Obedience vs. Sacrifice

I am reading a book by Beth Moore called Praying God's Word. I found it on a bookshelf at CLM and thought it would be a great resource for praying over the children. The author addresses specific strongholds and defines them as “anything that exalts itself in our minds, pretending to be bigger or more powerful than our God.” They steal our focus and cause us to feel overpowered. A stronghold can be an addiction, unforgiveness, despair over a loss—anything that consumes our emotional and mental energy and strangles the abundant life that God has for us as believers.

The enemy can influence our behavior by influencing our thinking...something that he does quite well in my life, unfortunately. It is so easy for me to become discouraged because I'm constantly trying to please others, and obviously never able to complete the task! Here I'm faced each day with the overwhelming mission to learn a different language (well enough to be able to teach and minister), make new friendships here while maintaining relationships back in the States, adjust to a new culture without the comforts and familiarity of “home,” and somehow have the time and energy left over to be a parent and friend to the 40 children and 14 missionaries at CLM!

I hadn't thought of this as a “stronghold” in my life before, but I'm beginning to see it as a recurring theme that God wants me to give to Him once and for all. I have to realize that it is impossible to please everyone but I can please Him...just by being the person He created me to be! No more, no less. I think as I begin to move out in this freedom, only then can I truly model God's grace and forgiveness to the children He has called me to love.

Stay tuned for the next section....on pride! AAAH! Thanks for your prayers!