A friend of mine, who attends a different church, told me of her decision to take a break from a ministry she served in for several years. She said that she had to ignore the comments of others about her decision, and do what she felt was best for her family. It was not an easy choice, but one she really felt the Lord directing her to make.
She said something interesting, something I have felt a great deal over the past several months, she said it is weird being on the other side of service, being the one to say no. It is as if you are seen as less than godly, as someone not pressing on toward the mark of the high calling of Christ. It doesn’t matter that you gave of yourself for years. You somehow have not reached the goal.
What is the goal? Is it constant activity, is it serving even if that service is a determent to your family? I realized that we often times say we are doing this or that for the Lord, but in all reality we are doing it because it makes us look or feel good.
The mark or the goal Paul was speaking about in Philippians was of the high calling of Jesus, and the high calling of Jesus is this, the love the Lord your God with all your heart, your strength, you mind and you soul and your neighbor as yourself.
When we are working in church out of obligation or guilt, we are not reaching that mark. Honestly, our service will hinder our progress and our relationship with the Lord and with our neighbors.
When we are done with a ministry, the Lord will let us know. He will move in our hearts if we are listening. And when He wants us back in service, He will place His passion, His vision in our hearts and we won’t be able to do anything but minister to others.
Jesus did not heal every leper, nor did He cast out every demon in Israel. He obeyed the Father’s will, and sometimes that meant withdrawing to a quiet place, sleeping through a storm, not rescuing everyone He met. Too often, we carry out what we think the Father’s will is instead of actually listening for it.
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent” (John 6:29).
1 comment:
Whoa, this is totally what I'm going through--weeding through my acitivites and obligations to see where God truly wants me and where I can best be used. I tend to go through the motions too much and not take time to listen to God. Great post!!
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