I have been working on some my sessions for Women’s Retreat with the theme, “Sustained by God.” I have been looking at the topic from many angles. One such angle I have been considering is how we become “unsustained.” (And yes, I did just make up that word😉)
There are a number of things we do that cause us to weaken in our walk with God. First and foremost, of course, sin erodes at the fabric of our relationship with Christ. There is no life in sin. The author of Hebrews speaks about throwing off the sin that entangles us and really anything that will trip us up. And if we read the next line, it is very instructional for those of us that see lots of people running in the race and we begin hopping in their lanes and running the race marked out for them, instead of staying in our own lane. When we are exhausted and depleted, it might be wise for us to take an inventory of our soul and reflect on what race we are running…is it really our race or someone else's?
Nothing will exhaust us more than doing the work someone else was called to do, all the while we are abandoning the very thing God needs us to be doing right now. Sometimes we think we can do their job better, be careful. You might be right, but did God call you to do what they are to be doing. If you will remember it was Moses that was called by God to speak to Pharaoh, not Aaron, even though Aaron was the better speaker. God knew Aaron was a better speaker, but He called the man with the heart he needed for the job. God modified the strategy for confronting Pharaoh only because Moses pretty much begged God to use someone else. (Exodus 4:10-17)
We don’t know the hearts of men, but we can trust that God has skillfully and wisely distributed his spiritual gifts as they are needed to effectively encourage, equip and evangelize. When you look at the passages in scripture regarding spiritual gifts, there is no gift of “micromanager of the flock.” Don’t miss out on how God wants
to use you, because you are looking at how others are running their race. Fix your eyes on Jesus and run the race marked out for you. We need you.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.