Saying Yes

Over the past four weeks, I have been reading Lysa Terkeurst's book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God as part of Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies with Melissa Taylor.

God has been speaking to me in amazing ways during this study.  He has opened my eyes to how saying yes is more about saying yes to Him and obeying His Word daily in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions than in the big monumental decisions that come our way.  If we learn to say yes in the small, the more likely our yes will be there in the tall.

Daily dependence on Him is what He desires.  He wants us to keep our eyes on Him and off our circumstances or trials.

What we focus on becomes magnified in our lives.  If we focus on the negative, our problems or fears appear bigger than they are in reality.

Recently, as I was talking to the Lord about a trial in my life, God asked me this question:
"Sue, what have you been focusing on?"

Then He said:  "Focus on Me"

I have to choose what I will focus on?  I have to choose minute by minute if I will rest in the Lord or worry about the minutes to come.  

In What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Lysa Terkeurst describes a time when her daughter was fearful of how she would perform in a dance recital. She shared what she said to her daughter.  It is a beautiful depiction of what happens when we keep our eyes on Jesus:

"It doesn't matter if you mess up.  What matters is that keep your eyes on me the whole time.  We'll do this together..."

"She danced when the steps came easy.  She danced when her steps got jumbled.  She danced even when her emotions begged her to quit.  She danced the whole way through.  She danced and I smiled..." 

"As she kept her attention focused solely on my smile and the touch of my gaze, it was as if the world slowly faded away...This is the way God wants me to dance through life.  As long as my gaze is locked on His, I dance and He smiles..."

"My steps so often betray the desire of my heart, but it is not my perfect performance that captures His attention.  Rather, it is my complete dependence on Him that He notices."  pg. 94, 96, 98 

Isn't that beautiful?  The Lord knows we won't do this dance perfectly, but it is beautiful none the less.  His desire is for our eyes to remain on Him and acknowledge our need for Him every day, minute by minute.  

My heart's desire is to be a woman who says yes to God even when the dance seems difficult, even when I forget the steps, even when I am afraid, and even when I don't know what comes next. 

He knows the steps.  He knows what comes next.  He knows the ending.  He is already there and has seen the beautiful outcome.  

Father, I need You.  I am desperate for You.  Father, I recognize my need to depend on Your daily, and even every minute.  I can't do this dance on my own.  I need Your grace and Your guidance in all I do.  I ask for you to show me every step and help me to stay focused on You and Your love for me.  If left to myself, I am sure to mess up.  I pray for my moves to be in line with Your perfect will.  I pray I would keep my gaze on You and as I do I would dance a beautiful dance with You and  it would draw others to You.  In Jesus' name, Amen.