It seems pretty straight forward and yet we get caught up on doing versus not doing for whatever reason. Perhaps we stay too busy so that we don't have to be responsible. The down side to that one is everybody in your life becomes a victim of your selfishness. Staying too busy may be an excuse that works for you in your situation. However, it's not an excuse to God. He wants us to be happy and fulfilled. How can that take place if we are neglecting God and his relationship with us?
Staying distracted is another way out for us. If we are distracted by those items we seem to think crucial we miss out on blessing others and being blessed ourselves. Don't get me wrong, God doesn't want us to stop having fun. That's not the point. We are so busy with "stuff" that we aren't available for God to use and for God to bless. We don't want to do something at home or with our family so we work late, have sports on Saturday and take Sunday to relax so that we can do it all over again on Monday.
When we think of God as an employer we miss out on a huge portion of what could be a really wonderful relationship with Him. There is no "Christian time clock" to punch. Nor is there any overtime to be gained if we are required to use time for God. Going the extra mile isn't the extra mile for God...it IS the mile. Doing what is right is not worthy of a special award or a pay increase. Doing what is right is the first impulse of the Christian. I wish I could go back to earlier days and even yesterday and get this one right. This is His blog and hopefully I step out of the way so that what is important to God can be transferred to you.
One of my biggest blessings is knowing that all of my children have asked Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. I even was able to pray with 4 of the 7 that first prayer. I've watched them grow (the youngest is 13) and mature in their relationship with God. The kids are His. He has loaned them to me so that they might grow up and be his witness. It was my blessing to be able to input whatever I did to help them move forward with this task. There were many choices I made that weren't what God wanted and I was concerned about their walk with Jesus. I didn't have to worry as their walk was WITH Jesus and not me. I am part of the plan but not THE plan.
If we do not intentionally listen to God every minute of every day; we miss out on the blessing of God. Then not only for ourselves but also for those around us. Stories abound of how being in the right place at the right time with the right solution/answer/help brought about the blessing of God to more than one person. Have you ever been interrupted in your "doing" in order for God to use you to bless others? Was it before that you felt good about this intrusion or after the other person(s) were thanking you for whatever you did for them?
Our frame of heart is what is important to God. The Bible tells us that we are to be cheerful givers. That is not just about our money but also about meals shared, coffee given, listening attended to and a host of other little items that God puts in our path as a means to bless others. To make matters even less appealing to our worldly hearts and minds, God wants us to do and be this representative to our enemies as well. What!? Yep, God wants us to show others the love of God. All others! I have such a difficult time with this. You can pray for me now.
If someone reaches up to poke me in the eye I will deflect his arm and threatening finger. If someone in front of me in traffic hits their brakes I will follow suit. These are "first nature responses" and we have many of them in all areas of our lives. They are lived out without consciously thinking about them. This is how God wants us to live out our Christianity...as a first nature response. Automatically if you will. Without thinking (because that gives us time to argue with God and the moment is missed). With abandon of self in favor of presenting Christ to all we encounter.
When we live our lives as thankful Christians others see Christ in us. Should we gain the privilege of telling someone about Jesus our happiness should match that of the angels in heaven. Nothing is as important as the decision people make to live a life surrendered to Jesus. Nothing.
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