Sometimes I wonder what affects us the most – getting “to
the end” of the year or getting “through the end” of the year. Schedules and “to do” lists and gift lists and
year end projects and deadlines and parties and programs and illness and the
list goes on… can compress our lives into small tight overloaded schedules. Many of these things are good. But during this season we tend to find
ourselves stressed, even agitated at times.
To stay sane during this season it helps if we can keep a
few things intact so we don’t lose our moorings. Albert Einstein said, “Out of the complexity,
find simplicity.” God’s will is not that
our lives become so complicated and busy that we live stressed, anxious, and
agitated lives. This is one of the
reasons Jesus said in Matthew 6:33: “Seek
first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met
as well.” Matthew 6:33 (NCV)
I know three things God wants us to do, and if we do them we’ll
keep our sanity and bring some simplicity to our lives.
1. Connect with God.
Jesus said, “‘Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40. The
first and greatest thing you and I can do is to love God. The second greatest thing you and I can do is
to love others to God. There are two
kinds of people we connect with God: Ourselves
and Others who don’t have God in their lives yet.
2. Grow spiritually.
The Apostle Paul said, Take
time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. 1 Timothy 4:7 (Ph).
Emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable. It’s not possible to be spiritually healthy while
remaining emotionally unhealthy. We must
think about our emotional health just as much as we do about our spiritual
health in order to grow spiritually.
Going into the holiday season knowing that your schedule will become
very busy, even with events you don’t know about yet, plan margin into your schedule
and leave room for emotional rest and spiritual refreshing.
3. Serve others.
Jesus said, “Whoever
wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be
first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but
to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28. The way to a great life is to serve others. If we want to be like Jesus and experience
total life, then we must choose to serve others. To serve others is to give to them. We give our time, our abilities, our
encouragement, our love, our money. To
serve God we give to Him in the same manner.
By serving God we serve people.
By serving people we serve God.
Keep your sanity this season by remembering to do three
things: Connect with God, Grow Spiritually, and Serve others.
Posts
Christmas...am I joylessly or anxiously waiting for it to get here, or am I just waiting to get through it? What does Christmas really mean to me and am I sharing that with others? Am I showing God's love and promises with others and serving in the manner that would be pleasing to Him? Christmas is a perfect opportunity to remind me how much I need to be connected to God. He is my strength, and my salvation in all times. I need his word to grow emotionally and spiritually so that I will be able to share his good news with others. I also need to remember that to stay connected to God and grow spiritually that I need to serve others according to his will for me. When I take time to reflect on what I'm writing my heart is whispering to my soul..."It isn't just the buying of "presents," but "presence" of God that is the gift that I need to be giving. Father God, thank you for all the opportunities you have given me this year to connect with you especially through my Pastor's messages, your Word, my Bible study group and my Christian family. Thank you for equipping me with all I needed to be able to serve others in need this Christmas. Help me Father to remember to ask myself often 3 questions through this coming year: 1. Am I still connected with you and how? 2. Am I growing emotionally and spiritually and how? 3. Am I serving others according to your will for me and how? I pray that my answers will be pleasing to you. Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy and endless love. May my words and actions during this season of celebration reflect the true meaning of Christmas. All these things I ask in your precious son's name...Jesus...Amen
ReplyDelete