Monday, April 17, 2017
It's not about me
Have you ever felt like God is asking too much of you? Boy, I sure have. I have thought things like “God you just don’t understand my life!” or “Sure, that’s easy for You to say because You’re God!” When I look back at those things they are more than just a little silly. They are ridiculous!
I can get all bent out of shape when I feel like I don’t get the respect or attention that I am due. And when that happens I start moving away from God. I start to focus on me before anyone or anything else. I can be a real selfish jerk!
Recently I was feeling this way about being asked to do something. It was stupid. I got upset because of the way that I was asked and the timing of it. I didn’t have anything else to do and had no reason to be upset, but there I was, fuming.
So I figured, someone else must have felt this way too at some point. So I reached out to a friend of mine. I asked her. I said “Have you ever felt taken for granted like I do?”
She said, “I have been in that position before, and I had to examine my heart, motive....whether it was God's will for me to be where I was, and if it's God's will, then I have found He always makes a way for your gift if you are faithful. It's not man, but God who gives us our talents and ministries. We are accountable for doing our part. If we do what we are supposed to, then, if someone is taking advantage, it's between then and God.”
I had never thought of it that way.
So I started to think that maybe the gifts that I have been given aren’t actually mine to dole out anyway.
Hmmmmmm.
She went on to say, “If you are where God wants you to be, then we have to trust He will make a way. If it is man that is preventing you then he'll have to answer for his actions. Either way I have always found that as long as I am where He tells me to be, He makes room...in His timing... He takes care of us as long as we are faithful. The steps of a righteous man are ordered by God, as long as we are in accordance with His will and His work, He will move to make room for you and His work in and through you. And we have to trust that God put us where we are for a reason, maybe it's not the season...again, it depends on the situation. ...I will be praying for you.”
This girl really hit home with me! She was telling me exactly what I needed to hear and understand.
It wasn’t about me! And she did it in love! Wow!
Paul writes to the church in Philippi that “Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.” (Phil 2:3-4). I am not sure I can count the number of times when I put my wants and desires ahead of others. It is something I have to UN-learn almost daily!
And of course the most unselfish example for those of us who identify as Christian is Jesus Himself. As Paul continues he writes, “You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:5-8).
Now there’s something that I find humbling. I am having a hard time putting others, like me, ahead of my wants and desires while Jesus who IS God put those who are much less than Himself in a position to be served by Him!
Just have a look at Matthew chapter 20.
“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:27-28) That’s Jesus telling it like it is.
Okay, so I now have absolutely NO ground to stand on for my whiney complaining. And to top it all off, when I completed the task at hand, I was greatly praised by those who I had believed were taking me for granted.
Yes folks, another lesson learned. My gifts were given to me to be shared and to bring glory to His name.
It’s not about me.
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