Still thinking about keeping score...

First of all a big thanks to each of you who shared in response to my last post. It was one I didn't want to write, but God showed me it was one He used. Friend, keeping score in our marriage, friendships or family is not good. It is something that will only bring the relationship down and drive the people apart. In sports, the score separates the teams...in life it divides the individuals. Keeping score also impacts our relationship with God. And last week, He showed me another way this little habit can cause problems.

Friday, I went to the dentist...never my favorite thing to do, and found out there's work that needs to be done. That's what always happens, when I go there. Job, on the other hand has wonderful teeth and never has an issue. So after receiving the estimate, I was depressed. Honestly, it ruined my day. I let it anyway.

That opened the door for Satan and he flooded my mind with crazy, wrong thoughts. Words about my worth, Job's potential response, and lots of other lies. Soon I wasn't just depressed, but overwhelmed and feeling like a failure.

Thankfully, after a few hours of Satan's attack, God brought a verse to mind. (Side-note - here's a prime example of why it's important to study and memorize the Word. If it's hidden in our heart, we are able to pick it up and use it as our sword when Satan attack. See Eph. 6) He reminded me of 2 Timothy 2:15...a verse I had studied and taught about earlier in the week.

Here Paul tells Timothy, and all Christians, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of Truth." Friend, if you've never dug into this verse I'd encourage you to do so...it is FULL of wisdom as we journey through life and walk in faith.

God used it to renew my mind in 3 different ways. First of all He started with the last little phrase - "who correctly handles the word of Truth." In the Greek, correctly handles means to rightly divide...the words were often used in tent making and meant to cut the material and piece it together perfectly. I was not doing this...at times I wasn't even applying the Word. I was allowing Satan to define me by my looks, which is counter to Scripture, (1 Samuel 16) and I was NOT taking every though captive. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Then He moved to these words - "who does not need to be ashamed." Friend, let me tell you I was feeling ashamed. As God spoke to my heart about this, He also brought up keeping score. In the world keeping score may seem great when I'm the person winning, but when I'm the one who's losing shame can come, it will come and that is not good. In His Word, God tells us we do not need to be ashamed. Let me say, my husband wasn't making me feel ashamed, but Satan was. He lives to divide us and will use any method he can...including having us keep score. Friend, back in Genesis sin entered the world and Adam and Eve experienced shame (Gen. 2:25); Romans 3 tells us we are all sinners and since sin brings shame we all experience it. But we don't need to be ashamed...dig into God's word to find freedom from it!!

Finally, He closed up our lesson together by reminding me of what I need to do. I need to set the score book down and focus on doing my best to present myself to God. In the Greek, the word we translate for present is one that means "to show, put up for inspection". They describe it as a bride presenting herself to her husband. I'll admit I never enjoy presenting myself to the dentist...he sees things nobody ever does, he knows where I fall short when it comes to dental hygiene. Oh but friend, there will come a day when I present myself to God. (You will too!) And a trip to the dentist doesn't come close to comparing to that!!

Friend, if you are tempted to keep score...let me encourage you to stop - it only divides you and the other person, sets you up for failure and keeps you from doing your best. As I've been writing this, thoughts went to Psalms 34:3...the verse I claim for my marriage. "Glorify the LORD with me, let us exalt His name together." When I'm keeping score with my husband...this can not happen. But if I view Him as a teammate, we can work towards our goal. Sure there may be days when Job's the MVP and I find myself on the bench, but if the ultimate goal is glory for God it really doesn't matter. Friend, today I pray we let God take care of the score so we can focus on doing our best and winning for Him!