Working through "Our Authentic Selves"

I have a friend who is a publisher and he recommended a book to me this morning....He likened it to "Jesus Calling " and Oswald Chambers.  wow.  That is some kind of compliment.  This book automatically has a lot of ground to cover before I would place it in that lineup.  The book is in the form of a devotional.  Each day ends with some questions we are to ask ourselves...I was wondering if you would be interested in walking through this book with me.  The cost of the Kindle format is $2.99...You would definitely get more out of my posts if you read the book alongside me...but even if you don't I pray you will derive some benefit through my responses

Our Authentic Selves: Reflections on What We Believe & What We Wish We Believed (Christian Spiritual Growth) By David Hampton

 

ihttp://www.amazon.com/Our-Authentic-Selves-Reflections-ebook/dp/B00DZCV7DY/

     Here we go:

DAY ONE of Our Authentic Selves

How am I willing to begin letting  go of my false understanding that God can only be glorified if I'm doing it all "right"?

I am willing....and unwilling to relinquish my perception of my brokenness and perfection to allow God to make adjustments in my character and soul by using said brokenness to "merely" reflect God's perfection.     In other words I must be willing to let GOD be the perfect one and to understand that the best that I can hope for in myself is the redemption of my failures and weakness as God chooses to use them and to grow me into greater likeness (or reflection) of himself.

Where are  the places I see God glorified even in my own brokenness and weakness?

My body is broken  and so is my mind and as a result my vision of myself and my usefulness (even to God) is marred.  I feel like damaged goods.  And as much as  I know "God is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day"  it is still really hard to trust him to redeem my brokenness.   This trust  ( a tiny seedling, frail and wind tossed) has to mature and deepen into solid faith in the One who has created me.  I need to understand that it is God who is telling my story, not me.  It is God painting a glorious mural in my life...not me.  I must place my failure into his hands and remain malleable as he works, especially when his working me results in serious pain.  I have to learn not to clench up or pull back.   I must grow through the pain and my faith in my Creator must grow constantly alongside his efforts to perfect my faith and to use me to help others in their journey as well.   My smile in the face of pain is a banner over my life that it is GOD who is at work in me and not my own power.

So what do you think? Are you intrigued yet?