Chapter 10 - Behavior 7 - The Rewards of Excellence

  

Ok, time to be honest.....I have struggled to write this week.  Not because I don't believe there is a reward for excellence.  I do believe God rewards excellence.  I know that peace Joyce spoke of - that feeling when you know you did the right thing and to the best of your ability.   Or maybe I know the guilt you feel when you didn't quite give it your all.  

As I have a mentioned before, I am a procrastinator.   One of the biggest reasons is because of my desire for perfection.  I am very guilty of putting unrealistic expectations on myself.   Luckily, God does not call us to be perfect.  Perfection is impossible for us in this life.

 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

I believe God wants us to live life to the fullest – I am talking Life with a capital "L".  Not settling for anything less than the best.  To fully strive for living a life of excellence. 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  John 10:10

One of the books I love is One Thousand Gifts, Finding Joy in What Really Matters by Ann Voskamp.  It seems that in life’s busyness we often overlook the joy found in the things that really matter.  We overlook the beauty in the simplicity of life around us.  We often go through life on such a fast pace - going & doing but not truly living.  We say yes to everyone & everything until we hit a brick wall.  I am guilty of overextending myself to the point that I can't do everything or anything with any real excellence.  Linda Kuhar is a Christian Life Coach who is doing the Stressed Less Living bible study on Melissa Taylor’s website.  Her blog-hop post on June 13, 2013 was about Excellence.  Excellence is one of her core values but she had reached her breaking point.  She talks about realizing she needed time to get back to the basics.  (Check out her blog at www.lindakuhar.com)

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’  Matthew 25:21

My deepest desire is truly to hear these words when I arrive at heaven’s gate.  (I have determined this week as thinking about this post that my love language is definitely words of affirmation.)  My fear of failure, my fear of not being perfect, my fear of not being worthy, has held me back.  The fear of not hearing these words has stopped me dead in my tracks.  It has prevented the deep, sincere relationship with God that I truly desire.  It sounds silly to me as I type this to think that by not doing or holding back until the last minute and hurrying through a task, I thought something would change or go un-noticed.  Kind of crazy thinking.  I know when I procrastinate on a task that has to be done,  I am like a crazy lady trying to get it done and don't get in the way.  It is not pretty. (Please don't ask my family, just take my word on that.)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:21-24

So as I read the section in the book this week, I thought about the peace Joyce described and I thought of the fruits of the spirit found in Galatians.  When we learn to live in the Holy Spirit, listening and responding to His promptings, I believe excellence will become a part of who we are and we will bear fruit.   The joy, the peace, the love….all of them will be ours when we learn to live in Jesus, fully dependent on Him.

 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

So to me, as a Christian, the habit of excellence is fully developed when we fully live out our faith, fully dependent and maturing in our relationship with Christ.  A mature, sincere & deep relationship with Christ .... now that truly is the reward of excellence!!

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  Romans 8:16-17
 

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,  because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.  And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.  Ephesians 6:7-9

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.   Colossian 3:23-25
 

Father God, I so thank you for loving us.  I know you truly want us to live life to the fullest, not a life based on this world’s views but a life full of the Spirit.  Forgive me for allowing fear and unrealistic expectations hold me back from the life you desire for me.  Forgive me for allowing these fears to hold me back from a real relationship with you.  Father thank you for being patient with me each day, always with me each step of the way.  Be with each woman here as we learn to live the habit of excellence.  Father may everything we do be done with excellence and thanksgiving.  May all we do and say bring honor & glory to You.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Until next week!

Much love,
Melanie