Galatians 2:20-21, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
Do you think during your day, very often, about the fact that Christ is living in you? Paul was saying that in his old life, he was self-centered, which was filled with envy, jealousy, and arguing. Paul was saying that it was in the past tense before his salvation. But in Christ, he now no longer lived for “I” and instead only lived to please Christ. Success was not his idol. People praising Paul was not his idol. The number of followers was not his idol. He lived to serve and glorify God. Paul did not have a problem with EGO-Edging God Out, all because of the grace of God, shown upon His life.
Paul lived by his faith in God alone and wrote the book of Galatians about his personal experience with grace, doctrinal instruction about grace, and gave the practical application of grace. Paul understood the right balance between Christian liberty and the grace of God. Paul preached it is how you live that matters in your character and what is in your heart, rather than merely what you eat or don’t eat.
One of the primary purposes for starting, the Fellowship of Women in the Workplace, was to bring Christian women in the workforce together in having a common desire and support in how to blend our faith into every aspect of our life within our work role since Christ lives in us. Too often we have our Christian experience over here, and our work-life over there, and don’t incorporate the two together. That shouldn’t be. Our faith and values need to be lived before others in every aspect of our lives, including the professional environment.
I sometimes feel like my life is all being put into a blender. The good things, the wrong things, home life, family life, my work life, my writing, and God mixes it all up together, due to His grace. Sometimes it goes in there at high speed, and other times at a low speed. My life is not as compartmentalized as it is more multiple integrated. I do not have an eight to five job. I get calls or texts from customers not only during daytime working hours but sometimes in the evening and on weekends, and it requires my response, and that is OK.
Dear friend, if you are feeling your blender is overflowing, take heart. God wants to bless you. Pray for it. Watch for it. Pray and put your faith and trust in God, moment by moment to work through you, in making the best leadership decisions that you can as you glorify God due to His grace and mercy bestowed upon your life, even when you have blown it. Some days you may feel like David before Goliath instead of a Proverbs 31 woman. It is how our life becomes integrated with God establishing our steps (Prov. 16:3) in achieving the Lord’s purpose for us.
Note the words found in The Message in Galatians 2:20,” My (Paul) ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God.” But by the grace of God I go. How about you?
Listen to Surrounded (Fight My Battles) by Michael W. Smith.