Performing

The famous bard from Avon, William Shakespeare, wrote into the script of his play, As You Like It, these lines-

"All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players.They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts."





It all starts out rather innocently enough. Let me dance a little dance. I will sing you a little song. Perhaps I could tell you a good joke or two?

You want to do a good thing. You want people to like you, approve of you and appreciate your gifts and talents. You might even think God expects it of you. You might think that maybe if you just did a little more or did it better perhaps He would love and accept you more. You know that His love, acceptance and grace is there, but maybe it is just for other people, not you. Sure He died on a cross for you, but you barely made the cut and you are going to have to make it up by doing laps. Then there are the voices from the past and the present around you that unknowingly and unwittingly confirm that message and add a little shame to the poison pot you have prepared for yourself. In your head you know that it is wrong, but in your heart the truth just won't stick. So you keep striving.


Trying to be good enough, smart enough, talented enough, spiritual enough and meet the expectations of others and of yourself whether real or imagined is exhausting. Sure, in the beginning you have enough stamina. You keep striving and working and pushing through the fatigue. You take on things you know you have no business doing and your priorities begin to blur. You don't ask for help, that would be considered weak, right? You power through it alone and you look pretty good on the outside, but on the inside the house of cards is coming down. You have trained everyone around you to think you have it all together and that you are "strong and capable". They never suspect the battle that is taking place inside you. Maybe some do, but are not real comfortable with that idea, so they ignore it. Confusion sets in and you wonder how in the world did you get here? There is something inside that is telling you that your focus is way off but you are so entrenched in works and busyness that you can't even pause to ponder that still small voice beckoning you to rest and listen a bit. Before you know it you hit a wall and you are sick, tired and burnt out!

I wish I could say I have never experienced that, but I can't. The wheels of my vehicle can easily slide onto that well worn road. I have lost my focus and I caved to the expectations I thought others had of me and expectations I had of myself. The weight of it all overtook me like a strong wave and sent me tumbling to the depths of exhaustion. I bowed down to an idol of performance and approval and forgot the love, grace and acceptance my Lord has for me. Performance is a pretty rotten god. Performance is what the Israelites did for years in the form of sacrifices, rituals and laws. Performance is what this carnal world expects and demands. Performance only serves to frustrate, irritate and leave you beaten on the side of the road discarded, empty and disillusioned.

Matthew 11:28-30
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."


The true God, the Living God calls to you. He asks you to be still. (Psalm 46:10) Come away with Me for a bit He speaks to your heart. Lay your weary head on my shoulder. Pause. Know my child that I love you and accept you right where you are. No matter what you do or don't do you are Mine. Rest in Me.

Ecclesiates 2:11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

Religious performance just presents mankind with another stage, on which to engage in yet another avenue of "role-playing." We are not mere players in His play. We are His children. We are not slaves, but His beautiful bride. We are not an ememy of God, but a friend. Our worth is not based on what we do or do not do. We are worthwhile because He took great pleasure in making us. We can never do enough to be accepted because we already are through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our performance is null and void and will not earn us a spot in heaven because He has already done all that would ever be needed on the cross.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from youselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do " (Eph. 2:8,9).

Lord God help us to stop performing and start letting You live your life through us. Forgive us. Help us Lord to rest in you and remember your love, grace and acceptance for us through your Son Jesus Christ. In Jesus Name, Amen.