Pulling up weeds....

I don't even know if I can put this into words that will translate my heart.

But, here goes.

The last several days, my heart has been convicted over something in my life. Nothing huge, but something very important.

I have been feeling the tug on my heart to live out the verse that I have tried to pound into my children's heads. "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." 1 Corinthians 10:24.

Simple it seems. However, not so simple to really apply and live.

I find myself telling my children this verse a whole lot. However, I had a heart check and I realized that I needed to put it into practice daily in my life.

It's the little things. Like, for example, Lem will ask me to do something. Well, sometimes, I just don't feel like doing it. So, I will say..."honey, you can do that. I'm really busy  right now."

Or Presley will request eggs at 5:30 am....and I am tired. So, I will say, let's do cereal for now and do eggs another time.

Would it really be that difficult to help her whip up some eggs? It would probably only take about 10 minutes total.

I think sometimes I just get lazy.

The bible says the little foxes spoil the vine. Meaning, the little things that we neglect and don't take time to do, can spoil our whole purpose.

The last few days, I have really tried to make an effort with putting others before myself. Even when it seems awfully inconvenient or time consuming...I have been trying to do it anyway.

God is showing me that the best way to get closer to Him is to live like Him. What would He do in my shoes? Would He put off what He could do right then?

Jesus knew the gift of time was a sacred thing. He knew that every day was an opportunity to show others our love and do for others as we would have them do onto us.

My friend, Erin Spinks, told me about something their church was doing regarding prayer. They asked the congregation to pick someone to pray for the next 90 days. To pray for that person every day.

This inspired me to do the same. So, I chose 5 people to specifically pray for every single day.

This has changed my prayer life tremendously. I find myself lifting their names up to the Father before I even begin my day. I find myself concerned over their well being and how so badly I want them to feel His presence and receive His blessings daily.

I am NOT saying this to make myself look good or like a big-time prayer warrior...because I am not...at all. God is just showing me how to have more of a heart like His.

Putting others needs before my needs. Putting their prayers before my own prayers. Being concerned about how others are doing and feeling that day. It's a whole new perspective on my relationship with the Father.

It's amazing how He shows us things...the most beautiful things...when we take our eyes off of ourselves.

When we turn the kaleidoscope a few times and go from seeing a big messy picture, to a stunning prism of color and wonder.

It was there all along, but my lens wasn't in focus.

I'm thankful that the Lord shows me areas in my heart that need fine tuning. Most of the time, it is very humbling and sober to see how I "really" am deep down inside. He starts pulling those weeds from my heart and I see just how ugly it can be.

However, He pulls those weeds and plows this heart, so that He can plant those seeds in good soil.

Those seeds will bloom one day and I will be closer to seeing things with His eyes and from His view.

It's worth the pain of the pulling up of the weeds, that's for sure.

Spring will come,

Jill