We had a great prayer service last night at church. The message was on getting “stirred up” for the Lord’s work and then applying a “willing heart” to doing that work. One of my favorite parts of the whole message was when the preacher said, “If it’s the work God gave you, it is a great work.”
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get to thinking, to dreaming, even to praying about all the great things I could do–if this or that wasn’t holding me back. Why, I could be a regular Mother Theresa if I didn’t have this job taking up so much of my day…if I didn’t have 3 small children that need so much care…if I didn’t have this home and farm tying me down…That is such FALSE thinking!
We don’t need to be telling God what we can do–what He should let us do. All our talents and abilities came from Him–He knows perfectly well what we’re capable of. We should be asking Him what HE wants us to do. What work does HE have for us? How does HE want us to use our gifts. Even Mother Theresa said “We can not do great things, only small things with great love.”
We should be doing our very best work with what God has put right in front of us!
That’s me, in the middle, with my momma’s younger brother and sister, my Godparents.I’ll be honest, I don’t think I’ve been doing my very best work lately. (This post is just another sermon right to myself, here!)
Know what? Sometimes I think I avoid the ministry that I know God has put in front of me because it’s not easy. Sometimes it hurts. It’s a trial, a struggle, a fight to put my heart out there and do, willingly do, what He’s put in front of me. Sometimes I think I’d be better at something else–or that something else would be more fun. Or that I’m pretty much done with this job and ready for the next one, please.
{Ok, ok, I’ll admit obedience is not always my strong suit. My kiddos come by it honestly. And let’s just leave it at that, ok.}
My sister and her Godfather, my momma’s older brother.But the message last night made me take a good, hard look at what is right in front of me–and all the work that still needs to be done.
The World likes to tell you that you’re doing just fine. That you work too hard as it is and you deserve a break. That nobody is perfect and you need to just love yourself more and take care of yourself more.
Well, last night in that pew, the Lord was telling me that I need to stop worrying about myself so much and take care of others more. He’ll look out for me, I need to be reaching out more–to my family, my church, my community. When I get overly stressed, anxious, or sad and depressed, I tend to dis-engage, withdraw, curl up in a ball and hide under the covers (I mean that literally, not figuratively, folks. If I start going to bed as soon as the kids are settled at 8 pm, it’s a good sign I’m losing my grip on things!)
My Godfather and my cousin (who shares my Godfather!)Well, last night I started making a list of ways I could do more of the Lord’s work right where I am now. Things that I should be doing that I haven’t been. Ways to “consecrate” all my regular daily activities to the Lord. Specific ways I want to be more intentional with my time–which is really His time. The Lord was telling me to get back in the game.
And boy, that list got awfully long! {grin}
Some of my momma’s family.There’s been a lot of…slippage…in the ministry of our home life. Next week I think I’ll share some specific ideas with you, but for now, let me just encourage you to re-assess how you’re spending the “treasure” of your days, your time, your energy. How are you “redeeming” the gifts the Lord has given you?
If we’re earnestly seeking His will, and He wants us to change directions, I have no doubt He’ll put that right in front of us too. But in the meantime, if you suddenly get a ridiculously sappy birthday card from me after 10 years, don’t be surprised!
