A few days ago I was sitting at a table having some lunch with my friends. We were having fun, laughing and having a great time!
One of my friends decided to ask Siri some random things on his iPhone. I decided to have some fun on my phone and ask Siri some questions.
I got right to the chase with Siri and asked her a question. Siri will come up with the craziest answers for things. I’ve had Siri direct me to a Chinese restaurant before instead of the pizza place I wanted to go to for dinner. Pretty crazy!
This time Siri gave me an intelligent and profound answer to the question “What do you think of me?”
How many of us with our actions and words with other people are asking this question to one another without asking this point blank question?
Are we trying to control a friendship with someone else in our lives to go a certain direction so we can obtain favor by them?
Are we saying things to others so we can get claps and applause from them?
When we talk to a crowd are we focusing most of our attention on that one person in the room to receive affirmation from that particular person or crowd?
Do we feel upset, down, or feel like we are nothing when the person or the group doesn’t say hello or give you attention that you think we are entitled to?
These questions are hard and honest.
We must do an honest heart check with the Lord daily to make sure our motives with others isn’t for us, but it’s for Christ.
Christ is the only one we need to please in our lives. Period.
Anyone else in our lives doesn’t really matter if they like us or not.
Since my time down here at CGA God has been teaching me many things about focusing on pleasing a party of one and not on other people.
Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT says,”If we are chasing after what someone else has and are jealous over what they have then stop it! It’s like chasing after the wind.” This is paraphrased
There’s been times where I have struggled with this at times. Failed in my relationships with people. I’ve was even jealous of people in the “cool track”. This is the worship track which was in serious consideration before I decided to do story track. I have said my share of apologies this week to story track, people here at CGA, and to God.
Joe Bunting my Story Track teacher told me this, “Don’t compare your middle to someone else’s end.” In relation to me being in the middle of my book and with worship track ministering in front of people.
For me, ministering in the behind the scenes isn’t natural for me. In fact at times I struggle with this because there is not instant gratification right away. In Story Track most of the time is spent solo on writing.
Joe said to me ,At the end of writing the book you will have finished a book and will be able to give it to someone who needs the words God has given through you. Even if it changes only one life you did what God wanted you to do.”
Blake one more thing, “Worship Track has a middle also of practicing songs which takes most of their time. View the book as a gift God has given you the opportunity to write.”
For most of this semester, I’ve had the wrong attitude of seeing the book as pain.
Don’t get me wrong writing a book is hard work. At times writing is more like torture than fun. In the end of the process a book is finished!
In the middle of last week in my time with God I didn’t want God to change the situation. I wanted Him to change my heart to His plans and desires.
Ezekiel 36:26 is about removing a heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh.
When I wanted my desires instead of God’s desires my attitude in my heart stunk. My heart had stone inside.
I asked God to check my heart and conform my heart to His will.
Refinement is needed for us to grow more in Christ.
Most of my semester has been a refining fire period. This has been painful, sucky, and needed for me to be the man of God He wants me to be for Him.
Since I’ve asked forgiveness for all of these things and God to focus my heart on Him I’ve felt more complete in Him. My focus is more on Christ and I’ve been able to get more done and have more free time!
If you find your heart starting to stink ask God to do a heart check on you. Ask for forgiveness and ask Him to help you stay on Him.
This has to be a daily process. For me, sometimes I’ve to ask God multiple times a day for my heart to be conformed to His will. If your willing to grow and learn from Christ He will bring you through even in the rough times.
