Untangled Part 1

A new series has begun entitled Untangled. We’re going to look at several pieces of our humanity that trip us up and keep us from experiencing wholeness of life.

Our scripture for the series is Hebrews 12:1-2 It reads, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

To begin we simple want to understand that if our feet are tangled, and our path is unsure, then our race will be arduous and unnecessarily painful. Psalm 119:105 tells us that the word of God is a “lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” The bible is and must be our foundation. This is a perfect season to make a commitment to living from it and seeking it as we go.

Specifically today, I wonder if you struggle as I do with living for the applause.

Kiss me and tell me I’m pretty isn’t too far off from my default motto. An atta boy from my dad, a great job from a coach, a you did so good, a compliment from a stranger, a loved your message, or any other form of elevated talk can propel me light years into the future.

It’s a constant struggle but becomes a real problem when I get too inflated, think too highly of myself than I should, or begin working for and living for approval of others. MOTTO: My aim is to please, start the applause.

In 1 Sam 13 the Israelites are scared going to be facing the Philistines. Samuel, the prophet, is supposed to return and give them a word from God but he hasn’t shown yet and the people are scared to death. So, Saul makes sacrifices (without Samuel) trying to win the favor of God, but more so to maintain the favor of his fighting men. Samuel rebukes him and says his reign will not last.

Living for the approval of others rather than God can be paralyzing. It is an entanglement of fear stemming from rejection and leads most often to compromise or doing more than we could or should.

In order to untangle ourselves from this entrapment, we must face the reality that our identity is in Jesus and embrace the value of God’s opinion of us over man’s. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Jesus calls us to die to ourselves by taking up our own instrument of death. Killing the ego is a feat in which not many embark and no one conquers. The masses give up and feed the monster instead of defeat it!

#PeoplePleasing

#Untangled

#RestoringWholenessOfLife 

Brett