Self Check

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complimenting your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in our lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, His choice of you.
2 Peter 1:5-10 (The Message)

I know there have been times in my life when I feel like I'm not getting clear direction from God or I'm not hearing from Him at all. Then it leads to frustration and me saying things like, "What's the deal, God?! If I'm supposed to be doing what You want me to be doing, then why don't I know what that is. I'm waiting...etc."

I don't know where I was when I read or heard that a lot of times when we feel like we are at a dead end in our walk with God or our direction in life when seeking God's guidance, we should do a self check on our own lives. This was just so true for me. Now, there are times when maybe the Lord is just teaching patience and it's not something we're doing that is hindering us from "moving along" in the path of life, but I think a lot if not most of the time there is something in our lives that we are doing that does not please God. We need to get to the point of being vulnerable and humble before Him and let Him show us what in our lives is not pleasing Him.

That's where the list comes in.

Are we living with:

• good character
• spiritual understanding
• alert discipline
• passionate patience
• reverent wonder
• warm friendliness
• generous love

I love this list, but it is also painful to go through and see what I am not doing. Nonetheless, I will strive to live that list.

I hope you find encouragement in knowing that God does have a plan for each of our lives and He wants us to live that plan so we can get a taste of His abounding love for us.