Why Your View of God Matters
Ruth Chou Simons on Shaping Your Daily Life
In a recent interview with Family Life Radio, Ruth Chou Simons, the founder of GraceLaced.com, author, artist and creative business strategist, shared some profound insights on how to navigate life’s challenges while keeping faith at the center. Her words serve as a timely reminder that our relationship with God should be the cornerstone upon which we build our lives.
Starting the Day with God
Ruth says, “I start my day wanting to immediately get ahead, right? I mean, leap out of that feeling of like, oh, it’s first thing in the morning, let me go clear my inbox, figure out what’s going on.” But she warns against this urge to jump into the day without first acknowledging God. “If we do not start the day recognizing that He holds all things together, Colossians 1:17, then we probably will start our day thinking that we’re in charge and that we’re the ones who can hold it all together and fix all the issues.”
How often do you reach for your phone first thing in the morning, eager to get a jumpstart on your day, only to find yourself overwhelmed and stressed out?
It’s God who holds everything together, not us.
Ruth continues, “I find it really hard to discern God’s will for my life or how to deal with all my circumstances when I think that I’m the ruler of my own life. So I start thinking, I either have a grand view of myself, Wow, Ruth knows all things that everybody should just listen to me, or I start shaming myself and feel like, Well, I’m so worthless, and if I could only get this better, or if I was stuck to my Bible reading plan better, I’d I wouldn’t struggle with this.”
The Struggle with Self-Perception
“As believers sometimes we struggle with this idea of we have to be amazing or we must be so worthless, when really God’s like, ‘it’s my strength, my perfect, your weakness.’”
You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be willing to let God work through your imperfections.
Ruth shares her own prayer, “Even this morning, I literally said, ‘God, I need wisdom.’” She acknowledges that she needs God’s wisdom to navigate her feelings, her career and her relationships.
“I need wisdom to know how to handle my feelings –the feelings I have as a mama going through some major changes right now – and I don’t like some of those changes,” Ruth admits. “I need wisdom to know how to deal with my career. Some of the things that are challenging and take a lot out of me. I need wisdom on how to deal with relationships with friends, employees and my own family members.”
The Heart is Deceitful
Ruth also emphasizes the importance of turning to God’s word for guidance. “Those are things that I cannot discern simply by being like, what do I think is right today? So, I have to turn to the Word of God because my goodness, the heart is deceitful above all else” (Jeremiah 17:9).
She suggests practical ways to keep Scripture at the forefront, “whether it’s keeping your Bible out on the kitchen counter, so that you just have an opportunity to read a psalm in the middle of the day or have an audio Bible going as you’re driving a car line or running errands.” Ruth encourages you to do “whatever it takes for you to stop and say, ‘rather than be productive in this moment – by voice texting and listening to a million messages – I might need to talk to the Lord first because I can’t trust my feelings right now.’”
Prioritize Connection Over Productivity
One of the most striking points Ruth makes is about our tendency to prioritize productivity over our relationship with God. “I think that we sometimes value productivity over connection with God. And for shorter verses, that’s what we’re going to truly get productive is when we hang out with Him.”
It’s a paradox that the more you strive, the less you actually accomplish the things that truly matter.
Ruth explains, “You were created for good works, but not by anything you can do, like you can’t post it anything; it is by grace. You have been saved through faith.”
Operating from a Place of Rest
Ruth proposes a question we should all ask: “Is my heart resting in God’s character?” which is what she shares about in her book, Pilgrim – 25 Ways God’s Character Leads Us Onward.
She adds, “my joy is dependent on my Savior and from what He tells me and how He has saved me, I can step into all that He has for me.”
Our View of God
What do you truly believe about God? It’s important! That belief will shape every decision you make, every relationship you have and every challenge you face.
Ruth says, “What a person thinks about God is the most important thing about Him. Because what you and I think about God, will actually determine everything we do today.”
Take this as an invitation to start your day with God, seek His wisdom and operate from a place of rest in Him. Ruth encourages us to shift our focus from self-reliance to God-reliance. It’s not just about ticking off tasks on a to-do list; it’s about aligning our lives with God’s will.
Will you pause right now, reflect and ask yourself: Am I striving or am I resting in God?
Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and When Strivings Cease. She is an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people’s hearts. Through her online shoppe at GraceLaced.com and her social media community, Simons shares her journey of God’s grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys — their greatest adventure. Learn more at gracelaced.com. Follow Ruth on social https://www.instagram.com/ruthchousimons/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/@RuthChouSimons
https://www.facebook.com/gracelaced/
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