Focusing on what is right with us

 Funny how when someone is coming to visit or you're having a party things get done around the house that are normally let go. My wife and I just had another couple over for dinner. We spent about four hours in the back yard and then another couple of hours in the house that was already clean, we cleaned and arranged things in hopes of making our dinner guests more comfortable.

 The evening was nice so we set up outside on the deck in the back yard. My wife cooked a fabulous dinner and made up a great desert. Conversation was easy. The night was a success. Our guests have been friends for some time and today I am happy say we are better friends. Time well spent without a doubt.

 My friend is a contractor and some of our conversation was about some of the homes he had built and how his father was a contractor. From the stories I gathered his dad was quite the craftsman. They enjoyed our home which made me feel pretty good because we actually did most of the physical work in the remodel of our house. The only problem with you doing your own work is you always focus on the imperfections and the things you wish you would have done differently or more of.

 Something struck me this morning as I was looking out the bay window into the backyard. I reflected on conversation from the night before. Realizing much like my thoughts of the imperfections in my home because of my construction abilities. The encouraging words from our friends made me realize my focus was on imperfections not on what was positive and functional.

  Many of us view our lives by looking at our shortcomings and our personal imperfections. Paul understood this concept as he wrote in Philippians 3:13 “Brethren. I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.”

 I remember years ago my wife and I went to a performance of a Christian comedian. He told the story of not wanting to become a Christian before he got saved. He said “I always thought the Bible was full of don’ts, then he realized after he became a Christian if he focused on doing the do’s he wouldn’t have time to do the don’ts.

 I suppose the idea is we all have amazing things that make us who we are. We all have abilities and gifting that are unique to us. And guess what? It’s good!

  If we focus more on what is right instead of being hamstrung by what is wrong life will be more enjoyable and we will become comfortable in our own skin, the way God meant for it to be. If we compare ourselves to him instead of everyone else around us we will find he is very gracious, he is our present help in time of need. He is at work in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure. If he is for us who can be against us?

 There is so much God wants to do with and through us, his choice is to use us for his purpose. He places us strategically in lives of the people who we can speak to, because they can relate to us. Who we are is no mistake but accurately designed by God for his pleasure.

 We need to learn to enjoy and embrace who we are and how we’re made as we grow in purity and holiness. Paul also said if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Doing the do’s and focusing on what is right with us instead of being frustrated about the don’ts and magnifying what is wrong with us will make life more abundant.

  Life is fun and should not be missed because of looking at what is wrong with it. The journey is what we make it.

Don't sit on the sidelines,  get in the game. 

Have a blast!