To be or not to be?

I don't know about you but sometimes I just don't know how to articulate how I'm feeling...whats in my heart... or going on in my mind. It would be nice to be able to say exactly what I need to say... or do exactly what I need to do... or be exactly who I need to be. I may be a bit transparent I hope you don't mind. Now don't get me wrong I know who I am. Now do I go through brief periods of time having difficulty seeing that always? Of coarse... but I have to believe that God finishes what He starts. I am a work in progress... not only that I am HIS work in progress. I think sometimes we forget that we don't have to have it all figured out...if we did then why would we need God? We forget that we belong to the all powerful, all knowing (guess what He knows everything therefore He will never be disappointed in you because He already knew what He was getting into) and always loving God. God is good. He wont let me or you sink. He wont cast us to the side. Instead He will be with us everywhere we go. In the dry, lonely, fearful places He is there. When you feel lost or forgotten He still knows exactly where you are. When I think about this all I can say is there is a peace that surpasses any understanding I could ever keep. That even in my lack God is still abundant. Though my flesh is weak my spirit is willing. (I think this is a good segue into the next topic on my heart)

A few weeks ago the Holy Spirit asked me a question during a sermon. The pastor was preaching about being strong. Standing for what God says to be true and not being ashamed of the Gospel. It was a good word but what stirred in me that night...and obviously weeks later still echoing in my mind is this question...

"ARE YOU TRYING TO DO CHURCH OR BE THE CHURCH? "

Something a wise women embedded in me in my days of serving as an intern was this... God calls us to be human beings not human doings. Our nature wants to perform and please people. But God wants us to be led by His Spirit and obedient. Its so easy to do the Christian norms...and lose the heart behind it. We come to church, put on our happy faces and forget the real reason we are there. We are His bride. We are called to be His chosen one. That's not something we can imitate but instead we have to arise into our chosen place...

A good friend of mine will be getting married this summer. I cant wait! I already know she is going to be the most beautiful bride. When she was dress shopping she found the perfect dress. She fell in love after she put it on...but decided to try on a few more just for good measure. There was another bride-to-be interested in the same dress. Kindly my friend let her try it on secretly fuming inside at the thought of someone else wearing her wedding dress. It makes me smile to imagine her getting ready to... well do whatever she has to do to get her dress off that girls body. Ill let you imagine the possibilities. Anyways back to my point...my friend knew exactly what was meant to be hers. Even though she took some time to try on others they just weren't right. She would have stopped at nothing to get her dress back and to not see another person wearing what was meant to be hers. I say all this because we so often trade our perfect dress for something not exactly right. Ladies we all know we don't want to be walking down the aisle thinking I wish I would have gotten that other dress. In the same way what about your life. Bride of Christ one day we all will be walking down the aisle what are you wearing? What God perfected just for you or something less than that? Are you caught up in imitating something; settling for second best or being exactly who you are supposed to be? Think about it. :) Don't be afraid to fight for what is meant to be yours! Life and life abundantly is what Jesus came to give freely to His bride. Be His church