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God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 1 Corinthians 12:6
When you meet someone for the first time, there are generally two questions asked.
“What’s your name?”
“What do you do for a living?”
Like it or not, we are usually categorized by some according to the answer we give.
Are you a ‘white collar worker’ or a ‘blue collar worker’ worker?
Do you work in the trades or are you an entrepreneur?
Are you homeless or self employed?
In God’s eyes those categories don’t exist. He gifts us, through His Holy Spirit to accomplish great things for the Kingdom.
The church nursery workers are just as valuable as the worship leaders and pastors.
The greeters at the door are just as gifted as the elders. All of us are empowered by the Holy Spirit when we live for Jesus.
The cashier is just as gifted as the business owner.
The person living paycheck to paycheck is just as valued in God’s eyes as the Billionaire.
So, gifted one, go forth. Encourage where you can. Serve where you’re able. Enjoy the giftedness you have because of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. He gave you just what you need to be excellent in what you do for him.
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 1 John 2:15
“FOMO”
If you aren’t up on the latest slang terms, ‘FOMO’ stands for the Fear Of Missing Out. Those driven by FOMO are always looking for new things to enjoy, always afraid they will miss out on the best things, always looking for a new thrill.
They are like a toddler who can’t keep from being distracted by shiny things. They are only satisfied with what they have until something new comes along. They chase after this rabbit trail and then another and the cycle repeats itself.
What’s the driving force for FOMO? It’s dissatisfaction with what one has and the longing for more. FOMO drives one from one thing to another hoping to find lasting satisfaction. That never happens.
People put chemicals in their bodies to feel euphoria but that never lasts so they go back and try again. “Maybe this time…”
They flit from this relationship to that hoping ‘this one will last.’ And so the cycle goes on.
They work for hours hoping to get ahead while neglecting those their health or family only to get fatigue.
The world offers shiny things. Things that entice you but bring no lasting pleasure. Yet we continue to go back to them hoping that feeling will stay. It won’t.
Don’t settle for the temporary pleasures the world offers. Only God gives things that last. You can’t have it both ways. Don’t let FOMO keep you from the lasting fulfillment only God can bring.
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7
Remaining in Jesus is easy when times are good. When the checkbook balances, when the kids are excelling in good things, when your relationships are strong at home, and at work, when you finish your to do list every single day, it’s easy to remain in Jesus.
During those times, you may thank Him for all of His blessings. You may remember all of his promises and bask in his grace. You may even have the courage to testify to his greatness at church!
But what about those other times? Those times, and every road seems to be a dead end.
Those times when you struggle and strive to make things right and yet nothing seems to work.
Those times when the work that you have to do ahead of you seems overwhelming and you wonder how anything will ever get done.
Those times when you don’t even meet your own expectations, much less the expectations of others.
The gospels are full of people facing hopeless situation’s.
The dad, who’s a little boy would have seizures and throw himself into the fire or water.
The mom who followed the funeral procession out of town for her only son.
The woman humiliated because she was caught in the act of adultery.
The woman whose life was a mess, and after five divorces was living with a man who didn’t even value her enough to marry her?
Jesus makes a statement a couple of times in the gospels about the fact that we can have whatever we hope to have or accomplish. It’s a pretty amazing promise! And it’s one that has caused many to abandon the faith. They asked, and they didn’t receive so they decided the promise was invalid.
But the key to ‘getting what we want’ is being so close to Jesus that we want the same things he wants.
Fame is temporary. Possessions can be lost. Relationships can crumble. Good health that can be taken from you in an instant. Those who thought you could count on, can stab you in the back or throw you under the bus.
Abiding in Jesus is more than attending church on Sunday. It’s more than Bible study. It’s more than prayer. All of those things are good, but abiding in Jesus is more about growing in relationship with Him. When that happens, you find your needs are met more often because your desires have changed.
Lord Jesus, help us to learn what it really means to abide in you. To draw so close to you so that your very thoughts become our thoughts, your desires become our desires, and your ways become our ways.
Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them. Isaiah 43:7
What’s your story? You have one you know. We all do. They may not be on the written page, but they are written on your heart and most likely on the hearts of many around you.
Everyday you write a chapter. Some may be mundane. Some you may revisit because they are exciting. Others you wish you could erase, but you can’t.
The thing about stories is they are written to bring glory to the author. No one spends days and weeks and months writing a book they don’t want published. Every aspiring author dreams of being on the ‘New York Times Best Sellers List’. Quite honestly, stories are written for the glory of the author.
So let me ask again, what’s your story? Is it one you’d like to keep buried on the closet shelf?
What if you could rewrite the story of you? What if each word, each page, each chapter was, well, enjoyable. You know, the kind of story you can’t put down, that you can’t wait to read the ending.
Here’s the good news. Your story can be rewritten. Not by you, but by the most creative person who ever existed!
By putting your faith in Jesus, God the Father calls you to Himself. Why? Because you are a story that brings Him glory.
There’s nothing you can do to earn it. He doesn’t expect you to do anything but accept his gift of a story that’s creative and fulfilled.
Ever read a story that has a counter plot. You know the kind where the hero or heroin is well on the way to victory but the villain in the story is trying to sabotage him or her.
Yeah, that’s your story too. But wait to the end. You win! And when you win, you bring glory to the author, God the Father.
Let Him write your story!
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15
“Get some rest”, the doctor told me, “The best thing you can do for your healing is to get good rest.“
Resting is much easier said than done. It’s difficult to rest when everyone around you is busy doing things. Especially those things that you used to do. Even though you know the best thing you can do is to rest, your mind tells you the worst thing you can do is rest. It’s a horrible dichotomy.
Maybe you’ve seen that too. Resting isn’t the same as sleeping. Sometimes you wake up in the morning and you don’t feel rested. Oh, you slept, but you didn’t rest. Even if you’re sleeping, your mind wouldn’t quit. It seemed like you were constantly reminded of the bills that weren’t getting paid, the relationships that were strained, the guilt and shame you feel for your past or the workplace struggles you need to address in the morning.
Resting is essential for healing. Your body needs time to regroup. Your body needs time to do what it is created to do naturally. To heal.
What’s true in the physical realm, is true in our spiritual/emotional lives as well. God speaks through Isaiah to tell us that our strength does not come from our activity. Our healing doesn’t come from the work that we do. Our healing and strength comes from quietness and confidence.
The psalmist writes, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Our confidence doesn’t come from anything we can do. Our confidence comes from knowing that God has everything in control.
True rest leads to healing, healing comes when we have confidence in the promises that God has given us. Promises of forgiveness. Promises of safety. Promises of grace.
Do you need some rest today? Not just physical rest, but spiritual or emotional rest? Ask the Holy Spirit now, to help you to have confidence in the strength God gives you. He is the source of all healing and all rest.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 