You Don't Have To Do It All Yourself
I think it's human nature to feel like we have to do everything and be everything to everyone. We learn at an early age that success alone isn't good enough. We must do more than just succeed. We must go above and beyond and become "overachievers."
Later, our employers reward those who neglect family, health and happiness in exchange for their jobs. This only reinforces the behavior more. Unfortunately, what started with good intentions becomes an unbalanced lifestyle that is focused on the praise of man rather than God.
Look at Ephesians 2:8-10 in the Message Bible.
Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”
When our goal is to receive the praise of men, we start focusing on what we can do ourselves to achieve it. As a result, we lose sight of what Jesus did for us on the cross. We forget that it was by grace through faith that we are saved.
Now, what I say next may come as a shock so hold on to your chair....
God never expected us to do everything!
Yep, no joke. He only wants us to do what He called us to do.
Look at Ephesians 2:8-10 in the Amplified Bible.
For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
In this translation we see that God predestined good works for us to do beforehand. It doesn't say that God wants us to do everything and be everything to everyone. It doesn’t say that we are supposed to work ourselves to the bone day and night neglecting our health, family and happiness. It says that there are specific works God wants us to do. We just need to find out what those works are and do them to the best of our ability. And even then, God didn’t leave us to complete them on our own. He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us and give us wisdom. He also reminds us in Philippians 4:13 that we get our strength to do all things through Christ. I think we mistakenly read that to mean we are supposed to do all things. I believe it means that we get our strength to do those good works He predestined for us through Jesus. Isn’t that a relief to know that we don’t have to be supermen or superwomen? We just need to rest in Jesus and do what we are called to do.
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You Don't Have To Do It All Yourself
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How Fear Gives Sin a Vote in Your Life
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