Your Everything

I love a really great song - one that brings memories to mind, tears to my eyes, or has to be played loudly with the windows rolled down - music is a gift and I'm thankful for it. My ipod has quite the collection and unless it's Christmas, I like to have it on shuffle. It never fails that even when on shuffle two songs always are played back to back. "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman and "The One You Need" by Shane & Shane. Listening to these songs as a mom can be somewhat heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. However, this past week, I was riding home with Steve from a day spent together at the beach (Ryleigh was at home being spoiled rotten by our awesome teammates) and God started using this song to speak to my heart.

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one you need.

 I've heard "The One You Need" 100s of times, it is indeed a beautiful song about your children needing to know Christ and that no matter how much we (as parents) may love them - we simply can't be their everything. Only He can be their Savior. However, on this particular day, God struck me with how applicable it is to my own life. How even as an adult, a wife, a mother, I still struggle with allowing Him to be my everything. Even though I know His truths, I struggle.

 I am married to a fabulous man.  He is a lover of the One True God, incredibly handsome, amazingly thoughtful, my best friend, and the greatest picture of our Heavenly Father’s love to me, Ryleigh, and others – BUT he can’t be everything to me.  The thing is, sometimes, I expect him to be.  I put unfair expectations on him that only my Creator can fill. 

I also struggle with trying to be Steve’s everything.  I expect things from myself that only Christ can do for Steve.  I long to be all Steve needs but there is no way that I can be – that’s not what husbands/wifes/mothers/fathers/children/friends were created for.  We were created to be a representation of the gospel to all of those who are around us.  We were made to bring glory to the Father.

I am to exemplify the respect and submission of  the bride of Christ in our marriage.

Steve is to exemplify the love of Christ in our marriage.

Nothing more – nothing less –

We will fail, we will struggle…but if we find our source, our identity, our needs met – in Christ alone then we will ultimately have the victory and bring glory to Him.