What God Requires

Last night I began a bible study written by Beth Moore. Every time I read her books or watch her on DVD, I am totally amazed and blown away at how gifted she is. The way she writes, her ability to speak to an audience, the way it seems like she can identify with so many christian women and their struggles today. 

So this morning when I got up I was thinking; I have such a yearning, burning desire to write! Then the second thought; "well what can I write about?" My next thought was; "oh why can't I write like Beth Moore?" Can you see where this was going? All of a sudden what started out as a simple desire to write, escalated into a pity party because I'm not as talented as Beth Moore.

Well, the Holy Spirit immediately convicted me and I felt God speak clearly to me and say; "because, I did not CALL YOU to be Beth Moore."

Ouch! OK, God, point taken. God showed me that he didn't call me to be Beth Moore, or Oprah, or Sandi Patty, or anybody else.
God called me to be me and only me!

He instilled in me the gifts that I have to glorify him, to serve him, and him alone. He created me uniquely, he made me an original; by his divine specifications, he formed me into his child with the skills and talents he determined me to have. He also allows situations into my life that help me learn how to grow stronger in him. These experiences are sometimes the turning points in my life that later become my personal testimony to God's miraculous and mighty power.

What God requires of me is only to be the best me possible! To love him, to worship him, to serve him with my whole heart and to use my gifts and talents to honor him and bless others. I don't have to compare myself with anybody else, no matter how beautiful or talented they are.

God just requires (or rather desires) me to be just ME!

And so I am reminded once more of these words:

"I have great worth apart from my performance because Christ gave his life for me, and therefore, imparted great value to me.
I am deeply loved, fully pleasing, totally forgiven, accepted and complete in Christ."

Since I tend to be a little stubborn and bull headed, I'm sure God will continue to allow situations and circumstances to occur in my life until I can finally learn this powerful and truthful lesson.

God simply requires me to be me.....it is enough.