Having read through several blogs lately, I've discovered that I'm not the only one who occasionally looks in the mirror and thinks, "What in the world am I doing?" Serving the Lord can be a very daunting task. I wouldn't trade it for anything else (though I do work at Sears for the next six months). It's just that I regularly come to the point at which I think, "Lord, I'm glad this is on you and not me."
You can be encouraged with me, then, to think about Solomon. Solomon was the one king of Israel who truly had everything going for him, at least in the early years. He had famous wisdom, unimaginable wealth, and peaceful influence over the entire Near East. 1 Kings 4:34 states that ambassadors from nations far and wide would travel just to meet and listen to Solomon.
If we backtrack, we see Solomon as king in 1 Kings 3. He is new, but he's been king long enough to have a reputation for following in his father's footsteps. He's also been king long enough that his enemies are dead (see previous chapters) and that there is peace around him. Still, 1 Kings 3:7 records Solomon telling the Lord that he feels like an ignorant child when it comes to leading the Lord's people. Sure, he followed David's decrees and sacrificed to the Lord, but at least once he looked in the mirror and thought, "What am I doing? I can't lead these people!" So, of course, he asked for wisdom.
God loved it. Solomon didn't try to make up for his weaknesses, nor did he pick up "Leading from Your Strengths" and give 'er. He was plainly honest with the Lord. The Lord resultantly gave Solomon a new heart - one with wisdom and understanding (3:12). That new heart was what launched Solomon into leading Israel in a time of vast size, enormous wealth, great peace, and godly influence.
He's doing the same for us, isn't He? It doesn't matter whether you're leading a group of God's people congregationally or whether you're simply a Christian with the global influence experienced by any daughter or son of Abraham. He has given/will give us a new heart with which to lead. If you have that new heart, trust it. Pray the prayer of Psalm 31:4, "Into your hands I commit my spirit." If you don't have it, pray this anyway. AND BELIEVE IT!! Leading from His Strengths will get you much further, and even you will be shocked at the miracles God does through you.
2 comments:
This is a lesson I have been learning for a couple of years. I am so glad you are doing well and God provided a job. Hey, at least your not a bill collector!
I do however find it ironic that you work for sears. Currently, sears is on my bad list. If they didn't have such good appliances, we would have never gone back due to Wanda. She was terrible. But Sears is good. But instead of being a one night process, it took us 3 days to buy a fridge, washer & dryer. But, we got some big discounts due to their screw ups.
We miss you!!
Email me your digits.
Even better, Heathluvsing, is the fact that I work for appliances. I agree with your Sears appliance assessment (I even did before I worked there).
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