DEVOTIONAL FOR WEEK December 1-7, 2013 CAUGHT IN THE PERFORMANCE TRAP Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken. Isaiah 54:10 For many years, after my divorce, I struggled to find love and acceptance in the arms of another man. I foolishly thought that if I could just do enough to constantly please the object of my affections, then surely he would love me, certainly he would see me for the amazing woman that I was. What a myth that was! I had to learn that it was not about my “do”; instead it was about my “who”. The person that God created me to be was already complete, I did not need to perform for a man to make up for any deficiencies. Wow, what a liberating revelation!! Can you relate? Maybe not. Well, Leah (Genesis 29) who became Jacob’s wife through the trickery of her father Laban is a woman who can relate to my experience. Each time she bore a son, she would tell herself “Surely my husband will love me now”. Sadly he never did, because he was completely enamored and consumed with her sister Rachel, his wife of choice. You see, true genuine love as ordained by God is unconditional. It is not contingent on what you do. Being in a relationship, any relationship, whether it be between a man and a woman, whether it be with family members, coworkers, church buddies, you name it, where the life and health of that relationship is dependent on what you do and not who you are is one that is doomed to failure. Let’s face it, we are fallible human beings, as such we will not always get it right, in other words, some days we will mess up, we will make mistakes. What then? Relationships that are performance based are emotionally unhealthy and very toxic. Usually there is one person who has control and the other person’s role is to fulfill the wishes of the “controller”. Funny thing is the “controller” never seems to be concerned about the needs of the one who is doing every and anything possible to please him or her. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has a good plan for our lives, plans to prosper us and not to harm us. I can tell you right now that the performance trap is not a part of that good plan. And if it is not God’s way, then you know whose it is. You said it right, the devil, your enemy, the adversary, whatever name you call him, yeah, that’s him. If you have been caught in a performance trap, here is a word of liberation for you. Get up and get out! You are worth so much more than that. God is just waiting to fulfill His good plan in your life. Dear Lord, thank for being the God who loves me unconditionally. Help me to know that I never ever need to live my life in a performance trap to please anyone, not even you. Teach me how to develop a healthy self image of who I am in you based on your Word and the promises you have spoken over my life. Please give me wisdom and discernment to know which relationships I should foster and which ones I need to remove myself from. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 16:49:48 +0000
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