So, I am going about my day as usual. Let the dog out, make coffee, let the dog in, feed the dog, feed the cats, go in the computer room, read my daily verse, listen to some programs online, finish my coffee, make the bed (because by now Tod’s gone and the house is quiet), settle down to do some study and prayer. I’m praying through the verses I’m reading (cross references to 1 Thessalonians, the book I’m ‘camped in’ right now), and just enjoying my time with God, when my eyes turn to this verse:
1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable [steady]. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (NLT)
Wham! be strong (I’m feeling so weak now I just can’t stand it); be steady (my emotions have been all over the place). Always (yep, I just want to quit and be done with it) work enthusiastically (not just go through the motions so everybody’s happy but I’m feeling dead inside) for the Lord (not for my own satisfaction because it’s not about me), for . . .nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (not being in bed, not being in pain, not having no voice, not anything).
Talk about bow-my-head-tears-in-my-eyes-stop-dead-in-my-tracks repentance. There’s no excuse for whining. There’s no excuse for “this isn’t fun.” There’s no excuses. God is Sovereign. He has good plans for me (see Jeremiah 29); He has things He has prepared for me to do (see Ephesians 2). Whining is just a useless waste of God’s time, and it certainly doesn’t display Jesus and His saving grace and mercy to the world. It’s just time to stop it.
If I were hit head-on by a Mack truck, I’m sure that I would stop going the way I was going, and strongly consider if I should continue on that way (you know I’m totally exaggerating here, like anyone could survive such a head-on collision). But, wait a minute . . .isn’t the point of following Jesus that we die to the way we were going, and head enthusiastically onto His path, with no looking back and not even considering backing out to our old ways?
Kind of like getting hit with a Mack truck . . .and resurrecting to new life with Jesus.
Something to think about. . .
Plea for Grace 