As a wife, mom, ministry leader, Bible teacher, writer, and church secretary, I wear many hats and have tons of tasks to accomplish. Some days I have the proper perspective about my roles and responsibilities, but some days I want to run far, far away! I’m sure you can relate. I recently had one of those awful days. And I had a sour attitude about life, so I took a time-out and spent some time in the word.
God spoke these words to my heart from Psalm 101:2, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” King David, a man after God’s own heart, wrote these words, pledging to have perfect behavior and a perfect heart. In other words, he is vowing to be a man of integrity.
Personal integrity is vital for every man and woman of God. We have to live sincerely and completely for the Lord because we represent Him to a watching world. To maintain integrity at home, in the workplace, at school, or anywhere we go, we need a proper perspective, especially on difficult days.
3 Things to Remember to Have a Proper Perspective for Personal Integrity on Difficult Days
- It’s worth it!
- Your labor is not in vain!
- This is just for a season!
Remember: It’s worth it!
Whatever you have to give up, or put on hold, or endure to minister to the souls God puts in your life, it’s totally worth it. Jesus is worthy, and the eternal rewards for faithfulness definitely outweigh the temporal sacrifices.
Colossians 3:24~ Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
The proper perspective on personal integrity is that it’s necessary to further the gospel, and therefore we have to shift our thinking from what we lose to all we gain by being faithful.
Remember: Your labor is not in vain!
You may not see the fruit of your time, talent, treasures, or truth, this side of heaven, but God’s word doesn’t return void, it accomplishes what He wills it to. What you’re doing today matters!
1Corinthians 15:58~ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
We are results-driven creatures. We want to see the immediate reward for our efforts, but that’s not always the case with the sacrifices we make in service to the Lord. But, we have to believe that God’s word is true, and we do not labor in vain.
We serve a God of purpose, so anything he commissions us to do or say is ultimately for the good of others and for his glory. Share on X
This is just for a season!
Ecclesiastes 3:1~ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Seasons change. Whatever life situation you find yourself in right now, be encouraged, it won’t last forever. God is eternal, and so is his word, and the souls of men and women, but that season you’re in has an end.
Be intentional to have the proper perspective, and remember that this too shall pass.
Dying to self brings proper perspective for personal integrity
Luke 9:23~ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Dying to self daily is painful, but it’s necessary to be sanctified and conformed to Christ-likeness.
God supplies the grace, peace, joy, and strength that we need to lay aside our will and follow his. His Spirit within us provides the power to obey his word and glorify him in every area of our lives. We just have to rely on the Spirit, rest in the Lord, and remain in his word.
Here’s a great prayer to help us have a proper perspective on those trying days:
Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. ~ Psalm 143:7-8
Practical tips to gain proper perspective for personal integrity:
- Ask God for help! Proper perspective comes through prayer.
- Take a few minutes to read or listen to the Bible! Scripture renews your mind and sanctifies your heart. It helps you to have consistent character and faithfulness to Christ.
- Turn your thoughts from yourself to your tribe! A proper perspective for personal integrity comes from remembering why you do what you do. Who is following your lead? Keep them in mind as you go about your daily business, and especially on those difficult days. Show them by example how to process afflictions and persevere through adversity.
- Recount your blessings and list them back to the Lord. Turn on the praise music and rejoice in the Lord! Praising the Lord always helps turn my thoughts from all that is wrong to all that is right. Then I can walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.
- Proper perspective comes from lifting your eyes up from yourself and your problems to Jesus as Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and Friend! Jesus always had personal integrity. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) The Lord spoke truth and walked in love, mercy, humility, and compassion all the time, regardless of his circumstances. Jesus is our example to follow in all things, so if you want to have a testimony of being virtuous and honorable, then choose your words and actions carefully, like Jesus.
If you desire to grow in godliness and have integrity, then perspective is key. On those difficult days, remember that it’s worth it, it’s not in vain, and it’s just a season.
Repent of any sin, take the practical steps above, and let the Spirit rule your heart and home!
For More on a Proper Perspective:
The Importance of a Sober Mind for Spiritual Stability
Focus on What Matters in Suffering
How to Be Sober in Stressful Times
Learning to Be a Discreet Woman
5 Reasons You Should Trust God to Write Your Story
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Pray With Confidence
If you would like to grow in your prayer life, then check out Pray with Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the 30 monthly contributors. Here are a few links I think will be a blessing to you:
5 Things to Thank God for When You Don’t Feel Thankful
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability
2 Things to Remember to Find Peace in Chaos
19 Bible Verses that Reveal the Will of God
15 Bible Verses About Rest When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed
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Wonderful wisdom! Thank you!!
