I used to have a friend who hated when I said I believe God is more concerned with who people are than what they do. I understand where some of his objections came from. It’s absolutely true we’re to be “doers of the Word,” (James 1:22) and to “put into practice” (Phil. 4:9) all God has taught us. But, if your relationships with God and people are primarily centered on performance, you’ll judge everything, and everyone, by numbers and appearance. In a natural mind, that makes sense. More work = more people, more money, and larger influence. Of course results are important. But so is how you get there. If you control the level of relationship others can have with you by how much they do or don’t do for you, then you could be a powerful millionaire and still not have one real friend. Law is easily offended. Grace isn’t.
Sowing and reaping begins with how you relate to God. If you’re only focused on hearing God tell you what to do, well, that’s all you’re going to get, and that’s all you’re going to give. There is just so much more. You are a servant of God, but that’s not all you are. He has called you friend, and He always sees you as His child. Isn’t it worth the risk of letting the Creator of the universe speak to the closed–off areas of your heart and mind if you can hear Him there as your Father?
I believe God intends what you do to be an overflow of all you are in Him—purposeful and effective, but increasingly peaceful, joyful, and aware of His presence. As your identity in Him grows, so do your measures of blessing, serving, influence, and . . . rest. Resting in God isn’t selfish, lazy, or passive. And it isn’t an arrogant misunderstanding of grace. Resting in His grace is humbling acknowledging that all your love, all your strength, and all your talents, skills, and abilities are finite, inadequate, and fruitless without Him. Rest is your peace, joy, and confidence in Jesus. It’s the growing awareness of His character you release into every relationship you have, and an overflow of His nature into everything you do. Resting in who you are in God is one of your greatest weapons, because the enemy has no answer for a life in Christ that confidently rejects every lie he throws at you.
Discover yourself in His love. Be yourself in His greatness. Then do great acts of love.
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are” (1 John 3:1).
Equip Your Spirit 