God Is working

I was reminded about a week ago about my favorite book that I read quite often.  Philippians is such a great book and I love reading to just remind myself of all the exciting challenging ways Paul tells us to live our lives.  I find it easy to lose sight of God in my life due to the junk the world is throwing at me constantly.  When I take my eyes off God and focus on the world I can easily be taken down to a place I don't desire to be.  I can get sucked into depression from the place the world is heading, I can be encouraged to live a life of sin which to the world doesn't even seem all that bad.  I am reminded when I read this letter to the Philippians what I am to be as a believer in Jesus Christ.  It is packed full of how to live as a citizen of heaven, how to have the attitude of Christ, how to press on towards the goal, even a picture of Paul's life for Christ and that keeps me inspired to think wow, do I have that drive, passion, love for Christ like Paul did?  And if not then why and how do I get it!  "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." Phil. 2:13  This verse is what has been speaking to me the last week.  Another thing I often do in my life is try and live life on my own.  This verse states that God is working in me, giving me the desire to please Him.  I never really thought of that before, I mean I'm sure I have a little bit but lets stop and think about this.  The desire I have to do good, to please God isn't my own desire, it is the desire of God placed inside me!  How awesome is that!?  It is His desire that has now become my desire and isn't that the goal of us as humans to desire the things of God.  He makes it happen in me and then gives me the power to do it, all I have to do is receive the desire, and use the power given to me.  That is what I want my life to be, a life worthy of the gospel and a desire to please only Him.  I don't want to go about my days concerned with what other people expect of me because the only thing that really matters is what God expects of me.  His will is what I must follow and His desires are what I want my desires to be.  There are so many times in my life where I have engaged in so many different things, not because I felt God leading me to do so but because it was a good thing to do.  I don't want that.  I want what I do to matter and if God hasn't called me to do it, asked me to join Him in doing it then I don't want to do it.  I want to be about my Father's business and join Him in how He wants to use me in the world to make His name known.  That is my hearts desire and I don't want anything else.  So this verse encourages me knowing that God is working in me, I must trust in Him and seek His will above all so that I can do what He desires! 

I challenge you this week to take a look at what you are doing.  Why are you doing what you are doing?  Is it simply because no body else will do it?  Is it because your heart comes alive and God's love pours through you when you do it?  If God hasn't placed it on your heart to do, even though it could be a good thing I would challenge you to take it before the Lord and ask Him if you should really be doing it.  There are so many things we can invest our precious time into and then there are a million other things that can rob us from actually doing what we are actually gifted and designed to do.  Seek God's heart for your life today, let Him lead you into what pleases Him most.  What He created you to do and engage in is the best thing for you to do.  Discover that and watch God move in your life like never before!