“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23
This past week provided me with a few teachable moments with my girls on the above verse.
On Monday morning, our five-year-old sat down to her preschool homework. She knows her letters and how to write them; but she does not love practicing them on her handwriting paper.
As she sat there, writing without applying herself to try to be neat, this verse came to mind. As I explained the verse and what it meant, she looked at me with astonishment: “You mean Jesus cares if my schoolwork is neat?”
Yes, He does. (That homework was neater than Friday’s).
Later in the week, our ten-year-old was reminded to clean her guinea pig’s cage. She reluctantly went about the task, failing to sweep up the hay around his cage. I repeated this verse, which she knows. We had a discussion about how Jesus knew she was tired and how she may not feel like doing her best, but He (and I) were still asking for her best. She passed my inspection with the second check. and, hopefully her heart was reminded of God’s expectations.
Yesterday, I awoke, still battling a bug from the day before. Not only was I physically ill, but as a result of many things, I was feeling very sad.
I kept repeating Philippians 4:8 to myself and felt like I just could not focus in the positive.
I was walking downstairs where I heard our five-year-old explaining to her oldest sister how we should do our “very best in everything, because it’s for Jesus.”
And that means attitudes too, I thought. I paused and prayed right there for God to heal me physically and also to adjust my attitude. I had been doing what I thought God wanted me to do in life, not because I wanted to do it, but out of obedience to Him. Because of my attitude, I was not doing everything with my whole heart. I was not giving Jesus my best.
Even when we are tired, or sick, or whatever, He is asking for the best we can give at that time. I also think He expects us to try to prepare ourselves to give the best, by getting enough rest, practicing stress management techniques, and spending time with Him. We can (and should), always ask Him for help so we might serve Him better!
Prayer: Lord, please help me to do my best in whatever you call me to do. And when I don’t want to give my best, please, adjust my attitude.
Reflections:
1) Recall a time you gave less than your best.
2) What were the surrounding circumstances?
3) If the reasons were physical, how could you prepare for that same situation in the future?
4) If the reasons were emotional or mental, how can you prepare for that same situation in the future?
5) How can you build up yourself spiritually so you can face any task God calls you to?
Thank you for reading! Please take time to take the poll! The next post should be up by Monday, November 26
Amen Sis! Keep it comin’. So glad you share your gifts with us as Sisters. I need that encouragement and reminder to focus, focus, focus! Especially during the storms of daily life. Love you! Me :o)
Dawn, Thank you for such encouragement. I am so humbled to have such a cheerleader! I am also so humbled that my children are teaching me spiritual insights. God loves us each so much and He never gives up on us!
I didn’t answer your poll at the beginning! LOL! I knew you were headed somewhere I didn’t want to go! What an awesome world this would be if we all “did our best for the Lord”! I know I need to do a better job of building myself up spiritually. I often sit back and think wow, they know their Bible so well. Well, I could too if I would apply myself more! People that I admire have obviously spent alot of time in the word and in prayer, it doesn’t just happen. I have spent alittle time with someone recently that I hadn’t with before and I have realized just how equipped she is to discern some issues that we have been thrown into unexpectedly where my side is more how I feel.
Sonya,
I love you honesty about when you answered the poll! Thank you! Also, a thought about people knowing Scripture. I have so much to learn, but I know a lot more than I did eight years ago. At that time, I had asked someone a specific question about the Bible. I learned later the answer was a lie. I vowed right then and there to learn it for myself. Somedays I do not get much time with God, but other days I get lots of study time in, and realize the more I learn, the more I need to learn. But, I am always encouraged because no matter what I read in the Bible, I know God loves me and will not give up on me.
I don’t know if this helps, but when I started reading through the Bible the first time, I began in the New Testament. I went straigth through the New Testament, and found really only Revelation to be tricky. Not that I completely got all the other books, (even now I am constantly aware I miss so much!), but the joy of re-reading is that I almost always learn something new.
After the New Testament I went through the Old Testament. I got a bit bogged down in Lamentations the first time, but subsequest readings taught me a lot about what God expects from us in the obedience department. (Not all the sacrificing, but what the idea was behind the sacrificing.)
Please be encouraged! God does not want us comparing ourselves to others, just compare yourself to who you were in the past and note the progress God has helped you make!
Thank you for your comments!
Stefanie