Two Sides of a Balanced Faith

The best books are the ones you think about when you're washing the dishes. Reading Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson (who is one of my favorite authors) prompted me to state on Instagram that I wanted to live a life of passionate obedience: pursuing the work God has put before me with enthusiasm and faithfulness. 

I don't want to give grudging obedience. 1 John 5:3 says, "and his commandments are not grievous."  I don't want to live with a "I have to do this or God will strike me down" attitude. I know people that do and it's not an attractive lifestyle. Nothing about that draws others to Jesus. 

Neither do I want enthusiasm but no substance: a hearer but not a doer. James 1:23-24 says, "For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a  glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." It's not the thought that counts; it's what you do. 

They need to both go together- the faithfulness with the enthusiasm, the passion with the obedience. The part that shows up every single morning to fulfill my assignment from God. The part that does it out of love for my Savior. 

That's the kind of Christian I want to be. That's the kind of woman I want to be, the kind of wife I want to be, the kind of mother I want to be. 

I want to be a woman of passionate obedience. I want to love God and love others. I want to be thrilled with the work He is doing in my life. But I want to have substance too; I don't want to be fluff. I want to obey. I want to continue through the hard things. I want to stand on the Word and not my emotions. 

I want to be the enthusiastic wife.  You know, the girlfriend-that's-obsessed-with-you kind. The wife that lingers with passionate kisses and dreams for the future. One that rejoices in life and family. But also a wife with substance. A woman that's a true partner in life: faithful in marriage, with money, to the responsibilities of living. A wife that reflects well on Christ and her husband. 

I want to be that kind of mom. The fun "yes" mom. A mom that plays in the sprinkler, goes to the park, has tickle wars on the couch, and reads books over and over. But also a mom that expects obedience and excellence. A mom that keeps praying and working when she's not really sure what to do or how to do it. 

I want that passionate obedience to spill over into every area of my life.Whether I'm blogging, working at church, or waiting at the doctor's office my attitude will be apparent (and so will my work ethic). 

Passionate obedience even at three in the afternoon when I really just want to nap. 

Passionate obedience. Not just obedience. Not just passion. But both together.