Mattering

Do I really matter? A loaded question to be sure. Something that can sometimes take over our thoughts and our spirit and weigh us down, suck us dry and leave us feeling like.....we don't matter!

On the other hand we have those that feel they matter TOO much, we all have someone like that in our lives and it's just....annoying. There's such a balance in knowing that we DO matter, BUT not THAT much! In talking and visiting with my Mom and sisters this morning we shared some thoughts and desires on FAITH, HOPE, GRACE AND BELONGING. We talked about our perspective of God's Presence in our life, His doings, His non-doings, (that we perceive as His absence).

The way He may answer or be silent in any given way in our daily lives.

One subject that really stood out to me this morning was learning to realize how little we matter APART FROM GOD. He needs us to build His Kingdom, not ours.

To FACILITATE His redemption & restoration, but not to BE His redemption or restoration.

Our life can FEEL worthless and meaningless V*E*R*Y quickly when we are searching for our OWN goals, paths, ways and doings. He wants to have HIS WAY in our life, He is the POTTER and WE ARE THE CLAY....something we so easily forget. He wants us to surrender to His way of doing things, His way of being......so EASY TO SAY, so HARD TO DO.

OUR SOUL IS LONGING FOR HIM, even when we don't realize it or choose to shut off that longing by filling it with something earthly, something filled with dust. What SWEET RELEASE comes when we SURRENDER to Him....and not just for the sake of SALVATION, the sake of being ON OUR WAY TO HEAVEN......
but A SURRENDERED DAILY LIFE!

May we, (I) remember that on our BEST days WE*ARE*STILL*JUST*CLAY!

You are the CREATOR and I am WHAT YOU MAKE!!

In Ephesians 2 it says,
"But because of his great love for us, God,
who is rich in mercy,
made us ALIVE WITH CHRIST...."

"....The purpose of this action is not so that we can live lives that matter.
Instead, Paul says that God did this so that he might display the riches of His grace expressed in Christ Jesus for the ages to come."
~If you're interested in more on this subject please read this beautiful article called
"The Fear of Not Mattering."~

"God of ALL, God of me, bring us to a place of TRUE SURRENDER. Help me to realize it's not just a little prayer on a Sunday morning, it's a cry on a Tuesday night when the house is quiet and on a Thursday afternoon when I'm tired and worn out and living in Grouchville. You are SOVEREIGN and most of the time YOUR GRACE COMES IN WAYS WE CANNOT SEE . BUILD OUR FAITH TO MATCH THE FAITH OF THOSE GONE BEFORE US.....not the faith that LOOKS GOOD to others, BUT THE FAITH THAT PLEASES, DELIGHTS AND STIRS YOUR HEART....faith, the way
YOU MADE IT."
amen. so be it.

*pictures from snow storm February, 2010*