“What do you do?”
That’s one of the first things people ask when they’re getting to know you. Or it’s one of the first things we offer to others to describe ourselves. We define who we are by what we do.
But the “dark side” to a lifestyle ruled by opportunity, hard work, and prosperity is that we get caught in a performance trap. We believe our value and worth as people is measured solely by what we achieve, what we acquire, or what we produce.
Doing naturally replaces being unless we fight against it. It’s much easier to live according to checklists and external behavior than it is to peel back the veneer and be vulnerable in an intimate relationship.
That’s true with people … and with God.
A life of rules, duty, and obligation is efficient, but – ironically – lifeless. We lose touch with our true selves and with God. The Bible stops reading like a love letter and more like a dusty history book. Our prayers become less about seeking God and more about asking for things from Him. As C.S. Lewis said, we seek the gift and not the Giver.
A life like that feels like a double life. You’ll say to yourself, or to others, “Jesus loves you. He cares about you.” But in the back of your mind, you’re thinking, “Am I just saying this, or do I really believe it?”
God loves you even in the most mundane moments of life when you’re not striving to achieve anything. He wants a relationship based not on what you do, but on who you are and who you’re becoming.
How do you learn to live in the awareness that God sees you and loves you? We have answers for you on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Being Seen By God.” Listen on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.
Our guest is author Sara Hagerty, who has written the book Unseen: The Gift of Being Hidden in a World That Loves to Be Noticed. For a gift of any amount, we’ll send you a copy. (Check our website for details.)
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TeAira McShan says
-Ready to learn!