It's Not About Me -Max Lucado Part 3

see part 1 for more info on why I'm writing about this book :)

Self promotion. Self preservation. Self centeredness. It’s all about me! We thought SELF CELEBRATION would make us happy. But what chaos this philosophy creates.-Lucado

We can’t be self celebrators…we have to be Son reflectors. SOUL REFLECTORS. Our own self should not constantly be celebrated, we should push all of that aside because it hinders us. Our focus needs to be on letting others know who God is by living it. THEN, we will get the outcome that we THOUGHT would come from celebrating ourselves, which is happiness, crazy love, contentedness, and peace.

I know it sounds like I'm being pushy with all of this, or self righteous like I know it all, but it's an important part of our lives and our relationships with God.  And purpose.  Everyone is seeking out their purpose in life, WELL HERE IT IS.  It's to reflect God.  That's it.  I don't think it's as much about our career or decisions as much as it is that.  If we are reflecting God, it means we know Him and when we know Him, we know His voice.  It's kind of a big circle for me. 

So, how do you hear His voice?  Pastor Steve says, the more you get into the word of God and pray you'll learn to know what He sounds like.  Basically, spend time with Him.  I could pick out Isaac's voice anywhere because I spend so much time with him and invest so much energy caring about what he says.  Same with God.  Hear Him.  Reflect Him.  Follow what He says.  By doing that, you love Him. 


LIFE MAKES SENSE WHEN WE ACCEPT OUR PLACE. The God-centered life works. And it rescues us from a life that doesn’t. -Lucado

As we live a life that is centered around our own interests, we become our own God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in control because then I’m responsible for how it all works out. I am who everyone will come to when it doesn’t go as planned. And who wants more pressure in life?


We’d see our suffering differently. “My pain proves God’s absence.” would be replaced with “my pain expands God’s purpose.” -Lucado

While I "get" this one, it's not one I'm going to pretend to be able to perform in life just yet.  I've gained some perspective lately in realizing that in reading the Bible, you can see the start, middle and end of these peoples' lives.  Because of that, you can see WHY certain things happened and HOW their suffering not only glorified God, but made a way for better things to happen. 

The story that comes to mind is one I've been studying and that's of Lazarus (John 11ish).  I've been wondering what Jesus felt in the 2 days that he stayed behind even though he knew Lazarus would die.  But he also knew that him being raised from the dead after FOUR DAYS would glorify God and bring so many people to Him.  And it did. 

But that doesn't dismiss the fear, confusion and pain that Mary and Martha had to suffer in between.  They must have been thinking "Our brother is dying and that brings an unimaginable pain...and JESUS who CAN heal him is not, he's not even rushing home to be with us in the midst of it."  They felt pain, hurt, left alone.  They wondered if God had left them.   How many of us have felt that?  Are feeling that now?  Everyone who is reading this has felt that.  But we see, that God has bigger plans that doesn't put our comfort at the forefront.  He cares if we hurt, but He sees how our hurt can expand His purpose and set us up for better things.  Is the pain then worth it?  I can step away from it and say yes, but I'm not sure if I can when in the midst of it.  But, that's ok, it's why He sent his Helper, His Holy Spirit to comfort us and intercede for us. 

Ok, that's all for today.