What Holds YOU Back??

Tonight I was led to read Ephesians 4:17-5:21. As I read, some key thoughts and truth were highlighted to me. So I want to first ask you to ask yourself, what holds you back from doing what you really have in your heart to do? Those dreams and desires for great and awesome things that you had when you were a child? Because I bet you they are still there..and I also guarantee that somehow they tie into what God's calling and purpose is for you. So again, what is keeping you from pursuing those very things?? I can't answer this for you but what I do see for myself is it comes down to what I believe and think in my heart. The scripture in verses 18 and 19 reveal that what keeps us from walking out in fullness what God has for us is "ignorance, due to their hardness of heart". If we aren't walking out our lives to our fullest potential, it is only because of our own lack of trust, faith, belief in ourselves and God. The Lord has been revealing to me the power of the heart and just how much the heart dictates what we believe and live out. It has been my prayer for months and months to experience more of God's love and to know him deeper...yet I feel like nothing has really changed. The Lord spoke to me that if I want to experience and see more of Him, I must first OPEN UP my heart to Him more so He can then fill it to a greater capacity. I unknowingly have been keeping myself back from being known by Him and others. This is only hurting me and keeping me in a state of stagnation while my heart yearns for more. I know I can't live this way any longer. In chapter 5:1-2 the Lord revealed such a simple yet profound picture to me. Paul writes "Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love..." I can picture a child wanting to be like their daddy...trying to talk and copy EVERYTHING he does. In that same manner, we are to imitate our daddy in heaven and walk in love..though we may stumble sometimes. Love is the greatest aim as well in this. Later on in verse 15 & 16, Paul writes to "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the BEST USE of time". In asking what is the best use of our time?? Well Paul explains that God's will for the best use of our time is being FILLED with the Spirit, giving THANKS in all things, and SUBMITTING to one another. I think that if we all lived our lives this way, we would all see drastic changes. So I see that my mindsets and hardness of heart is what holds me back to settle for less than what is available for me to talk in daily. Because God's will is to come and fill me as I stumble to imitate and walk like my daddy. So I encourage you to throw off all fear, rejection, and wounds to test God's word in your own life. Let's see the difference and start walking and living the life that God has for each of us. You with me?