If you’re tired of being a High Maintenance Friend – let me share with you how I traded in my HMF status in my search to become a steadfast woman of God.
Back in December, I had someone near and dear to me tell me in pretty plain (but loving) terms that I was broken, incomplete, and needed some identity. I then had another good friend tell me that I needed to learn what it means to be steadfast, instead of falling apart every time the wind blew in my life. Neither of those comments were fun to hear, but praise God I heard them (thank you to both of you). Little did they know God had already been working on me, and was calling me to a time of focusing on Him (I blogged about it here).
And so, I began to press in to this time with the Lord, asking Him-
“God, what does it mean to be steadfast?”
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
Over the next few months, God revealed that there were 2 very important characteristics of a steadfast woman (or man) – IDENTITY and FOCUS.
The first is IDENTITY. In short – that means knowing who God says you are, how He sees you, and ONLY letting Him define you. It means silencing all the voices in your life but His, and getting your validation from Him only. For more on that concept (and the scripture to back it up), keep reading here.
The second is FOCUS. In short – that means knowing where your eyes are set. If they’re always set on Him, then you’ll have the perspective you need for every situation. I think Rusty said it best when he said, “If I can SEE the UNSEEN, then I can handle the SEEN!” If our gaze is always set on God and on the unseen plans He has for our life, then we won’t be defeated by the attacks of the enemy (attacks that bring fear, worry, desperation, and hopelessness). Read more about that here.
Now allow me to elaborate a bit by sharing my journal entry from January about being “steadfast” –
Being steadfast doesn’t mean I should be numb and unmoved. It doesn’t mean I’m unemotional. I can actually embrace my emotions. I can let them be. It’s the TRUTH that I have to come back to…
That TRUTH is this: In Christ, I have COURAGE, TRUST, HOPE, and LOVE that I can always count on.
COURAGE – for facing the unknown, even when it’s unknown because all my plans have devastatingly come crashing down. It’s knowing I can courageously walk forward because nothing is unknown to my God. It’s knowing that my God has good things (great things! unimaginably incredibly things!) in store for me. Eph 3:20TRUST – in my God who will NEVER leave me or forsake me and who will be with me wherever I go. Deut 31:8
HOPE – that is ever-present before me. It will never disappoint me, and never be lacking, because my God is the source of hope. Romans 5:5
LOVE – that endures forever. Psalm 136
As long as I remember who God is, and who I am to Him… as long as I know those truths and set my eyes on them and on Him, then it doesn’t matter if I’m heartbroken, hurting, disappointed, confused, or a million other painful emotions. My soul will be steadfast, because it will be resting in His truth!
This is how we face fear, heartache, and devastation. With our identity in Him and our eyes set on Him. This is how we become steadfast!
Steadfast – fixed in direction; firm in purpose; unwavering; firmly established; sure, dependable, reliable, constant.
