Reason #455
I have been looking forward to this moment all day. To finally crawling into bed and being mere minutes away from sleep. I can't even explain how excited I am that I get to sleep past 8:00 tomorrow. This will be the first day since I don't know when that I get to do that. In fact, I may actually get 9 hours of sleep tonight which is considered a record these days. Oh, how I look forward to a Saturday when I can sleep until I wake up, I can lay in bed and read for a few hours, and I can spend the whole doing absolutely nothing unless I just feel like it.
I was reminded of my Ruth bible study this week. I am so grateful that the Lord provided me the opportunity to go through that study with my girlfriends for 6 weeks. I won't lie, bible studies can be exhausting and easy to give up on, but they are so rewarding if you actually complete them. I've done my fair share of starting and never finishing a study, and I'm thankful that I didn't do the same for this one.
I suffer from "me" syndrome a lot. Feeling like I deserve this and that. Thinking that I'm entitled to have something or do something. Wondering why I am not where I feel I should be. Feeling slighted because I'm not receiving what I think I should get. "Me" syndrome, you know. And if you don't slightly suffer from it, too, I bet you know someone who does. It's pretty common, and it's easy to catch. And so I found myself battling big time with "me" syndrome on Wednesday.
I left work completely exhausted. Not tired from work itself, but worn out from being frustrated. And so I spent a bit venting and letting out my frustrations, which really didn't do much for me. But as I started to talk through it, I began to realize what was happening. I was craving attention, recognition. I was working for human approval. I was seeking things out of my own selfish gain.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters..." - Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do. Whatever. Anything. No matter how important it seems or doesn't seem. No matter how easy or difficult it is. No matter how over qualified or under qualified you are. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart because you are working for the Lord. And I thought about Ruth. A woman who diligently and faithfully did her work. Day in and day out, she did what the Lord asked of her. She didn't complain, she didn't throw her hands up in frustration, she didn't try to get attention or feel as if she deserved more. She worked right where God placed her everyday. Harvesting the crop He allowed her. And I'm sure somedays were more enjoyable than others, as is the case with most things. But everyday, Ruth showed up and she did what she needed to do.
I reminded myself of Ruth. Ruth was praised for being faithful and diligent, for trusting the Lord, and for being a woman of great character. She wasn't praised for how much she harvested, how long she harvested, or anything even work related. She was rewarded, noticed, and recorded for being a woman of God. And I think that's what He means. He gives us jobs, things to do, a way to make a living, but what He's really asking us to do is be His reflection while we are working. Be faithful, be diligent, be of great character. My prayer is that people would be more impressed by how I serve the Lord than how I perform at work. And, I won't lie. Being a numbers girl can make that a challenge to remember, but He has given me a good example to follow so that I can combat that.
He rewards hard workers. He rewards those who faithfully show up and do what they're supposed to. And God places us in those fields for a reason and purpose. He allows us to harvest there for seasons, and we may not know why for a while. Yet if we work for the Lord with all our hearts, we'll be satisfied no matter where we are picking because the place we are picking is exactly where He desires for us to be.
#455 - For the blessings He pours out when we diligently and faithfully work for Him.
"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord... since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:22&24
I was reminded of my Ruth bible study this week. I am so grateful that the Lord provided me the opportunity to go through that study with my girlfriends for 6 weeks. I won't lie, bible studies can be exhausting and easy to give up on, but they are so rewarding if you actually complete them. I've done my fair share of starting and never finishing a study, and I'm thankful that I didn't do the same for this one.
I suffer from "me" syndrome a lot. Feeling like I deserve this and that. Thinking that I'm entitled to have something or do something. Wondering why I am not where I feel I should be. Feeling slighted because I'm not receiving what I think I should get. "Me" syndrome, you know. And if you don't slightly suffer from it, too, I bet you know someone who does. It's pretty common, and it's easy to catch. And so I found myself battling big time with "me" syndrome on Wednesday.
I left work completely exhausted. Not tired from work itself, but worn out from being frustrated. And so I spent a bit venting and letting out my frustrations, which really didn't do much for me. But as I started to talk through it, I began to realize what was happening. I was craving attention, recognition. I was working for human approval. I was seeking things out of my own selfish gain.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters..." - Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do. Whatever. Anything. No matter how important it seems or doesn't seem. No matter how easy or difficult it is. No matter how over qualified or under qualified you are. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart because you are working for the Lord. And I thought about Ruth. A woman who diligently and faithfully did her work. Day in and day out, she did what the Lord asked of her. She didn't complain, she didn't throw her hands up in frustration, she didn't try to get attention or feel as if she deserved more. She worked right where God placed her everyday. Harvesting the crop He allowed her. And I'm sure somedays were more enjoyable than others, as is the case with most things. But everyday, Ruth showed up and she did what she needed to do.
I reminded myself of Ruth. Ruth was praised for being faithful and diligent, for trusting the Lord, and for being a woman of great character. She wasn't praised for how much she harvested, how long she harvested, or anything even work related. She was rewarded, noticed, and recorded for being a woman of God. And I think that's what He means. He gives us jobs, things to do, a way to make a living, but what He's really asking us to do is be His reflection while we are working. Be faithful, be diligent, be of great character. My prayer is that people would be more impressed by how I serve the Lord than how I perform at work. And, I won't lie. Being a numbers girl can make that a challenge to remember, but He has given me a good example to follow so that I can combat that.
He rewards hard workers. He rewards those who faithfully show up and do what they're supposed to. And God places us in those fields for a reason and purpose. He allows us to harvest there for seasons, and we may not know why for a while. Yet if we work for the Lord with all our hearts, we'll be satisfied no matter where we are picking because the place we are picking is exactly where He desires for us to be.
#455 - For the blessings He pours out when we diligently and faithfully work for Him.
"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord... since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:22&24