Good morning!
Five Minute Friday is a link-up hosted by Kate Motaung. Kate tosses out a word prompt, then folks from some nations, tribes, and tongues write for 5 minutes (or more). We tap out what the word prompts in our hearts, then we hit publish, and the party begins. It is a fun, impromptu time of writing and fellowship around a central word. I enjoy Five Minute Friday so much.
Today’s prompt is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TRY
From the time I was a little girl, the words ‘do your best’ were part of the family vocabulary. My sister and I were encouraged to ‘do our best’ in school, in ballet class, in whatever we undertook. To my Type-A, perfectionist little heart, ‘do your best’ really meant ‘Try harder’, which translated into ‘do whatever you must to be the best’.
I did….to the extreme. I ended up with an eating disorder because I would TRY to be thinner, and a heart that always felt shamed when whatever I did turned out to be less than best. Try harder! ~~~ nearly killed me, physically and emotionally.
Here is a good place for a reminder: My parents were wonderful parents. They did not shame me in any way. Every wrong perspective that I tucked into my heart, was my own.
Try harder is no longer my motto. I still want to do my best, but grace has entered the room. At 51 years old, I understand that when I am doing what God has called me to do, I will do my best, and I won’t have to Try harder. When I work out of the strength of Christ, my best flows freely, because it is His best. My best will probably not look like your best, so I need to stop comparing myself to you and others.
There are still rare times when I allow my focus to wander. I look at others who are more creative, have more friends/followers/speaking opportunities/books/whatever, and that old whisper of ‘Try harder’ tickles my ear. “That could be you, Leah, if you would just Try harder.”
Satan knows where my Achilles heel is….where to hit me for maximum effect. He knows it about you, too. If he can get me to Try harder, then I cease allowing Jesus to work through me. Suddenly it becomes all about ME TRYing harder.
It is in those times, that the Holy Spirit reminds me that God has a plan for me. That plan does not look like the plan He has for anyone else. It is my plan, it is a good plan, and it is the plan that keeps me in the center of God’s will. That plan does not require me to Try harder. It requires me allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me to accomplish it.
So friend, let’s stop TRYing harder and allow Jesus to work His best through us. When we do, we will know peace and contentment.
