Bragging- The Only Good Kind

My mouth is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor all day long.

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long,
    for those who wanted to harm me
have been put to shame and confusion.

~Psalms 71:8, 15-17, 24

Psalms 71 is one of my favorite chapters. I have a bunch of markings all over it. 

I’ve underlined so much- and circled phrases that stood out to me.

[Side Note: If you want to start reading your Bible, but don’t know where to start, try Psalms. It’s so relatable.]

So anyways, I’ve read this chapter dozens of times and this time, I learned something new. Those verses stood out to me, not because they were underlined or circled, but because they all talk about God-bragging. Each verse boasts about God’s splendor, righteousness, salvation, mighty acts, marvelous deeds, etc.

God-bragging.

We know that bragging about ourselves is not very classy, but bragging about God?... Oh, it’s more than classy!

Did you know that we’re actually supposed to brag about God?

God says in Jeremiah 9:24, “If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me. I’m God, and I act in loyal love. I do what’s right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are my trademarks.”

He wants us to brag about Him, 

praise Him, 

and thank Him 

for all He is, 

all He’s done, 

and all He will do.

Praise Him for His loyalty, His righteousness, His amazing acts. 

Don’t you think He’s deserving?

He saved you from yourself. Brag about Him.

He redeemed and freed you. Brag about Him. 

He picked you up and carried you. Brag about Him.

He healed you. Brag about Him.

He called you by name. Brag about Him.

“Because of God you are in Christ Jesus, 

who has become for us wisdom from God. 

In Christ we are put right with God, and have been made holy, 

and have been set free from sin. So, as the Scripture says, 

‘If people want to brag, they should brag only about the Lord.’” 

~1 Corinthians 1:30-31

God Can Use You

If you read this title and said  Amen, He uses me, then I want you to keep reading.

If you read this title and said Amen, but thought to yourself Me? He can’t use me. I don’t even have any talents. I can’t even do anything, then I really want you to keep reading.

You see, I’ll be brave enough to say that at one point, I didn’t think God could use me. This might sound like I’m fishing for compliments, but believe me, I’m not. 

Use ME, God?

Yeah, that’s funny.

I’m not super talented. I’m average.

I’m not funny. I’m corny.

I’m not bold. I get too scared.

There’s way too many things I can’t do. 

Then I read it. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Then I read it again.

But he said to me, 

“My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, 

my power is made perfect in you.” 

So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. 

Then Christ’s power can live in me. 

~2 Corinthians 12:9

And for some reason, when I read it that time, I got it.

I understood that God can indeed use me.

In fact, Christ’s power can LIVE IN ME.

I have to focus on Christ in me, the Hope of Glory- not on the me in me.

I have to focus on His Word, not mine.

I have to focus on His power, not mine.

Those things I said about myself are true. I am average, corny, and timid. But it’s totally not even about that at all. It’s not about me. It’s Christ in me! 

No matter what you are (funny, corny, talented, not talented, shy, bold, old, young, sick, healthy) - it doesn’t matter. The people who are using their talents for His glory, that you idolize, are only doing it through His power too. Just like you. He takes your ordinary life and makes it all for His glory. He makes it extraordinary.

Because when Christ lives in you, He changes everything. 

You+His power= Perfectly Usable.

Yes, you the child.

Yes, you the teenager.

Yes, you the young adult.

Yes, you *cough* old-ER person. 

Yes, you who is sick in bed.

Yes, you the teacher. The accountant. The secretary. The stay-at-home mom.

Yes, you on the stage singing and preaching.

Yes, you in the back, trying to not be seen.

Yes, you who still doesn’t believe me, with all your quirks and doubts, 

God can use you.

Yes, YOU.

I dare you: Quit thinking that God can't use you because you're not _____ enough. It's not even about you, it's Christ in you.

The Thing That Keeps Me Up Late

What is it, you may ask, that keeps me up at 11 pm on a Thursday night, writing?

Well, it's actually pretty easy to answer.

It's the same thing that makes me pray for someone I don't know.
It's the same thing that makes me cry for those in pain.
It's the same thing that helps me be patient with the little kiddies.
It's the same thing that compels me to pay for that lady's meal.
It's the same thing that weighs so heavy on my heart. All the time.

It's the same thing that God had when He sent His Son to take my place.

It's the same thing that Christ had for the sick, blind, mute, deaf, dead, lost in sin, and suffering.

It's the same thing that drives pastors and teachers and doctors and missionaries.
It's the same thing that inspires people to open shelters and feed strangers and adopt babies and love the broken.

It's the thing that changes the world.

Compassion.

Pure, painful, compassion.

You see, this feeling in my chest right now is not pleasant.
My eyes burn as it brings tears to my eyes. My throat is getting tight.
My heart is beating faster and faster, as compassion wells up inside of me.

Compassion is literally the breaking of your own heart for others. 

Only, you don't do nothing with the heartbreak.

You act. You get up at 11 pm and write.
You pray. You give. You bless. You cook. You clean. You hug. You fix. 
You love.

You don't talk about it.

You just get up and do it.

Compassion.