Many of us today have a busy lifestyle for many reasons: family, work, financial pressures, various commitments, relationships etc. Do I make a list of “Things to do today”, ever hopeful of all the boxes being ticked off at the end of the day, yet, in reality, find myself murmuring through the tasks in a bad attitude because, yet again, I know my list will not be completed by evening. God, in His wisdom, created twenty four hours in our day. He deemed it enough time to work, eat, relate, relax and sleep for each day. Every new day is a gift from God and as a steward of the gift, I need to learn to prioritize where I give my time. God is not a hard taskmaster. We were created for His good pleasure to live our lives for His glory. A complaining heart, when things do not go according to my plan, will not fulfill the former statement. It just reveals a bad attitude.
In the natural there are certain tasks that we do not look forward to carrying out. An older lady had gone through life never relishing the task of cleaning her bedroom and had even stated her dislike of the task very strongly. She loved the result of the task but her attitude was always negative when approaching it. The Holy Spirit challenged her one day regarding her words, reminding her that the power of life and death lies in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Our words are creative! The sister purposed, as unto the Lord, to stop declaring her hatred of the task, but to keep a thankful heart that she had a bedroom to clean and the physical strength to complete the task. These are the areas in our hearts that the Lord is seeking to bring His divine order to, that our lives will be lived to His glory and purposes.
God loves a cheerful giver. This is not just about finance but includes time, and every aspect of life. If I am doing what God requires of me each day, there should be the hallmarks of His presence in my heart, that is, His joy and peace. I may be involved in a host of busyness, but it is still possible to be a carrier of God’s presence in the tumult. Jesus demonstrated this. He never surrendered the sense of His Father’s presence to a crisis. His peace was never disturbed because He trusted in His Father’s ultimate control of every situation.
2 Corinthians 9:7-8 “Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
A friend shared this testimony: As a young wife and mother, she was struggling with her daily responsibilities time wise, after being given the added task of caring for a sick relative. In desperation she sought the Lord. His counsel came “to give out of her lack.” She was astounded at these words as she was sorely stretched in her time already. She asked the Lord exactly what He was requiring of her. The Lord answered her by impressing on her to give some time to someone who was not easy to love and develop a friendship there. She did not want to, but in obedience, she began to relate regularly to this person and a friendship blossomed. Eventually, the thing she had not wanted to do, became a joy to her. She also learned to prioritize her time according to God’s plans. She discovered the divine principal of giving from your small supply, will be blessed when put into the hand of God. She found she had enough time, without stress, to complete her daily tasks. The account of 5 loaves and 2 small fishes put into the hand of Jesus, became a miracle to feed 5 thousand people, (Mark 6:35-44).
What God demands, He supplies! When I bow my will to His, I find the reality of this truth that His grace is sufficient for me: 2 Corinthians 12:9 “…My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Let us encourage ourselves in God: Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God will have a people who are conformed to the image of His Son, (Ephesians 4:13). The question is, will I bow and be conformed? What have I got to lose when He offers me the royal exchange of His beauty for my ashes. In the world’s terminology of today – it’s a no brainer!
