By Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
The Lord has shown me recently the importance of having an audience of One, AKA only living for the Lord’s recognition, commandments, and work. This also works directly with pride. Pride can be arrogance or insecurity working through us. Anything that makes it about us, instead of the Lord, is pride. Pride says God won’t perform His word or keep His promises. Pride says we think what He did on the cross wasn’t enough. Anytime we are disobedient or not applying the Word to ourselves because of what others think, we are acting in pride. Psalm 29:23 says, “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.”
We no longer have to try to help God when we ask Him for something or worry if our obedience is enough, because it was never about us in the first place. If we are living to please our Lord, we won’t care how many people we appear to be affecting or reaching in the natural. Obeying the Lord will release the expectations and judgments of others towards us because we aren’t living to please man in the first place. We will be able to say no to good things, in order to say yes to God things. We will leave our to-do list, as to not forsake spending time in the secret place as our top priority. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above ALL else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Working for the Lord will surrender our value on having the most expensive car, clothes, or house in order to impress our friends and society. We won’t have to ‘keep up with the Jones’ to be successful in the Kingdom. As long as we are being obedient to the Lord, we can let others’ opinions fall to the wayside. If we are truly living to please Jesus and we are spending alone time with him daily, He will shape and mold us to be like Him and thus, we will no longer do works to earn a spot in Heaven or His love. We will avoid doing things to attempt to be a part of the “in crowd.” We will do things for the Kingdom because of the freedom we have found in Jesus, our love for Him, and because we want to help others get there too. Choose today what audience your life will represent.
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Hannah Smith, author of the Moving Mountains blog, is a woman who feels she has experienced a lot of life in her 30 years.
At 19 years old, Hannah joined the Army. After moving around the country, getting a divorce and losing what seemed like everything, she landed back where God wanted her in Ohio, even though she fought the whole way. She is now in charge of the prayer team at her church and seeks the Lord with all she’s got.
Hannah is married and a RN, but works as a stay-at-home mom to her daughter, Isabella, and her son, Grayson.
She loves to hike, travel, drink coffee, and talk about Jesus. Hannah also has a heart to create a home and life in which she can be a safe place for the hurting and the broken.
To her readers, Hannah says, “I believe that God set every single one of you reading this apart, for such a time as this. It is my hope and prayer that God would use the words I say to change your life in a way you and I never thought possible!”
by leaps and bounds 