Thursday, March 1, 2012

Not Settlin'

It is interesting how I'm still learning about "not settling" for less than the best....less than God's best for me and my family.  I guess I thought I could have had that figured out by now. I'm 32 and proud of it, but I'm still having to remember daily that the Almighty One, the Only Great God loves me (and you, for that matter) to death. Read the Gospel books of the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) if you are wondering what I mean by that. www.biblegateway.com

Throughout my life as a youth and now as an adult, I have had to focus on this topic of not settling in different ways.  At one season of my life, I was not going to settle for any grade in school less than an A.  In my friendships throughout high school and college, I didn't just go around confiding in anybody. I was careful with who I confided in and who I shared my heart with.  I didn't settle for just any "friend", but I looked (and found) friends of good character, who were trustworthy and faithful people. And in college, I was really wanting to be the best I could be in all areas of my life. I didn't want to settle for a mediocre approach to my studies, but I studied with passion. I didn't want to settle for mediocrity in my hopes of a relationship with a guy. I wanted to be the best gal I could be for THE guy that was supposed to marry me. I am SURE I did not always live out this idea of not settlin' for less than the best. However, mostly, my trust in God's guidance turned out to bless me because I ended up dating God-fearing guys whose character was in line with the kind of person I'd marry. And of the two guys I actually dated in college, the second one I married! But the topic of not settling for less than ________ isn't finished.

After marriage (or whatever it is you have just successfully finished not settling for less than), we all face more chapters of challenges; to settle or not to settle, practically on a daily basis.  haha!  Now, as a wife, I am still faced with a decision: to settle or not settle for the best that God has in store for me and my family.  Lots of options in the form of questions come to my mind.

Will I settle for a mediocre life or allow it to be extraordinary because I live for others (for God's glory) and not just for myself?  Will I settle for an existence as a typical mom, or will I rise and not settle for normalcy, but be a mother of great integrity, consistency, trustworthy-ness, creativity, and....well...frankly LIFE?  Will I settle for a knowledge of the Almighty God that anyone can get their minds filled with (just knowledge to be attained), OR will I press into knowing God, revering His majesty, listening to God's guidance through His Word and His Holy Spirit? Will I settle for a lifestyle of mediocre acts of kindness to those around me such as giving the leftovers of what good things/blessings/kindnesses I can do for others?  Will I NOT settle for less than giving the very best of my time, my resources, my attention, etc. to others; my husband, my son, my family and my friends? Will I chose to go above and beyond the norm to bless them? WELL, I have every reason to be my best, look for the best in others, give my best, wait for the best because my God has gone above and beyond everything to rescue me (all of us) from darkness, to change my eternal destiny (and God can for you too) from forever away from God's presence (hell) to forever in God's presence (heaven) by sending His Son Jesus Christ to this earth to be the only way to God the Father, to live a sinless life, to die on a cross in my place---for our sins and then to raise from the dead---conquering sin and death.

These questions continue:  Will I settle for a mediocre attitude toward marital romance and just let the television bring all the romantic ideas into our relationship? Or will I seek to be a woman of noble character and bring a kind, warm, creative and loving attitude into my marriage each day regardless of how my husband feels, acts or responds to me that day----and doing this all because I am aware of Christ's sacrificial love for me and his people?

Now, I need to look for stories in the Bible that bring to light this topic of not settling.  I want God's Word to back me up on this thought.  So, I guess that is gonna be my next post on this blog. If you want to help me find examples of people in the Bible who didn't settle for second best in some area of their life, but waited for God's ultimate best for them, please feel free to share on here in the comment section.