What Are You Made Of ?

Lately, I have been reading Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" and it is rocking my world. I know that sounds cheesy, but seriously, every devotional has something in it that brings me to a total revelation. I would like to share this one in particular.

"We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the big crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us." He goes on to talk about how we tell ourselves that if God calls upon us we say we will rise to the occasion. "You will not.... unless you have been the real thing before God there."  "...when the crisis comes instead of being revealed as fit, you will be revealed as unfit. Crises always reveal character."

"Worship aright in your private relationships, then when God sets you free you will be ready, because in the unseen life which no one saw but God you have become perfectly fit, and when the strain comes you can be relied upon by God."

And we give all matter of excuse, "I can't be expected to live the sanctified life in the circumstances I am in; I have no time for praying just now, no time for Bible reading, my opportunity hasn't come yet; when it does, of course I shall be alright.  No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping as occasion serves, when you get into work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you."

I don't know about you but that was a world class ZINGER right there for me. If I'm not making God a priority in my life and only making Him a convenience I will be USELESS and a HINDRANCE to others! (Gawk!) That was pretty convicting to me. I'm pretty good at making excuses as to why I can't get things done... I'm tired, busy, I have to tend to the kids, the house needs cleaning, butts need wiping, faces need washing, I have to work, I have to eat, etc, etc. I hope I'm not the only one who does that! However, I have found that when I make time for God my day goes much more smoothly than anticipated. I get more accomplished than I expected. I have more joy, I have more motivation (well, most of the time). I enjoy my children more and my husband more and I think they would say they enjoy me more as well.  It's easy to see everyday life as a crises, especially when you have little ones running around and feel so sleep deprived, but I encourage you to take just even 5 minutes out of your day to be in God's word and in prayer. That way you can take comfort knowing you will be ready when a true crisis hits, you will be useful instead of useless, an encourager instead of a hindrance and you will not question what you are made of because you will already know.