Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

"Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

        The richness of the truth I am about to share is more delicious than a hundred bags of dark chocolate. I am so grateful to the Lord for how directly and clearly he spoke today through His word and the words of his chosen. My busyness lately is clouding my judgment and exhausting my mind. But I am doing so many good things! I don`t want to give any of them up or let go of opportunities that could lead others to Christ. Could my busyness be spreading me so far and so thin that I actually could hinder rather than help? Yes, I believe that answer is a clear yes. If you are so busy and overwhelmed and running the rat race of life only to get over the next hurdle and see another one coming, I urge you to stop. To stand still. Sit down. And rest. In those moments you will ask yourself what am I living for? Who am I living for? What are my goals and what is my focus? God in his grace new we would tend to live like this and so he provides the answers...

           "In two short phrases, the apostle Paul practically wrote a thesis on simplification.  For every one of us who ever wondered where to draw the line, juggled too many balls at once, or had trouble making up our mind, Paul offers a timely simplification: "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  We differ in talents, gifts, and resources, but the hands of time strangle us all.  We desperately need a time management course-- but who can fit it in?

When our beloved Michael was little, he loved to "help" me in the grocery store.  Once he begged me to buy our dogs a large bag of rawhide bones.  His face was so animated that I agreed, but when we arrived home I forgot about the purchase, Michael-- always a sneak-- slipped the bag out without my noticing.  Later that day, a strange commotion in the backyard seized my attention. Our dog , Sunny, was hopping frantically in every direction, kicking up more grass and weeds than a weed eater, and panting as if she were fighting for her last few breaths.  When I walked out to investigate, I heard Michael laughing mischievously, and then I saw them-- at least 100 "bones" scattered all over the back yard.  Sunny was frenzied.  So little time-- so many bones!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not "dogging" us for trying.  Most of our "bones" are good ones.  We've just got too many to chew. In our attempt to do a hundred good things, we may not do any of them well.  We're caught in the captivity of activity-- hopping frantically in every direction, tongues dragging, and lungs panting.  We're dog tired.  

God never meant for us to live frenzied lives.  Back breaking schedules are not His idea.  How can we, believers in Christ, restructure our lives ad find a little refreshment?

1. Reestablish the goal:  Isaiah 43:7 tells us we were created for His glory.  The purpose of our brief journey on this planet is to glorify God.  He desires for us to pour the best of our energies into God's works.  Go back to the basics!

2. Redirect your focus: Matthew 6:33 makes a revolutionary promise.  If we seek God first, He will direct our schedules and help us to discern His priorities through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Give this approach a try... it works!

3. Rethink your motivation:  Galatians 1:10 prompts us to ask ourselves if any of our activities are seeking man's approval rather than God's.  If we seek to please people rather than God, rules will constantly change and expectations will soar.

4. Rest in God's will: Hebrews 4:10 says, "Anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own

work."

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?  God is not unreasonable.  He does not heap on stress and then refuse to grant us rest.  None of us can do 100 things to the glory of God.  Let's find rest in His will and do a few things well!"

         What exactly are we trying to prove by being so busy? What am I trying to prove to myself? To others? To God? The fact is I am imperfect and human and I can only handle so much. Praise God that he handles the rest for me... he handles my mistakes and my hateful words and my demeaning thoughts. He forgives and restores where people have stabbed at my heart and created wounds that seem they will never heal. Yet God his good and his love for me is more than enough. Every time I mess up and fail and am blamed and have the weight of the world on my shoulders, he takes my place. He forgives and he restores. He gives me the wisdom to say no and to put the things and people out of my life that only lead me away from His glory rather than point me to it. So what does it mean for me? I think it means God is telling me to quit one of my three jobs, say goodbye to hurting friendships, and with my freed up time to give more if it to him. He blessed me in giving me the gifts of giving and of helping, but when I spread myself too wide and too thin, I only lose myself in the process. 

        God wasn`t made for me. I was made for Him.