of love presently and past

noejoyy:

“He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” -Psalm 147: 10-11 <3

You have two huge exams on Friday, three papers due next week, and an oral presentation to do the following week.  Ahhh!  You’re committed to putting all the effort you can into it; but some of it’s so challenging, you really wonder if your best will be good enough.  What if you still don’t make the grade you need to?

It’s always right to do your absolute best at everything you do (Colossians 3:23).  Diligence and excellence glorify God, and so does relying on him.  Paul sure set that example well, saying, “I work and struggle, using Christ’s great strength that works so powerfully in me” (Colossians 1:29).  Even so, there are times we give it our all and rely on God’s help, but our performance (whether it’s grades, sports, or anything else in life) still doesn’t meet people’s expectations.  And if you’re a perfectionist with high standards for yourself, you might start to feel ashamed of yourself. You might even start to think God feels that way about you, too.

But you know what?  God cares most about where your heart is.  Psalm 147 says he’s not impressed with human strength or a perfect performance people will rave about.  He’s pleased with people who “respect him” and “trust his love” (Psalm 147:11).  So strive for excellence and do your best, but remember: at the end of the day, the most important thing is having a heart that honors God and is devoted to him.  What a relief!

Excerpted from Revolve™ Dream On: The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson