How do I make much of You, Jesus?

I do my best writing for the blog late at night. Inspiration, for me, usually comes between 11pm and 2am. It's been that way for as long as I can remember.

Lately? Nothing. No inspiration. It's been so frustrating. It's either write something half-hearted to get a post out on time or go for weeks without posting, dreaming of and hoping for an amazing post that will bless the socks off my sweet readers.

Father, why? I want to make much of You and what You are doing in my life! I want to share it! You're doing so much - why can't I write well? Why can't I get these thoughts out coherently?

My daughter, make much of Me by spending time with Me in the morning and letting the overflow of My Word and My presence season your relationships for that day. One moment, one choice at a time. Start there, and let Me choose how to use that. Your heart is precious to Me, child - more precious than your writing style. And then, just write. You don't have to be witty or well-polished. Just share.

How can I make much of Jesus?
-Meditate on the verses that declare how glorious He is! (They're all over the place! I mostly am fond of the Psalms, Revelation, Nehemiah, Job, Isaiah, John, and Romans - but seriously. He's glorious from Genesis to Revelation)
-Sing His praises throughout the day as I care for my daughters and our home!
-Fill my heart and my mind with His Words. They are always words of life, peace, and assurance. Writing verses on index cards and taping them up in prominent spots helps me memorize.
-Share all of the above with my sweet girls, and as much as I'm able with Will when he gets home.
-Then, whenever God brings someone else into my path that day, be ready to share the love and truth He has imparted that day, and trust Him to work out the rest.


Here's a partial list of what He's working on in me right now:
1) He's challenging me to ask Him to show me where I have unconfessed and unrepented of sin - and to confess and repent! There's a boatload. And it's like a kid peeling a Band-Aid so slowly off of a hairy patch on her forearm. Each time I make a little inroad to dealing with one thing, He reveals something else that I need to deal with and it hurts like the dickens.
2) I drag my feet too much when He says 'obey'. "Call that person and ask for forgiveness, Lisha." "...Lord, how about I just Facebook them?" "...No. Just call." Blurghhhhh. He treasures immediate obedience over doing something with style or for convenience.
3) If I am not glorifying Jesus in my marriage - if He is not pre-eminent in all my thoughts, words, and actions toward Will - He is not being fully glorified in my life. No matter how much of a disciple I appear on the outside. White. washed. tomb. Hi, yes, that's me.
4) The longer I walk with Him, the more sinful I realize I am. When I first started following Jesus 12 years ago, I thought for sure by now I'd have the hang of this Christian Living thing. Nope. I'm realizing I am capable of more depravity than I ever realized. And it's only by Jesus' restraining graces that my sin doesn't manifest itself more outwardly.
5) Some of the most painful and pressing times I've experienced in the last year are a direct result of my own sinfulness in years past - not necessarily because of someone else's poor or foolish choices. Though Christ has paid for the sins, God has not released me from dealing directly and painfully from the consequences of those sins (although He does give grace to walk through the consequences). I am not 'suffering for Christ's sake' in most cases; I am suffering because of my own stupid choices years ago.
6) He is calling me to freedom and to recognize the liberty I have because Jesus has already suffered the wrath of God on my behalf, and when I believe discouraging thoughts, it is an affront to the Lord. Even though I have done nothing to earn the favor of God, He has freely bestowed it and I should graciously live like I believe it. I am no longer a slave to sin; I am a bondservant of the Lord Jesus.
7) I am selfish. SO SO SO SO SO selfish. Die to self, Lisha. Over. and over. and over. Follow My example - willing to die to your dreams, your plans, your convictions, your wants, if it means the Father gets the most glory.
8) I like to think I'm willing to let God do whatever will bring Him the most glory in my life, but the truth is that I secretly want to 'choose the scene of my martyrdom' (Oswald Chambers) by telling the Lord how I would be able to praise Him in specific hard situations instead of giving Him the freedom to do whatever He needs to do, no matter the immediate or long-term cost.

Jesus did not come to make much of me. He came to make much of His Father by His obedience. and if I want to make much of Him in all areas, I must follow. Let this be a reminder:

I want to make
much of You, Jesus
I want to make
much of Your love
I want to live today
to give You the praise
that You alone are so worth of!
I want to make
much of Your mercy
I want to make
much of Your cross
I give You my life:
take it, and let it be used to
make much of You

Making much of Jesus,
for His glory!
~Lisha

I may share this post with these link-up parties.
If this post blessed you in any way, please share it!
Please join me over on Facebook and Pinterest, too!