Hi how are you all today? I have had a good week , busy but as God had recently reminded me I need to continue to walk daily in the rhythms of Gods grace. Walking each step of each day knowing that He is with me and is willing to help me achieve all He has called me to do. I hope this is an encouragement to you to do the same.
This week I want to continue that theme of don’t strive. Strive in the Oxford dictionary means to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something or to struggle or fight vigorously.
Even this definition sounds like hard work. Striving is like playing tug of war and being at the end of a rope and pulling it over the line. It takes mental and physical energy and leaves us tired and worn out in not only our body and soul but also spiritually. Because we are tired, our whole life suffers.
If you are in this place today, run to God and get His peace but also His direction. Striving can be brought on for a number of reasons. They are:
1. Perfectionism- everything we do and say must be perfect. This leaves no room for the grace of God to work in your life. It is like you are making a statement – I can do this better than you God. It is time to know that perfectionism is rooted in unworthiness and we are only worthy through God. You are a son or daughter of the King and don’t need to strive to please Him. You just need to come.
2. Busyness – some people wear busyness like a medal around their necks. It is okay to be active and busy but not in our own strength and not in doing what God has told you not to. Busyness can be rooted in pride – look at how good I am and pride, the Bible says, always comes before a fall. In busyness language it can lead to burnout.
3. Responsibility- responsibility is good but not if we take it all on and don’t delegate. This is true at work and at home. We can’t train others adequately if we don’t delegate. All of us must do what God requires of us personally and no more. When we take on additional work, which is usually someone else’s, we diminish their calling from God. This is not good and we will be held accountable. The root cause of this could be also pride – look at me or not being able to trust. Trust takes time to build but can never be built where we don’t give it opportunity.
There are countless other reasons why we strive but let’s look at a story in the Bible where striving was called out and dealt with. This story is part of Moses’ story.
In Exodus 18, Jethro visits Moses to bring back his wife and children. Jethro is Moses father in law and the priest of Midian. Like a good father, he watches Moses for a day to see what he is doing. What he sees is not good. Moses sits in a certain place and the people come to him all day with their complaints and grievances. Moses is striving each day to assist the people with their issues.
Jethro calls out this behaviour at the end of the day. He tells Moses that what he is doing is not good as he is wearing himself out. He tells Moses to start delegating the tasks which he does. This eases his workload and enables him to do what God has called him to do – spend time with Him and be a leader.
This week, evaluate your own life. If you are striving go to God and find out the remedy. It will be worth it. God has called you for a purpose not for burnout. You can change your life. Do it for you and your family. This will help you live the life that God has intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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