Day 93 - Doing vs Being

Thoughts that have come from various quotes taken from the book, "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim Based Society" by John H. Hovis. Click here to link directly to the audio file.

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“I am more and more confident that ‘right before God’ means that we know who we are in His eyes. Life comes to us when we put down our roles and live “loyal and steady believing” that we are a Child of the King’s.”

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 19.

Nothing opens the door to the possibility for victim thinking more than working to “be right” before someone. The constant worry as to whether I’m doing enough to measure up to someone else’s expectations for me, and the potential for not being able to do all I can to meet those expectations, make victor living a more and more difficult proposition. This is exponentially more the case when we try to live up to some self, or Church imposed expectations of what it means to “be right” before God.

Truth is that we can’t ever do enough to “be right” before God. Does that depress you? Good, it should! I hope it depresses you enough to absolutely STOP “doing” in order to “be” when it comes to our standing before God. That’s the only way you and I will ever be in a position to choose to live like the victors we were created to be.

Today’s reading comes from the book of Lamentations. This is a book that was suppose to be about bringing to light all the things God’s people had done to let Him down. In the midst of this sad and depressing book are nuggets of who God is that points to who we are. Take a look at today’s reading;

GOD’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,  his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning.  How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with GOD (I say it over and over).  He’s all I’ve got left. Lamentations 3:22-24 (MSG)

New every morning; God’s loyal love, His mercies are new to us each and every day! That’s a powerfully uplifting message for victors to hold onto as we fight off the drive to “do” all we can to “be” what we want to be today. Doing will never amount to what we want it to be. It doesn’t mean that we are to stop doing. It just means that our reasons for doing have to be challenged daily, maybe even on a moment by moment basis.

Why are you doing what you will do today? Is it to make your identity more clear to yourself, your loved ones and, maybe even to God Himself? If so, you are walking the fine line between victim thinking and victor living.  We can’t straddle that line for long. Victors doing out of any motive other than living out the fullness of their identity as God’s Child will eventually sink into victim thinking if their actions have self-centered motives behind them.

How do you know if your motives for doing are steeped in self-centeredness? Think about how you would feel about yourself if the things you are putting your efforts into were to not turn out how you want them to. Is there any remnant of a small voice in your head that says you would be less than you are in God’s eyes if those tasks you take on today don’t work out to your advantage? If so, your motives are mixed up and victim thinking is knocking at your door.

Today is a new day. God’s loyal love and mercies for you are brand new in your life. You have the opportunity to get so much done today. Do these things with as clean a set of motives as possible. The difference you will feel doing what you need to do today with a victor living perspective will set the course for you to help keep victim thinking at bay in your life. Go today and “do” from the place of “being-right” with God. That’s the victor’s place of honor that shapes our identity and empowers all we will put our hands on today.