From the online devotional PROVERBS 31: one of my favorite places to go while sipping my first cup of morning coffee

"I didn't want to smile. I didn't want to be kind. I didn't want to be a disciple for Christ that day. Ever been there?

Satan wants us to entertain a very dangerous thought: "Why doesn't Jesus work for me?" This is never the right question. Instead, when circumstances shift and we feel like we fall short, we should ask, "How can I see Jesus even in this?"

The only way I can ask myself this question is when I pull back from whatever situation I'm facing and separate my circumstance from my identity.

Now let's state what is true. Despite my feelings, my identity stayed the same. I am a loving mom. I am a giving person. I am a woman who takes her responsibilities seriously. I am a daughter of the King.

All of this is true despite my failures."

I'm enclosing the link later so you can read the entire devotional if you'd like, but this particular section is SO SO SO "right on" I had to give credit to its source and share it with you. The writer tells the story of how she had made a pretty big blooper, after thinking that what she was doing was going to get her lots of big pats on the back and much praise heaped onto her head. The truth of the matter is bloopers or heads heaped with praise, we are still God's imperfect , "I need Thee every hour" people and the enemy wants us to forget that as quickly as we can. He'll use any and every scheme to accomplish that goal. Causing us to stumble, grumble or bumble is near the top on his "to do list" I suspect. The writer's terrific paragraph referring to the thought we may have of Jesus "working for US" (or "Jesus working FOR us," and not through us") is is a big stumble, particularly when we hear so much "Christian Lite preaching " as I heard one mega-church's teaching described the other day: theology encouraging us to essentially put Jesus to work for us..."Lord I need this," "Lord please get me that" "Lord please do this...TODAY"... when our prayers should really be "Lord How can I WORK for you today?" "How can You work through me today?" "How can I see You better today?" We do ask the Lord for things, for answers, direction..SO TRUE!!! We were told in scripture that we may come BOLDLY before the Throne of Grace, but not to present a "Christmas list"...but rather that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." The focus goes right back to our insufficiency, and God's incredible eagerness to pour out on us what He knows we need! I hope you are blessed by the "Brownie Debaucle" as I was !!!

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-great-brownie-debacle.html