In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron says, “If we learn to think of receiving God’s good as being an act of worship – cooperating with God’s plan to manifest goodness in our lives – we begin to let go of having to sabotage ourselves.” 

Only God knows how many times I’ve sabotaged myself by thinking, “I don’t deserve this”,   “This probably won’t last”, or other such negative thoughts.  I’m convinced this kind of thinking comes from a lack of understanding God’s love for me.

The result of this thinking has made me a performer most of my Christian life.  Performing in relationships; Performing for employers; Most of all, performing for God.  Believing I had to earn everything.  It’s been a hard way to live.

I remember sitting in church one evening and hearing the pastor say that Jesus said, “My yoke is easy.”  I thought, not for me.  Thank God I’ve begun to learn the truth.  Jesus said, “The truth shall set you free.”  He, of course, is The Truth.  Knowing the truth and applying the truth are different.

I once heard a pastor say, “In the Lord’s Prayer, we’re instructed to ask for our daily bread before asking for forgiveness of our sins.”  I looked up the Lord’s Prayer and found the preacher was correct.  God doesn’t meet our needs based on our performance. There may be many reasons why a person doesn’t have food, but it’s not because God is withholding it.  

Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  (John 10:10). My abundance may appear to come from many directions: employment, family, friends, investments, unexpected places, but He is the source.  Receiving His abundance, realizing He is the source, and thanking him is an act of worship.