Most of us have many roles to fill and responsibilities that can be overwhelming at times. Keeping everything balanced and our priorities straight is a challenge. Through lessons from life and from the Word of God, the Lord has been teaching me that the most important part of my life is who I am on the inside. I am a child of God, having accepted Christ as my Savior. When I allow this fact to be the controlling element of my life, I am able to handle everything else.
As Christians, we sometimes focus so much on what we do that we forget who we are in Christ. Don’t misunderstand me. The Bible does teach that what we do is important. James said “. . . I will show you my faith by my works.” (2:18) But notice that faith comes first, and then the works. Our relationship with Christ needs to be our first priority. Many of us try to be good and do good things in order to make it in this life and gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven, when the Word of God teaches that it is by accepting Christ as Savior that we succeed in this life, as well as obtain eternal life.
I recently heard a teaching that made it so clear to me that, as a child of God, what I do flows from who I am in Christ. In John Chapter 15, Jesus describes Himself as the Vine, His Father as the Vinedresser, and His disciples as the branches that bear fruit. In the natural, a branch does not create fruit by its own effort. The fruit is created because the branch is connected to and receives life from the vine. In the same way, as the life of the Holy Spirit flows from the Vine (Jesus) into the branches (us), spiritual fruit (attitudes and works) are created. So, the Christian life is about being a child of God. And out of being His child and living under the control of His Spirit will flow the correct doing.
Father, help me to keep my focus on my relationship with You. Instead of trying so hard to fulfill my responsibilities by my own efforts alone, teach me to depend on the power of Your Spirit flowing through me.
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