Busy, Busy...
1 Corinthians 10:31-33
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
As I was laying in bed last night, so busy thinking of everything I needed to get accomplished this week (in preparation for some of the ministries that I have volunteered for at my church), I began to think about how easy it is to become so wrapped up in serving and ministry, that we can easily forget who we are doing it all for. As I was tossing and turning, I began to think about how even our service to God can get in the way of experiencing a deeper relationship with Him, especially if we let the act of service take precedence over the relationship we have with Him.
Although all of the service opportunities God has recently entrusted to us (my husband and I) are wonderful and exciting, God really began to speak to my heart about keeping my eyes vertically focused! Vertically focused is a phrase that God seems to be coining in my life lately. As humans, we all have a tendency to look at the person next to us, compare ourselves to others, and lose focus on what is really important; however, as Christians, God expects us to keep our eyes vertically focused, looking up to Him, instead of others. Keeping our eyes vertically focused helps us to shed off everything that can so quickly can drag us down in our Christian life.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with the endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
A question comes to mind as to how can we fully serve God, leave behind our own selfish motives (you know the feeling of a sense of being needed and in charge of something important!), and reflect His character and His message to others without valuing our time with Him over our service? The answer is, is that we cannot. We cannot fully serve Christ and leave behind our selfish motives without our relationship with Him taking precedence over our service to Him. The real answer to the dilemma is this, however, that because our relationship with Him is so deep, a result of that deep relationship is an over-flowing desire to be intentional and serve Him in any way possible!
Therefore, if we find ourselves so busy that our quiet time with the Lord has taken a back seat to ministry and service, then we need to take an honest assessment of our motives, because while our intentions may be pure, our selfishness will always hindure His work, and furthermore we will find ourselves becoming quickly burned out!
Is it possible then to be too busy in service? The answer to that question would have to depend on the depth of our relationship with Christ. Is our relationship with Him the primary source of motivation for our service? If so, let's make sure we are treasuring our quiet time and devotion time with Him; allowing Him to fill us up to the brim, as we pour out everything in service to Him daily. Each day should be a filling and emptying. I am a true believer in that Christ does not fill our hearts up to remain full but rather He expects us to pour out those blessings onto others in service to Him.
In addition, if we are not fully allowing God to fill us up, our fuel tank will run dry quickly; however, with a daily fill-up of allowing God to renew our mind and refresh our hearts through prayer and in studying His Word, we are fully equipped to burn the fuel that He has placed in our hearts.
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
As I was laying in bed last night, so busy thinking of everything I needed to get accomplished this week (in preparation for some of the ministries that I have volunteered for at my church), I began to think about how easy it is to become so wrapped up in serving and ministry, that we can easily forget who we are doing it all for. As I was tossing and turning, I began to think about how even our service to God can get in the way of experiencing a deeper relationship with Him, especially if we let the act of service take precedence over the relationship we have with Him.
Although all of the service opportunities God has recently entrusted to us (my husband and I) are wonderful and exciting, God really began to speak to my heart about keeping my eyes vertically focused! Vertically focused is a phrase that God seems to be coining in my life lately. As humans, we all have a tendency to look at the person next to us, compare ourselves to others, and lose focus on what is really important; however, as Christians, God expects us to keep our eyes vertically focused, looking up to Him, instead of others. Keeping our eyes vertically focused helps us to shed off everything that can so quickly can drag us down in our Christian life.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with the endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
A question comes to mind as to how can we fully serve God, leave behind our own selfish motives (you know the feeling of a sense of being needed and in charge of something important!), and reflect His character and His message to others without valuing our time with Him over our service? The answer is, is that we cannot. We cannot fully serve Christ and leave behind our selfish motives without our relationship with Him taking precedence over our service to Him. The real answer to the dilemma is this, however, that because our relationship with Him is so deep, a result of that deep relationship is an over-flowing desire to be intentional and serve Him in any way possible!
Therefore, if we find ourselves so busy that our quiet time with the Lord has taken a back seat to ministry and service, then we need to take an honest assessment of our motives, because while our intentions may be pure, our selfishness will always hindure His work, and furthermore we will find ourselves becoming quickly burned out!
Is it possible then to be too busy in service? The answer to that question would have to depend on the depth of our relationship with Christ. Is our relationship with Him the primary source of motivation for our service? If so, let's make sure we are treasuring our quiet time and devotion time with Him; allowing Him to fill us up to the brim, as we pour out everything in service to Him daily. Each day should be a filling and emptying. I am a true believer in that Christ does not fill our hearts up to remain full but rather He expects us to pour out those blessings onto others in service to Him.
In addition, if we are not fully allowing God to fill us up, our fuel tank will run dry quickly; however, with a daily fill-up of allowing God to renew our mind and refresh our hearts through prayer and in studying His Word, we are fully equipped to burn the fuel that He has placed in our hearts.
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