Thank you for reading! 🙂
This is a thought-provoking post about how our perspective changes everything. Being a mom of little kids can feel overwhelming, unfruitful, and lonely, but it is some of the greatest kingdom-building work to be done! Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad it was a blessing to ya! Thanks for reading! 🙂
It’s hard sometimes for me to take my eyes off of myself and turn them to The Lord. Sometimes I focus on my weakness and downfalls, forgetting that He provides grace and redemption. I also sometimes focus on how what I’m doing is (or isn’t!) benefiting me, rather than seeing how I am serving others. Thank you for the reminders to change my perspective. What a good God we have!
Amen Sister! He is so good! I can totally relate to that. Praise God for his patience with me! Proper perspective takes diligence, a purposed and intentional choice to think biblically, putting everything into perspective based on God’s word, will, and ways. It’s something we have to work at, but with consistent time with Jesus in the word and in prayer, we can do it!
Love this! As a mama who has homeschooled 5 of my 6 kids, (only one now) there are seasons where it is easy to lose perspective and forget ‘This is why I do what I do’ Thank you for the reminder.
XSuzanne
We definitely have to remember the why and the who we do it for! 🙂
Perspective is tricky sometimes. It’s easy to get on the wrong track. Thanks for this reminder and practical list to keep the proper perspective!
It really is. Thanks for reading and your response. Blessings on your day! 🙂
I needed this yesterday! I had to remind myself that my son is 12 and it will only be a few years before he is grown and gone and I would miss his shenanigans. I’m sorry to say that after an exhausting day at work, I did not respond with perfect grace and had to apologize for getting frustrated with him. Thank you for sharing!
We all fall short and have moments/days like that. The important thing is that we repent and ask for forgiveness when we blow it. This speaks volumes! 🙂
I love your perspective! A great reminder of the principle of stewardship and our responsibility as one.
I appreciate that, thanks for reading. 🙂
I needed to read this today. Although my kids aren’t little anymore, I am involved in ministry that is beautiful and super challenging. Thank you for the reminder to keep perspective!!
Praise the Lord! Proper perspective is a timeless truth. It will never go out of style. We’ll constantly be in seasons and settings that will test our patience, stretch our faith, and push the boundaries of our comfort zones. The alternative would be an extremely boring existence! Thanks for reading and commenting, I appreciate the feedback. Blessings to ya! 🙂
I am so glad I read this today. This is the word I needed. It’s so easy to lose perspective and get out of focus. Thank you for writing a great post
God is so good to give us what we need at just the right time! Thanks for reading! 🙂
Oh so true! Blogging is something I have wanted to do for a while and I enjoy it, but I’m not consistent because of all the things you mention in your post! Thanks for sharing!
I know exactly how you feel. The people in our homes are entrusted to us to shepherd for a short time compared to the rest of their lives. Women who need what we write- they will still be out there when our kids are grown. My counsel is to enjoy the season you’re in, write when you can, share when you can, but give your best to the disciples in your own home. It’s a worthy investment! And never forget Phil.1:6. He started that work in you, he’ll finish it. He’ll give you opportunities to use the gift he’s given. Patience, prayer, and perspective… Blessings to ya! 🙂
I love this! It’s so hard to keep the right perspective but it really is essential to a healthy, God honoring life.
It can be super difficult to maintain the proper perspective. That’s why prayer and relying on the Spirit is so important. Apart from Christ we can do nothing, but with him we can do all things. Having the ministry mindset like Jesus had, in all we do, will make the messy and mundane seem worthwhile acts of worship. 🙂
I often need to hear this when things get really busy around here. I probably needed to read it yesterday when I was having to clean my house for youth group but really wanted to take a nap instead.
I hear ya! I need it as a reminder on my wall! 🙂
I needed this today: “Your labor is not in vain! You may not see the fruit of your time, talent, treasures, or truth, this side of heaven, but God’s word doesn’t return void, it accomplishes what He wills it to. What you’re doing today matters!” Thank you!
Praise the Lord! I’m glad it ministered to ya. Blessings! 🙂
Great thoughts and perspective. I think remembering the WHY and prayer are particularly helpful.
I agree! Trying to tackle our day without asking the Lord to help us through it is setting ourselves up for failure. Have a blessed day in the Lord! 🙂
Oh how my heart need to hear this, this morning. Beautiful reminder. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for reading. I’m glad it was a blessing to ya! 🙂