Ephesians 4:1-3
In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren talks about how knowing your purpose simplifies your life. He says there is no way we can do all everyone wants us to do. We have a big enough challenge finding time to do God’s will! Pastor Warren says that if you can’t seem to get it all done, you’re probably trying to do too much! This sounds like a direct contradiction to the scripture passage you just read… right? Maybe not!
See, a lot of us aren’t necessarily sitting on our hands… but quite a few of us are strolling off down paths that go nowhere. We fill our lives with people who don’t encourage us or help us to grow in our faith. We spend too much time on meaningless activities. We start way too many projects that we never finish.
God wants us to figure out where to best spend our time… then get busy doing what He has called us to do. So rather than sign up for every activity at school, pick and choose those you feel God wants you to pursue… and really work hard to do your best. Instead of volunteering for every ministry at your church and not being able to serve well in any of them, ask God to show you where you can make the biggest impact for Him. Then pour your heart and soul into that ministry. Give 110% and be someone who is reliable, dependable, and accountable.
Too many people bite off more than they can chew. I know… I’ve spread myself too thinly and tried to do too much. It’s not that I chose to participate in more than was physically possible… but I wasn’t very effective in many of the activities. When you are trying to do too much – even if it is God’s work – you can’t possibly be fully helpful in every ministry. Think of the phrase “jack-of-all-trades… master of none.” God wants us to pour ourselves out for each other in acts of love as He directs… but He wants us to be able to physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually have the stamina to give our very best.
Won’t God equip us for such things? Yes. But God also gave us a brain… and He expects us to use it. He wants us to operate faithfully… to do His will. He also wants us to use the common sense that He gave us to know when to say “when.” We all know people who seem to have their finger in every pie… who seem to sign up for every committee, church and community project, hold down a fulltime class schedule or job (or both)… and maybe run a household, as well. But just how effective are they? Are they cutting corners and letting certain obligations or aspects of their ministries slide?
I encourage you to spend some time talking to God. Ask Him, “LORD, what is my purpose? Where do you want me to serve? What activities and ministries do I need to let go in order to be more successful at serving in your name? Where should I be focusing my efforts… and where have I strolled off down a path that goes nowhere?” Allow God to work in and through you. There is no shame in limiting your ministries, if you are giving your very best to those you keep and operating within the will of God. Where do you need to “trim the fat” or alter your course? Are you ready to run on the road God called you to travel?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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