Not always is it easy to live for the Lord,  most often it requires sacrifice of our own desires.  I have found, there is a continual pull of tug-a-war between what He asks and desires of me and what I desire for myself!

Each day as I pull my head from my pillow and plant my sometimes feeble feet to the floor.  The grip of my own will begins a new day of tug-a-war between my spirit and my flesh.  It amazes me how strong my will is… with a dance which begins at the wee hours of the morning.

First, the pull begins as I venture my way to my place of devotion where I can center my thoughts on His perspectives and ways.   The very short walk from the corner of my bed to my favorite red chair at times feels like a marathon distance.   Will I make it there before an early-morning text steals my attention from Him?  Will I open His word to meditate and nibble before Facebook chirps and grabs my attention away?  Will I sit long enough to saturate my mind with His roll call of the morning, before my Instagram feed  calls for a new edit?  And finally, will I prioritized my day of devotion before my day of work?

Those  are my day in, day out, “wars of tug” that perpetually wrestle against me, and yet those moves are only the beginning of “the match” for my day.   As I incline my ear, and set my heart on things above.  As I listen for the lesson plan of the day, often I am interrupted with my own selfish desires which have an emotional play.  When direction is given to me even in the least vague way, I expect such confirmations, as if to need it, to venture along His way.  And yet, why do I not need a confirmation of sorts, or any kind of permission, when I move about so freely when its according to my own will?  I find it rather funny… to walk in His ways, I often seek and I plead for Him to allow me the assurance I am hearing Him right.   Yet,  I move about without regard when things are according to my own plans.

Do I need a confirmation to do what I know would be pleasing to Him?  Do I need Him to confirm to me, to die to myself and to live for Him?  Do I need Him to assure me of the offering of my selfish desires in exchange for a person in need… that this assurance is even necessary?   Oh, the tricks my flesh will play on me!  If I post, or if I tweet, or message, or speak, or sing, or vow my alliance to Him in forms of words and songs, do I believe they demonstrate the volume to reach His ears as much as one small step of doing does?  Have I oh so fooled myself to believe my words have so much value?

I am reminded, God desires more from me than lip service.  More than my way!   He desires me to stop-in daily, to get the agenda from Him.   He desires to roll out the red carpet for me to trod on as He prepares the lessons plan of my day.   For… “I have been crucified with Christ; it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

And when I am victorious in this war play on any given day, the sweetness of time spent with Him affords for a blessed day!   A blessed day for me indeed… But others too get paid, the richness they receive, by my willingness to give away.  but mostly… a blessed day for Him, as He smiles from above, longing to see His children, to live out-loud in Love!

Will you love Me out-LOUD?