Week of July 6, 2008 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
~Matthew 11:28
Have you ever been so burdened by your work that you feel like the faster you work, the faster time passes and the less time you have to catch up? As if running on a treadmill, you fear you won’t meet your goal, and you realize you’re on the border of burnout?
We’ve all been there, if not just temporarily. And sometimes, when we’re in the midst of the fury, God schedules us for a refreshing. It can arrive when we feel we have the least amount of time to come away. God may expect us to simply lay down the workload and spend hours or days with Him. Or He may pull us away for a vacation or retreat or even a simple weekend.
But do we trust God enough to obey and receive? Do we really believe that the all-seeing, all-knowing God of the universe loves us enough to prosper us in all He assigns us?
Whatever respite God requires of us, it’s important to remember that He has our best interest at heart. He desires to help us. He will be faithful to regenerate, renew and restore our energy. And He will give us fresh revelation, vision and insight in the most creative ways, even through others.
In so doing, God reminds us that He is God; He is in control; we are not alone; He works on our behalf; He is committed to our success, and He is the creator of creativity. He will show us the “obvious” that we didn’t see while we were intensely focused behind a PC or otherwise at work.
In this way, we see God's artistry in perfecting and completing His work through us. Like a painter, He uses us to come in close and step back to “see” the vision, sketch the outline, add the details, then refine the work to capture the whole.
God’s perspective is unlimited and perfect. He rewards diligence. And obedience is the key.
So if we sense God leading us to come away with Him in the midst of our impending deadline, we must. He does this to not only test our priorities but also to give us what we need in the intimate place. Sometimes, it’s just a nugget, a single revelation that will make all the other components come into place. But whatever it is, it will be better than we could have derived on our own—even with our talents, gifts and training. We’ll return to work with a fresh eye and a renewed enthusiasm.
The Lord says in Jeremiah 31:25 that He “will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Sometimes, the most appropriate action we can take is to let go, let God and to pray for the discernment to know when to do so.
God knows what we need. Is He waiting for you?
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God’s Love At Work, a workplace outreach dedicated to advancing women and cultivating the heart of Jesus Christ in women so they may, in turn, share God’s love in the marketplace. Check out her 2008 God’s Love at Work Conference & Expo at www.GodsLoveAtWork.com/2008WomensExpo.
1 comment:
Thank you! I needed this today. Sometimes, I wonder how I got where I am today. I look at the roads I've been on, and the choices I've made. In hindsight, I can see how the Lord has led me over the years. With that little piece of knowlege, it's so much easier to just put my trust in Him and let tomorrow bring what it will. He will never give us anything we can't handle, and He will continue to provide the strength and peace that we need to get through each day.
May His Peace find you in the morning.
~Beth
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