Page 54 - lifeandgrace
P. 54
Are You Striving?
by Rene P. Brown
Gal 2:20 (RSV) "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ
who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me."
John 15:4-5 (RSV) "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are
the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart
from me you can do nothing."
Mat 6:25 (RSV) ""Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall
eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more
than food, and the body more than clothing?"
Mat 6:33-34 (RSV) “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be yours as well. 34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."
Striving is a product of various mistakes, some of which are listed below:
1) Trying to live out your life on your own rather than Jesus living His life in you, through you and
as you.
2) Lack of faith in God that:
He loves you with an eternal love.
He has a plan for you that will both utilize and bless your life in Him.
He will make all things work together for good for you.
3) Not taking everything to God in prayer and then leaving it there!
4) Not offering your life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
5) Trying to get God to do your will instead of having only a desire to do His will - whatever that
might be!
6) Putting your dreams and hopes and desires and ministry and decisions ahead of God’s desires for
your life.
7) Trying to do ministry in which God is not involved or to which He has not called you.
8) Trying to do ministry not in God’s timing.
9) Trying to do ministry that is not in your gift areas.
10) Not understanding that we will surely suffer in this life (Philippians 3:10, Romans 5:3, Romans
8:18, 2 Cor. 1:5 - 7, 2 Thess. 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:8, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 4:5, Hebrews 10:32, 1
Peter 4:13, John 16:33)
Striving causes us ongoing problems: spiritual, emotional, and physical. Our entire body can be
wracked with sickness and disease simply because of stress from striving over things that are not ours
to be concerned over.
by Rene P. Brown
Gal 2:20 (RSV) "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ
who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me."
John 15:4-5 (RSV) "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are
the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart
from me you can do nothing."
Mat 6:25 (RSV) ""Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall
eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more
than food, and the body more than clothing?"
Mat 6:33-34 (RSV) “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be yours as well. 34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."
Striving is a product of various mistakes, some of which are listed below:
1) Trying to live out your life on your own rather than Jesus living His life in you, through you and
as you.
2) Lack of faith in God that:
He loves you with an eternal love.
He has a plan for you that will both utilize and bless your life in Him.
He will make all things work together for good for you.
3) Not taking everything to God in prayer and then leaving it there!
4) Not offering your life as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
5) Trying to get God to do your will instead of having only a desire to do His will - whatever that
might be!
6) Putting your dreams and hopes and desires and ministry and decisions ahead of God’s desires for
your life.
7) Trying to do ministry in which God is not involved or to which He has not called you.
8) Trying to do ministry not in God’s timing.
9) Trying to do ministry that is not in your gift areas.
10) Not understanding that we will surely suffer in this life (Philippians 3:10, Romans 5:3, Romans
8:18, 2 Cor. 1:5 - 7, 2 Thess. 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:8, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 4:5, Hebrews 10:32, 1
Peter 4:13, John 16:33)
Striving causes us ongoing problems: spiritual, emotional, and physical. Our entire body can be
wracked with sickness and disease simply because of stress from striving over things that are not ours
to be concerned over.
