The View Inside My Head

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Ephesians 2:7 - It's about Who gets the glory for the good things they see in my. And I think more important for me today, it's about the dialogue in my head when someone compliments me. Do I believe that I am somehow worthy of that praise inherently? Or do I believe that I am working out who God designed me to be and so the glory goes to Him? I am salt. I am light. I am not behaving as both or either. Does my light blind people with its intensity? Does my salt kill fields? Or does my light illuminate the road? Does my salt bring out other flavors and help maintain health? Jesus, May I always be about You, not me. And when I'm not, would You gently shed light on that place so it becomes clear? Then help me knock down the idol I've erected and clean up the mess it leaves when it is destroyed?

"Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." How counter-intuitive is it to rejoice in the face of suffering! The previous verse gives the context - when people are mean to me because I love Jesus. This is the suffering that should move me to rejoice. I didn't want to stop and write about this. I can't escape, though, that this is a command. Rejoice! Be exceedingly glad! The pursuit of joy is something I know well. And, in my experience, it comes when I know who and Whose I am. Maybe this is God's message to me: It's time to return to joy. Put away the sadness and suffering you are experiencing. Remember that I've got you and I will not let you fall.