{"id":1680,"date":"2017-05-13T13:13:23","date_gmt":"2017-05-13T18:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ashleytauriac.com\/blog\/?p=1680"},"modified":"2017-05-13T13:13:23","modified_gmt":"2017-05-13T18:13:23","slug":"happiness-at-odds-with-our-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ashleytauriac.com\/blog\/happiness-at-odds-with-our-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Happiness at odds with our Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

“The problem starts when we make up our own minds what will give us happiness and then decide if we don’t get exactly that then God doesn’t love us.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/em>Elisabeth Eliot<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Was reading a book not at all about career, workplace, or medicine this weekend and got struck by this quote. Really, what she is saying is that our first step in life is trusting God to be in charge. Lordship, I think, is the first step in being able to be used by God and I’ve been seeing lessons on it everywhere I go lately!<\/p>\n

I love this quote because it explains so well that far too often, we put God’s love and our happiness on opposite sides of the spectrum.<\/strong><\/span> If God gets what He wants, we can’t possibly get what we want. Or worse, we think that our happiness is dependent on God just getting on board with our plans. I want a 5 bedroom house with 4.5 bathrooms and a white picket fence and 4 weeks vacation and that’s the only way I will be happy<\/em>… But God doesn’t see our lives in terms of our own pinpoint goals and expectations. He sees our lives in terms of our proximity to Him and anything that gets in the way, even our dreams, He will change as He needs to.<\/p>\n

I was really struggling with this earlier this year- frustrated because every time I do what God says to do, I manage to end up creamed! Hated by this organization or that person… Physically ill from this absurd problem or that one… Totally broke from this\u00a0expensive issue or that one… And never really closer to my plans, my strategies, and my dreams.<\/p>\n

It made me flash back to a movie scene from a few years ago- a girl and her guy friend are discussing their relationship. He wants to start dating her, but she just keeps listing out all the things he doesn’t do well. All the things she wanted that he didn’t give her. All the things she hoped for that he had left out. He exclaims, “I could do those things!” And her response makes me freeze every time- “But you didn’t!”<\/p>\n

But you didn’t.<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

And that’s where I got to with God. I knew His promises, but more than that I knew my expectations. And I was sitting there looking at my life, calling it shambles and being frustrated. God- you are the ultimate Healer, but you didn’t for me! You are the Provider, God, but you didn’t for me! You are the Creative strategist, but you didn’t for me!<\/p>\n

But you didn’t!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

But God’s response was, “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you<\/strong><\/span>.”<\/p>\n

And the hard truth is- God’s love is not dependent on the ease or perfection of my circumstances.<\/strong> <\/span>His love is not dependent on what we want. It’s dependent on what we need. Has been since He gave His son for us years ago. Gave up His son not so that we would get perfectly happy, cookie-cutter\u00a0lives, but so that we would get access to the only thing that matters- a relationship with Him. His love has no strings attached; so I can’t afford to add any other stipulations to it. Either I trust Him, or I trust my own plans. I have to frequently revisit which one I am making most important in my life every day.<\/p>\n

Praying that you walk through this week thinking through your own expectations as well. Does your definition of success mean you get what you want or you get what God wants? There is no way to get His blessing, anointing, and guidance for your workplace until you get this part straight. But when we do, then the freedom and fun can truly begin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“The problem starts when we make up our own minds what will give us happiness and then decide if we don’t get exactly that then God doesn’t love us.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Elisabeth Eliot Was reading a book not at all about career, workplace, or medicine this weekend and got struck by this quote. Really, what she is saying is that our first…<\/p>\n

Continue readingHappiness at odds with our Success<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

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