I want to help you destroy a lie on this beautiful day. I think someone needs to hear this.
You know as women of God we want to be “good Christians” and read our bibles, attend study groups, go to all the church things, feel like we are doing “our part”, do “Christian things”, but yall the idea of all that above is basically a lie. It’s a religious illusion and kind of a trap. If we are not careful we will end up focusing more on looking good to the world and man, vs getting to know the heart of God and His righteousness.
Sure, we should read our bibles and want to, but doing all those things just to check off a list to feel like we are holy won’t help us get to true the heart of God and fill the void we may be feeling.
Sure, it’s good to attend study groups and be involved at church, but Jesus also said that we are the church. So find some freedom in that truth when it feels like you may be struggling to do any of it. Go out there in life and share your gifts with the world, but do clear some time on your schedule to dig in to community too.
Y’all it is so easy to look at other Christians and women of God, thinking they have it all together, they are walking holy, and you are over here just feeling so less than because you are struggling to even pray!
Release that lie and walk in truth!! No one has it together. What does that foolishness even mean?
The women you see, have struggled. They have rough days. They feel the same way at times. I struggle at times. My walk is not perfect and I don’t want you to sit there with these lies just brewing in your mind, tormenting you, telling you you have to be perfect or else.
This morning was the first time in a while that I have been out on the porch where I love to sit with God. Sometimes my prayer life is one sentence before I fall asleep, sometimes I get distracted during my quiet time and end up on my phone, sometimes I would rather be alone than in community, sometimes I act out in the flesh, (like an absolute butt), sometimes I feel empty and and haven’t picked up my bible in some time, sometimes I miss church…. I did not start reading a bible until 2018, but God still used me and performed miracles in my life.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..” (Matthew 6:33) notice that doesn’t say anything about seek perfectionism, religious life the way Christians do things.
The truth is, God is always with me. He knows my heart. He is not looking for me to do all the things and check off a list in order for him to love me. He has already made us Holy, so we don’t have to try and act “holy”. He knows that this life can be a challenge and there are things pulling us in different directions. He sees us and really wants to have a relationship with us.
Ladies, as RAW women, we gotta be real with ourselves, true to ourselves and walk in truth. Drop those chains of lies and pick up your freedom, free from pressure to perform.
Even when you can’t form sentences to pray, Holy Spirit is already interceding on our behalf. “.. The Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.
(Romans 8:26 The passion translation)
Just take it day by day and just take time sit with Heavenly Father if anything at all. He wants you to get to know Him, He wants you and your heart most of all. He want you to learn His voice and to refresh you with His spirit. He wants to speak to you and put things in your heart.
He isn’t interested in religious standards. He is interested in YOU and you walking in your true identity.
So don’t allow that religious spirit to come in and tell you you aren’t any good because you haven’t done x, y, and z. You do you with God.
I’ve gotta tell you, my relationship with him will look different from yours and yours along with other women, will look different from mine. Find freedom in that because God made us all unique, but He knows how to take it from there and He continues to mold us into who He created us to be.
And lastly, when you are wanting to take your walk deeper with Him, it takes time and discipline to dig in. Give yourself some grace. The enemy sees what you want to do or have been doing and starts to tremble because he knows the power of a woman! He will attempt to throw in distraction after distraction, but you just keep at it, keep showing up and let him know who actually runs the show around here!
I hope that encourages you
Much Love,
Charleston Artist | Writer | Photographer 