I’m chatting it up today! The following question is from today’s chat over at the Internet Cafe: Cafe Chat.
Question:
Do you focus in more on what you are doing for Jesus, or on what you are not doing for Him? Is there a balance? Do you think this is even a healthy approach when you are examining yourself in regards to your relationship with Christ?
This topic ties right in to what my husband and I studied last week in our marriage mentoring class.
The focus was Performance-based vs. Faith-based relationships. In a performance-based relationship, there tends to be selfishness, never being able to measure up, unconditional love is not present, criticism, 50/50 mentality, anger, resentment and pain.
In a faith-based relationship, there is unconditional love, not expecting the other to “be all”, submission to God’s plan, oneness.
Real relationships cannot be based on performance. Someone is always let down. I have let myself down far too often when it comes to what I’m doing for Jesus. If left to my own vices and knowledge I’d fall flat on my face every time. It’s the power of Christ that’s in me that gives me the freedom to be in a relationship that the success of it isn’t dependent on what I do for Jesus.
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
I count on those new mercies and faithfulness from my Lord every morning.
There is always room for improvement. This brings to my mind Paul’s reminder to the church of Philippi:
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14
I’ve guilted myself into feelings of lack and failure when it comes to doing for Jesus. Those days still come, but not as often and not with condemnation. The focus is forward. I press.