Welcome to a new series on the Blog!

Being STUCK implies that we are caught in something. It may be motionless or continuously repeating the same action or motion over and over and going nowhere.

We are stuck!

We have heard the sayings:

“Stuck in the mud.”

              Or

“Stuck in the middle with you.”

Both of these speak to the motionless kind of being stuck.

Have you ever been STUCK in a pattern of doing good things?

That’s right, you did not misread this, I said GOOD THINGS!

This is a pattern of being STUCK by doing good and not getting to where you should be.

Maybe, just maybe, the “GOOD” things are keeping us from God’s best?

I actually get STUCK in this pattern a lot!

For the Good, the bad and the ugly of it, I was That Girl! The one who did not get into trouble, did not say no, did not not show up, did not not go the extra mile, did not party, did not drink, did not smoke, etc., etc., etc…

I was the nauseating “Goody Goody Two Shoes.” 

I wasn’t trying to set any records or win any awards, I just thought that being good was what I was supposed to be. I am principled by nature and fairly black-and-white. If it’s right, you do it, if it’s wrong, you don’t do it! 

Problem was, I was STUCK in a cycle, a cycle of doing good that produced self righteousness! 

Ephesians Chapter 2 tells us we are all lost without Christ! Doing good does not get us right with God any more than doing bad does. 

Chapter 2 verse 3 says,

“among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh…”

Doing good was a passion of the flesh to feel good about doing good.

Some may argue that it’s a better choice to make then doing bad however, both are passions of the flesh and do not make us right with God!

Both also can become habits that get us STUCK and keep us from God‘s best for us.

Chapter 2 verse 4 tells us that by God’s great love for us and His sacrifice, mercy and grace He made us alive together with Christ Jesus!

Verse 8 clearly tells us that it is NOT anything we have done!

“…This is not your own doing, it is a gift of God.”

It is by faith in Christ Jesus that we have been saved!

Now, before this becomes a Blog on, ‘We Are Not Saved By Good Works’, which we are not, that is not my purpose in this. I already know I am not saved by the good I do.

Verses 8 & 9 Make this point crystal clear in case we missed it…

“… It Is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

My point today, and my hard learned lesson, is that my good can keep me from God‘s best!

God died so that He could have a relationship with me! A forever relationship that lasts into eternity. He wants me to spend time with Him daily!

Too much of the time my “DOING GOOD,” can keep me away from sitting at His feet, talking to Him, listening to Him, reading His word and praising His name!

Doing GOOD for God is important. It is a response of my love for Him toward the immense love He has shown me.

I just need to be cautious not to get STUCK in doing good and thinking that that is what defines me. I do good because I am His and He is worthy!

TRUTH BOMB

BEING STUCK IN DOING GOOD CAN KEEP US FROM GODS BEST!

And in case you were about to correct me, saying, Lisa, you didn’t get to verse 10 in Ephesians 2, let me address that verse. 

Ephesians 2:10 says this: “for you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works…”

God makes it clear that He has good works for us to do. And at the top of the list, is God’s best for us. We spend time with God in worship, reading His word and praying first. Then, God shows us who He wants us to serve, who He wants us to talk to, and how and where He wants us to serve Him.  When we do these kinds of works, we are now accomplishing God’s best for us! And we won’t be “stuck” in the cycle of doing our own good things, and yet missing His best. Sometimes, the best way to get unstuck in the vicious “do good” cycle, is to set aside time each day just to be with Him, and give Him space to show you HIS GOOD TO DO!And then, to quote Nike, JUST DO IT!

Speak Truth Love