Getting REAL

Several of you have posted on getting REAL. Going a bit deeper in our blog posts to get REAL with those in our lives. How scary, right? I am thankful for REAL. I am thankful that it is scary.....it's scary because I am a sinner. But if REAL wasn't scary for me, then my need for my savior wouldn't be so amazing. So, I thought I would get REAL too. I am struggling through a busy week right now so I have no pictures to coincide with this post, but if you can imagine a really nasty looking heart, all black and hard....that would be my picture. My first REAL involves sin. Pride, arrogance and fear of man overflow from my heart and I struggle to beat them everyday. I am prideful and want others to like me and think of me as great. I arrogantly share my opinions and do not listen to others when I feel what I think is the ultimate right answer to all their problems. And then there is fear of man....when I think I have offended someone or that someone is thinking something other than great about me, I fear or crave their approval and start spinning my wheels to gain it all back. And in all of this I lose my joy. True joy only comes from realizing my position before Jesus Christ. Finding my place in His hand and resting in that fact that I am going to disappoint my friends, husband and children. And in my weakness I can only hope that they and I would see the Gospel more fully and rejoice in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Above I italicized "I struggle to beat them everyday", this is my second REAL. "I" cannot beat them no matter how hard I try. Only Christ will beat them and I can cling to His promises of completing good works in me. Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." I pray for this change everyday. I pray that He would continue to open my eyes to these sins and draw me closer to the cross because of them. I hope in His finished work and find joy in the promise He has made to me. This is my REAL.