Passages: 1 Corinthians 10:14- 11:1
Not for my own good. That’s what struck me this week as I read this chapter.
23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
33 …For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
How often do I say “no” to someone or “Sorry I can’t help with that I am so busy”. Lately I’ve been wondering if the new cool thing is to tell everyone how busy we all are. Aren’t we all busy? We all have families/friends, jobs, hobbies, Church, vacations to plan, houses to clean, cooking and laundry to get done, emails to return and so on. Don’t we all have a similar ‘to do list’ when it really comes down to it? Most of us go around almost bragging about how busy we are. But are we really all that busy? Or is it the easy way of avoiding others/God? Perhaps we lie to ourselves so that we’re convinced we really are too busy for others or for God. If I look at my daytimer it’s not exactly covered with appointments but I am so guilty of always saying how busy I am. I’ve been thinking about how I’d like to start my day….in a perfect world I would say,
“Today is your day Lord, what would you like me to do today? I have my to do list but I am flexible and totally willing to work with you and change it if it means that many would be saved. In fact Lord I’d love to work for You today so please throw me that ‘curve ball’ so I can see You and know You are here with me and see many saved by Your grace, Amen. “
Since it’s not a perfect world maybe I’ll just start by asking God to help me to be more willing and flexible. I’m also going to start challenging myself that when someone asks me how things are going I’ll say ‘great’ or ‘horrible’ but I’m not going to say ‘I’m BUSY’! If they ask me how work is I will remembering to say, “I am very blessed with a lot of great clients and students. However I love having time for my family and friends.” For me saying “I’m so busy” is really the new “I’m fine” that was around in the 80’s and 90’s. But getting back to how ‘busy’ we all are let’s be real we’re not the royal family however even they have openings in their daytimers..they are just booking a year or two in advance 😉
Most importantly let’s not be too busy for God…I want to be busy for God not too busy for God. I challenge myself and others this week to ‘get real’ with your schedule and let’s stop avoiding people and God so that many would be saved and blessed. I believe this is a huge curtain the devil hides behind and the name of the show he’s premiering is called ‘BUSY-NESS’. Let’s not be a part of it. Our lives are in the hands of GOD. Our lives are not are own so why are we seeking our own good? Our own ambitions? Our own agendas, goals and dreams. This is a huge topic I know, don’t forget I am in the clay too. I am SO not perfect and totally guilty of being ‘busy’. But God has really laid it on my heart to share these thoughts even though it’s a huge topic.
Here are some thoughts from my favorite blogger/author Lysa Terkeurst. I hope her thoughts help you and encourage you. She says this:
“The thought that I am really something denies the reality that, but for the grace of Christ I am nothing”.
“We don’ have to seek to create opportunities to say yes to God. God has already gone before us and established them. We simply have to respond.”
My personal call to action and conviction this week is,
“Do I have time in my schedule to respond to God? If so am I doing it for the good of others or myself?”
This is Lysa Terkeurst’s Five Question Filter For Knowing God’s Will…
Does what I’m hearing line up with scripture?
Is it consistent with God’s character?
Is it being confirmed through messages I’m hearing at Church or studying in my quite times?
Is it beyond me?
Would it please God?
In the clay,
Chantal Dube