“Oh, will you pray? Stop now and pray, lest desire turn to feeling and feeling evaporate.” 
― Amy Carmichael

“There have been times of late when I have had to hold on to one text with all my might: "It is required in stewards that a man may be found faithful." Praise God, it does not say "sucessful.” 
― Amy Carmichael

“We have one crystal clear reason apart from the blessed happiness of this way of life. It is this: prayer is the core of our day. Take prayer out, and the day would collapse, would be pithless, a straw blown in the wind. But how can you pray--really pray, I mean--with one against who you have a grudge or whom you have been discussing critically with another? Try it. You will find it cannot be done.” 
― Amy Carmichael

I am learning how to be a true friend. 

Motives Matter

   

God's been teaching me just how much my motives matter. Am I doing this (whatever it may be..) because I love Him or am I doing it because I want something out of it for myself. Over this last semester God convicted me about my motives in a number of different areas. Why do I share my testimony? Why do I want friendships? Why do I get to know so many people? I know the last one seems weird but give me a second to explain. None of the actually actions that I was doing were wrong. It's not wrong to tell my testimony, I am supposed to. It's not wrong to have friends, I am supposed to. It's not wrong to get to know a lot of people, and love doing it. What was wrong were my motives. I did all of these things for my sake. I wanted others to know me. I wanted others to see my God and be impressed for my sake. I wanted people to respond to what I was saying or doing and APPROVE of me. I desired their approval and the glory from that. I fed off of it. Why is this a wrong motive? I'm glad you asked.  I am not here to receive the approval of others and to receive their praise for anything. I am here to serve and love my God. This does not mean I do what I want. Quite the opposite. I do what He wants for Him. I serve, I listen, and I talk because I love Him. The sin was not in my actions, it  was in my motives. I also have learned as I began to repent and pray for God to work in my heart and change my motives that this sin effects life more than I could ever imagine. My motives being misplaced not only hindered my relationship with God, but it also harmed my relationship with everyone around me. Because of my motive being to receive approval it kept me from being authentic, and it gave the person on the other end this feeling of me expecting something from them. Which I was, their approval. As the Lord changes me and my motives so that they are for the right reasons, friendship have improved, and my relationship with the Lord has deepened. I am learning to seek God's approval in all that I do.

"God is looking for those whoa re pure in their heart to serve and worship Him. He longs for a bride whose only goal is to please Him and be approved by Him. Her deep devotion and singleness of heart toward her soon-coming Bridegroom are reflected in her overwhelming desire to do His will. Her heart's cry is, 'Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts' (Psalm 51:6)" (Reflecting His Image by K.P Yohannah