Sometimes I don't believe that.
Some days I get bogged down under a mountain of dishes and laundry, and toys and filing and yard work .................... <Deep Breath> and my life feels mundane and ineffective.
Sometimes it feels like in order to be significant, there must be something I should DO. Something I must accomplish. Something I can discuss with people to show them I am valuable. I am just beginning to realize what a lie this is, and how deeply I have swallowed it.
Last week was extremely busy. I was leading an event at my church that expected to have a pretty big turnout. So I knew it would be taxing, and would take time to prepare, as those things do! Sunday night was the event, and Monday was going to be a regroup day. The house had taken a beating and needed some recoup, and somehow the Laundry had once again taken on a life of it's own. My youngest daughter had 2 classes to go to, so I had planned to drop her off and use the time to reclaim my house from the messes!
When I went to pick her up from the 2nd class, the girls were having just so much fun they begged for more time to play. I was fine with that, as it gave me an opportunity to sit and chat with my other mom friend! I stayed for another hour and 1/2, and I am so glad I did!
Not only did I get to know this fantastic woman better, but it turned out we had sooooooooooooo much similar in our stories. Before I knew it, we were sharing openly from the heart, our disappointments, our hurts, our victories, our miracles, and the great things God was working in our lives. We also shared tears, and fears for what is ahead on our roads. I left there feeling like something great had just happened.
Something did.
When we take time to REMEMBER all the great things God has done, it strengthens our faith. It somehow makes us stand taller and announce to ourselves, that God knew what he was doing then, and he knows what he's doing now. He has NOT left us, and His plan will turn out more amazing than we could have ever dreamed for ourselves! Looking back at what God HAS done, helps me turn back to the road ahead, square my shoulders and say "OK God, let's DO this" with a determination I didn't have a few minutes ago.
This afternoon did that for me. I hope it did that for my friend too. I think we both needed it!
So guess what. My to do lists, did not get accomplished today. Today I was not significant because of what I DID.
BUT......... somewhere in my heart I hear that gentle voice whispering ..... that I chose the better thing. I chose to BE.
I am significant because of who I am, and who God has made me, and sharing that with others is significant too.
Here's where Margin comes in. If today, I had focused on my schedule and my list, or filled my day to the brim with events, I would have missed out on an appointment God had for me. I would have missed a chance to connect with another kindred spirit who also needed to be refreshed today! It makes me sad to think of how many times I have probably missed out on a chance to really connect with someones heart because I was too busy.
One of my dear friends has a wonderful tag on her emails, it says "don't just give a blessing, BE a blessing." I love that!
Today, who you ARE can bless someone. It may be as simple as sharing and talking.
Did you know that you could be significant just by sharing who you ARE? By just BEing?
You are more than what you can DO for people. Who you ARE is so important. Share it.
I bet if you made yourself a little bit more available you'd be amazed at how God makes appointments for you. How many women do you rub shoulders with but never get to really TALK to?
Don't always keep trying to DO for everyone. Take time to stop, and just BE. That's worth something too. Even Jesus thought so:
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42
Mary chose to just BE with her Lord. To just BE exactly where He wanted her to be, at exactly the right time.
Martha wasn't doing anything bad (at least in our eyes), her heart and her timing were just off. But she was missing it.
Leading events and DOing have their place, but we are missing out on God's best for us if we never take the time to just BE.
Martha wasn't doing anything bad (at least in our eyes), her heart and her timing were just off. But she was missing it.
Leading events and DOing have their place, but we are missing out on God's best for us if we never take the time to just BE.
No comments:
Post a Comment