Jesus Is King
In the story of Esther, King Xerxes is very hard to please (Esther 1:10-22)—but how wonderful is it that we have a king who is worthy of our praise (Hebrews 1:3-4), that does not require us to jump through hoops for his love (Ephesians 2:8-9). When I graduated from college, I already had my real estate license and was ready and willing to take on the world. I started a new job as a marketing director, continued to sell real estate, and then started a network marketing business that allowed me to leave my 9-to-5 job to raise my daughter. The more I pushed and succeeded, the more I realized it was never enough. No matter what level of success I reached, there was always another level that required more of me. At that point, I couldn’t even tell who my real friends were. I had known God my whole life but I was not living in a way that said Jesus was the king of my life. I was striving instead of surrendering.
God has a funny way of letting us burn out so he can fill us up. When I finally got real with myself, I discovered that all my striving was coming from a place of very deep wounding that I had swept under the rug many years earlier. Jesus extended an invitation to me that meant I didn’t have to take care of myself anymore. He gave me fresh eyes to see that he had blessed me with a husband that was just waiting to take care of me and I could trust. He showed me that I could trust him (God) with what was most important to me, and that I would be taken care of. When I finally started living out my identity as a daughter of King Jesus, the blessings just fell from the sky like rain. The blessings I am speaking of are peace, contentment, joy, and rest. I finally was able to view my journey in life from an eternal perspective instead of a worldly perspective. I was no longer a prisoner to the thought that I was only loved because of what I could do for others, but I was loved because I belong to Jesus and he is the king of my life. Surrender to Jesus and the blessings will fall like rain.
Questions:
Do you struggle with thinking that what you do is never enough?
Do you feel contentment in your everyday life?
Do you want to have more peace and rest in your life?
Next Steps:
Share your answers to the above with a trusted friend.
If you are feeling isolated, reach out to family or friends, and you will find that you are not alone in your struggles.
Prayer:
Father, we thank you for all the blessings that are ours because we belong to you. Please remind each of us that you love us unconditionally. Thank you that we are loved, accepted, and forgiven. Thank you that we can come to you with hard questions and you listen to us. Thank you for sending people into our lives that can remind us of these truths. Amen.
This post was written by April Willer, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Bible Study.
Check out the Latest LivingItOut Podcast
The LivingItOut Podcast is released every Wednesday morning. It discusses key takeaways and principles from the weekend message. Listen to the weekly podcast in your car, during your lunch break, or any other time that works for you. You can find the latest podcast here.
Leave a Comment?
We would love to hear how the LivingItOut is making a difference in your life. Let us know how today’s post inspired, challenged, or encouraged you by leaving a comment here.
Want to be a part of the LivingItOut team?
We are always looking for people who are passionate about writing and proofing to serve on the LivingItOut team. If you are interested, email LIO@cedarcreek.tv today!
Printable version of this week’s LIO study:
More Resources
Series Theme Verses
LivingItOut Podcast
RightNow Media