One definition of authenticity is the condition that exists when what we believe or feel on the inside aligns with what we say or portray on the outside.
I once worked for a consultant who was truly gifted in the area of organizational development. She could take a struggling company and turn it around so that within a year or so, it was a prosperous organization with a culture that reinforced everyone's importance. People (and the bottom line) thrived. However, her own organization continued to struggle for years. Then one day the realization hit her. She was not applying the same principles she was teaching others to her own business. Authenticity was missing. When she began to walk her talk, so to speak, prosperity returned.
If we shout from the rooftops we love Jesus but our behaviors include excluding him from our lives except on Sundays, we are not living authentically. If we say we whole-heartedly accept people who are broken, but we shun them from activities or judge them as less than, we are not living authentically. If we know we are forgiven by our Holy Creator but we continue to live in shame and not accept the freedom found in His forgiveness, we are not living authentically.
My goal is to live authentically, to portray all I know about our Living God through my words and choices.
This past week, I was convicted in an area where I have not been living authentically. With all my heart and soul, I understand daily alone time with God is crucial to prosperity and peace in every aspect of my life. I write about this truth. I encourage others in this truth. I invite others to participate in this truth. Yet, I had allowed about ten days go by without setting aside that time with Jesus. It was easier for me to create quote images, prayerfully plan classes, promote my book, and even think about messages to develop and write for this blog than for me to sit with my Bible and listen, pray, and listen again.
Not surprisingly, I noticed a change these past couple of weeks. I became so good at scripture look-ups that I lost the ability to apply the very scripture I was instilling in others to my own life. I lost my position as student in Christ and traded it for the role of an inauthentic teacher. My life was negatively impacted. I lost peace. I lost patience. I lost self-control. In just ten days, I had seemed to lose every fruit of the Spirit.
Rather than operating from the power of the Holy Spirit, I was trying to control my life through my own strength, which I want to emphatically state is not wise!
Thankfully, God made it abundantly clear to me these last couple of days that thinking about Him, teaching about Him, and even participating in group prayer every once in a while is not enough. I - we - are not meant to operate without spending quality time with Him every day. Planning a Christian lesson plan to awaken someone else's faith is not a substitute for allowing the Holy Spirit to fuel my own faith walk every single day.
No more.
I can no longer replace my time with God, even if it's with other Christians, a faith-based job, a Christian Encourager Class, writing a devotion, or anything else that may fool me into thinking it's as good as spending my own time with my Lord and Savior. How can I pour out to others when I'm not being poured into myself?
What about you? Are you replacing time with God with something the enemy is tricking you into believing is just as "good?" ... just as meaningful to your faith journey? Let's work together to restore this truth... Our alone time with God is paramount to our prosperity and cannot be replaced, even if it is with other good stuff.
Or, perhaps there is another area of your life where authenticity is lacking. Do you have a "mistaken authenticity" that needs to be discovered and redeemed? Would love for you to share in the comments. I am sure you're not alone in it!
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for replacing our time together with other things. Forgive my mistaken authenticity. I am grateful for the ways You made me aware of this gap in my life. Because of Your vast love for me, You knew I would not get far on my own. You drew me back to You. I pray we are all convicted in areas where our walk doesn't match our talk. I pray we become wholly authentic. We lift Your name high. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen.
Influenced by Matthew 6:33, Psalm 46:10, Galatians 5:22, Psalm 119:9, James 4:8, 2 Timothy 2:15, Matthew 6:6, Mark 1:35-37, Faith and Fitness Group with Jill Martin, and my prayer life.
©2012-2017 Cortney Donelson. All rights reserved.
Cortney's book, Clay Jar, Cracked: When We're Broken But Not Shattered is available now as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers, as well as in paperback at www.cortneydonelson.com! It will be available world-wide in bookstores and libraries through Morgan James Publishing when publicly released on March 7, 2017. Visit www.cortneydonelson.com for more information and to learn about the "I'm a Clay Jar" Encourager Class for groups! To schedule speaking engagements, please email Cortney directly.
