is sufficient to meet that need. And it is sufficient to meet the needs of those we love.
People around us who are hurting and needy don't need to hear our opinions and suggestions. They need to know what God says. They need to know His commands, His promises, and His ways. If we really want to help people, we must point them to the Truth and prayerfully and lovingly show them how to apply the Truth in their situation" (Lies Women Believe).
- I will wave the white flag (Isa. 46:10).
- I will talk about grace often this year (2 Cor. 12:9).
- I will reject sin because of the cross (1 John 1:7, Rom. 6:6–7).
- I will see my past as redeemable (1 Cor. 6:9–11).
- I will run to God's Word as a first resort and point others toward it instead of offering my advice (Ps. 19:7, 107:20, 119:105).
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