Steady

steady
(adjective)- firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; not shaking or moving; regular, even, and continuous in development, frequency or intensity
(verb)- make or become steady; used as a warning to someone to keep calm or take care

I was having lunch with a friend the other day and we were having a nice time talking about life and what all the Lord has done and what he is still doing. I was telling her about my word for the year, steady. And we were talking about what that can mean. For me, I knew there was going to be a lot going on this year (my other word is activate) and instead of letting myself become burned out by tackling everything at once, I knew it was going to be critical for me to stay balanced as I pursue his calling on my life and all the things he has given me to do this year.  In other words- keep calm and keep marching on [even during the craziness of life].

She was sharing with me about how it can also mean that the Lord is steady. With me. With you. He is always by your side. Through all of the ups and downs of this life journey. And through life’s ups and downs, it is critical for us to stay in steady and constant relationship with him.

And then we were also talking about my tendency to lean toward performance and perfectionism. I have known I was a perfectionist for a long time, but I have been trying to decipher the difference between when it correlates with my God- given personality of attention to detail and when it is tied to my need for approval and acceptance. Yes- that’s it! It’s all about my motives. Am I truly doing my best for the Lord and only the Lord, or am I seeking the approval of others here on earth?

Remember the scripture, “Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew a steadfast spirit in me”? Yeah that steadfast spirit? It can also be referred to as a right spirit. Loyal spirit. Faithful spirit.

So then all the dots started connecting…

As the Lord stays steadily by my side through all of life’s ups and downs and as I steadily stay in relationship with him and pursue his calling on my life, He will renew a steadfast spirit in me with pure motives only toward Him. A loyal spirit. A right spirit. A faithful spirit.

A spirit healed and free of performance for acceptance!

Yes and Amen. Thank you, Jesus!

Now, lets go ride those ups and downs of life together with that steadfast spirit!