both to will & to work

(embracing the camera here)

we visited sovereign grace louisville this past sunday & it was so rich & refreshing for my soul. i am so weary of my sin & failings as a mommy. i get so tired of messing up & then repenting & then doing so well & then failing again. the teaching was on philippians 2:12-13 & oh how i needed to hear these truths.

"therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

in my weariness with this fight against sin it is God who works in me to give me the desire, the will, & the ability & strength (work) to be sanctified. we don't play equal parts with God in the work of sanctification. He does it all. He places in us the desire to be more like Him. then He gives us the will. & then he does the work in us. He is to be praised!! He is at work in us!!!

& the best part... all of His work in us is for His good pleasure. it has nothing to do with us. it's not to achieve being "righteous". for His good pleasure! this takes the attention off of us. hallelujah! so all of my weariness & frustration is just selfishness. because being sanctified is not for me. it's not that i would succeed at being mommy. i need to chill out & stop "trying" so hard to make His sanctifying work complete. He is already at work. & He is faithful to complete the work He's started in me.

i am His good work & praise the Lord He is making me more like Him!

al