doing flows out of being
On Wednesday nights I participate in a ladies bible study that I feel the Lord has placed a special hand upon. There is exciting growth happening within the lives of ladies coming together all with two goals: to honor the Lord and grow closer to him.
This Fall we are studying spiritual disciplines. As we have built our foundation on the study of solitude we are now adding service to that foundation. It has been such a beautiful reminder to me to take that quiet time with the Lord. To not make it hurried and to pray that he will help you find those little moments of time to spend with him. That those moments become constant and we are in a continual spirit of talking and communing with him.
This past week we studied our first session of service and the Lord has been overflowing in my heart. I have always used the word "perspective" in talking with others and this week I have been doing a lot of talking to myself about "perspective."As we studied the early work of Nehemiah it was evident that he was able to carry out his passion and boldness because he was confident in the words God had given him. He had spent time praying and knew what God had called him to do. He wept with a heart of confession for the wicked things his family had done and pleaded for the Lord's favor to be upon him. As Nehemiah stood before the King whom he was the cup bearer for, he was afraid of what God had called him to do and yet, he spoke with boldness and passion. A boldness and passion that I believe came from his heart of confession and deep desire for God's favor to be placed upon him.
Nehemiah did not serve with a chip on his shoulder or a begrudging heart. He served with passion because he was filled with the holy spirit first. That is where perspective comes in for me. To STOP and take a mental inventory of all the things we "do" and ask ourselves if our being is in Christ before we do those things or if our being is in ourselves.
I used to "serve" with a begrudging heart only to realize that was not truly serving. I thought it was. I used to commit to things and become overwhelmed and anxious. I used to commit to things and resent opening my home or attending an event. The Lord has been working in my heart over the past few years to truly do all things with a heart of compassion and service. Yes, I still get overwhelmed with a full schedule and yet my heart is calm. I have peace. I have that peace because the Lord is teaching me to have more being behind my doing. If I stop for a moment and reflect on each thing in my schedule it could all be considered serving. As I serve, is my being in my own flesh or in God? Am I serving in my own strength or God's strength?
If we serve in our own strength it is something that is dangerous. We will burn out and we will not survive. We may survive in our human flesh but our heart will be tired and resentful of the serving. If we are mindful of God and allow our being to be completely in Christ we will bear fruit for his name!
How does it look for our being to be in Christ and not ourselves? We are all different people so it will look different for each of us. I have to say for me I have had to accept that our life is full and have realized it is truly full of blessing if I choose to see it that way. I have had to stop and look at each scheduled thing on my calendar and realize there is a purpose in all things. As I am serving my kids by caring for them in the mundane moments of laundry and homework my being can either be in myself where I lose my patience or in God where I will be a blessing. As I am serving individuals and groups of people through my church I must sit back and realize God wants to do a mighty work. I can either chose to allow my service to be focused on my conveniences and get in the way or to be in God and allow his work to move forward.
I am at peace when my being is in Christ. When I continually pray before I speak and fill my mind with his scripture my heart is focused on him before I "do" anything in his name.
This Fall we are studying spiritual disciplines. As we have built our foundation on the study of solitude we are now adding service to that foundation. It has been such a beautiful reminder to me to take that quiet time with the Lord. To not make it hurried and to pray that he will help you find those little moments of time to spend with him. That those moments become constant and we are in a continual spirit of talking and communing with him.
This past week we studied our first session of service and the Lord has been overflowing in my heart. I have always used the word "perspective" in talking with others and this week I have been doing a lot of talking to myself about "perspective."As we studied the early work of Nehemiah it was evident that he was able to carry out his passion and boldness because he was confident in the words God had given him. He had spent time praying and knew what God had called him to do. He wept with a heart of confession for the wicked things his family had done and pleaded for the Lord's favor to be upon him. As Nehemiah stood before the King whom he was the cup bearer for, he was afraid of what God had called him to do and yet, he spoke with boldness and passion. A boldness and passion that I believe came from his heart of confession and deep desire for God's favor to be placed upon him.
Nehemiah did not serve with a chip on his shoulder or a begrudging heart. He served with passion because he was filled with the holy spirit first. That is where perspective comes in for me. To STOP and take a mental inventory of all the things we "do" and ask ourselves if our being is in Christ before we do those things or if our being is in ourselves.
I used to "serve" with a begrudging heart only to realize that was not truly serving. I thought it was. I used to commit to things and become overwhelmed and anxious. I used to commit to things and resent opening my home or attending an event. The Lord has been working in my heart over the past few years to truly do all things with a heart of compassion and service. Yes, I still get overwhelmed with a full schedule and yet my heart is calm. I have peace. I have that peace because the Lord is teaching me to have more being behind my doing. If I stop for a moment and reflect on each thing in my schedule it could all be considered serving. As I serve, is my being in my own flesh or in God? Am I serving in my own strength or God's strength?
If we serve in our own strength it is something that is dangerous. We will burn out and we will not survive. We may survive in our human flesh but our heart will be tired and resentful of the serving. If we are mindful of God and allow our being to be completely in Christ we will bear fruit for his name!
How does it look for our being to be in Christ and not ourselves? We are all different people so it will look different for each of us. I have to say for me I have had to accept that our life is full and have realized it is truly full of blessing if I choose to see it that way. I have had to stop and look at each scheduled thing on my calendar and realize there is a purpose in all things. As I am serving my kids by caring for them in the mundane moments of laundry and homework my being can either be in myself where I lose my patience or in God where I will be a blessing. As I am serving individuals and groups of people through my church I must sit back and realize God wants to do a mighty work. I can either chose to allow my service to be focused on my conveniences and get in the way or to be in God and allow his work to move forward.
I am at peace when my being is in Christ. When I continually pray before I speak and fill my mind with his scripture my heart is focused on him before I "do" anything in his name.
"People who serve with a sense of being have a passion from God, they ponder needs,
they go to God for direction, they put outcomes in God's hands."
-Jan Johnson
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