God’s Standards for Me

Are there standards that God has set for our lives? Yes, there are!

Dear friends, I have great news for you– God has expectations for us! These standards apply to how we behave, react and act in different circumstances, regardless of whether they are exciting or painful. The thing is, in the worst of situations, our true colors are revealed. I have had moments when I just want to put my faith in a bucket of water and pour it down the drain! But guess what – God’s standards remain! Read on to find out which three standards God gently and firmly reminded me about this week!

God expects me to have faith, and to trust him completely.

We all know what faith is about, right? When asked whom they believe in, many people will respond that they believe in God when they actually don’t. Faith is not just about saying what or whom you believe in – true faith is embedded in the heart, at a place where it cannot be dislodged by life’s circumstances. Faith does not second-guess God and does not believe that His plan is imperfect. On the contrary, faith knows and understands that God is in charge of everything around us and that whatever happens for us takes place for a reason.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT)

I have always been a fixer and problem solver. When I got the news about my son, I wanted to sort him out as fast as possible. I called as many therapists as I could, talked to friends in the educational and medical fields, and read as much as I could, in search of a solution. I wish I could say that I found a solution, but I did not – instead I have had to learn to trust God and let him take charge of my son’s life.

God’s standards for me regarding faith are simple –to trust in Him completely even when things do not make sense, because He is God.

God expects me to live with integrity

2 Corinthians 8:21 “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” (NIV)

This verse blew me away when I saw it – we must do what is right in God’s eyes, and in the eyes of men! Let’s look at it in another version…

“We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.” (NLT)

“Hmm, I got ten bob in extra change – no need to return it!”

“The conductor forgot to take my bus fare – guess I’ll have extra money for the next trip. They overcharge us, anyway.”

I remember when I was fresh out of high school, if I had to go to town and the conductor forgot to charge me fare (this was before standing in matatus and buses was abolished), that was a reason to celebrate, because money was scarce! Later on, when I realized that such actions are not synonymous with those of a person of integrity, I stopped rejoicing, and instead always made sure I paid my fare, much to the surprise of many conductors!

Integrity seems like such a big word, and because of its size, we associate it with ‘big’ actions. God, however, expects us to display integrity in every area of our lives – at home, at school, at work, in church, and in public! Note that being a person of integrity will always make you stick out like a sore thumb, but that is what God expects of you!

God’s standards for me regarding integrity are simple – do what is right in His eyes, and in the world’s eyes.

God expects me to live a life of surrender

The word surrender sends shivers up the spines of many Christians. Why, do you ask? Because the idea of not being in control of one’s life and handing over that control to someone unseen is downright scary!

Handing over the controls of your life is easier said than done, especially when you are doing a great job of running your life, to the point that you are winning the admiration of those around you. Is there any good reason, therefore, why you and I should surrender to the Lord?

Romans 12:1 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (NLT)

Yes, there is a very good reason why we should surrender ourselves to God – because he has done so much for us, including sending his only son to die for us on the cross! If Christ had not surrendered himself to His Father’s will, we would not have an opportunity to experience forgiveness of sin and renewed fellowship with him. We have an eternal hope because of Christ’s act of surrender.

Surrendering to God is not just about handing over the reins of your life to him – it is also about acknowledging that his plan for your life is so much better than anything you could ever have in mind.  God created each one of us with a purpose to fulfill on this earth, and the only way we can get to accomplish this is by surrendering to him and letting him lead us in the direction he has charted out for us.

There is so much to be said about surrender, but let me summarize my thoughts this way – God’s standards for regarding surrender are the most simple of all – hand over the reins to him and let him steer your life!

Though God’s standards for us are high, he always gives us the grace and strength that we need to do whatever he asks us to. Let the words below from 1^st John encourage you as you strive to live up to God’s expectations.

1 John 5:3 “ Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.” (NLT)

 

 

 

Hi, everyone! Thanks for reading this week’s article! What do you think about God’s standards? Let me know in the comments section, and don’t forget to share this article with your family and friends! See you next week!