Spiritual "Plagiarism"

In college, I learned about plagiarism in writing class. The professors taught us how to properly cite and reference other people's work when writing our own papers. Taking credit for what someone else said or did was a violation of writing and ethics. According to www.dictionary.com, the definition of plagiarism is...

pla·gia·rism (noun)

1. an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author. Synonyms: appropriation, infringement, piracy, counterfeiting; theft, borrowing, cribbing, passing off.

What about "spiritual plagiarism?" How often have I "plagiarized" what God has done in my life and tried to take credit for what HE did? Due to my sin and failures, I don't think (hopefully) over the past two+ years that I have taken credit for what God has done in and through Amy and me. How could I? What I did as evil, God is using to bring about good. I am incapable of doing such good. "Apart from Christ" I can do nothing.

If anything, I have minimized His power and goodness. I have undermined and discredited His work and great name. In my emotional roller coaster rides, I waiver in faith, feel powerless, stuck and unsure of what all He's up to. I get "amnesia" from time to time and lose sight of all His faithfulness. I let my circumstances and emotions have more power than His grace, His truth, and His faithfulness.

This, along with "spiritual plagiarism," requires repentance, His forgiveness, and His grace to overcome. May I not settle for either extreme. I don't want to miss out on all He wants to do or fail to give glory to His name. A life lived fully (not foolishly)...that's my prayer and hope.

One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp

Much of the worry in my own life has been a failure to believe...a wariness to thank and trust the love hand of God. Thanks is what builds trust. Every time fear freezes and worry writhes, every time I surrender to stress, aren't I advertising the unreliability of God? That I really don't believe? Because remembering with thanks is what causes us to trust - to believe.

 Psalm 115, New International Version (NIV)

¹ Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name be the glory,
    because of your love and faithfulness.