“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he might lift you up in due time.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6
Last week, I was reading Michael Todd’s YouVersion devotional, Marked, and was encouraged by what he wrote on day three:
“Do you know that nothing you do is wasted, and it will all be used for His glory? iGod wants to know if you will steward His word in private, in and out of season, because stewardship is the heart of God. You might be in a place where you are struggling with the obstacles that come with not being in your “appointed sweet spot,” but know that when you’re marked and going through the development process, your opportunities will often be wrapped in obstacles.” ~ Michael Todd (Marked devotional)
Do you ever get discouraged when faced with obstacles that seem to stop you from completing the work God has given you?
As I’ve been honing in on the projects God has called me to achieve, I often get upset when things take me away from my desk or pull me out of my focus bubble. I want to make every second count and get as much done in a day as I can, so when others ask me for help, or I have to take the day off to spend time with them, it can often feel like I’m wasting time that could be better spent on “work that matters.” But, this couldn’t be further from the truth! The Bible says that we are to use our gifts to bring glory to God AND serve others! I think we (myself included) can get so caught up in wanting to bring glory to God that we forget the importance of serving others and sacrificing our needs for someone else’s.
This is a BIG struggle for me, but I’m working on it. I love what Jordan Raynor said recently, “We can show grace to ourselves because God has shown grace to us.”
Be gracious to yourself this week! Humble yourself that it’s not by your strength that you will accomplish what God has laid out for you, but His! When you are open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you will be refined, and when the time is right, God will use the work He’s given you to propel you into a greater future than you could’ve planned!
