Does it Have to Hurt to Please the Lord?
Is there a 12-step program for recovering ascetics? If so, please send me the link.
Just after posting my 40 New Year's Goals, I went to bed and was beseiged with thoughts like, "Those weren't all very spiritual goals.....Do you really think painting the garage interior should have made the Top 40?.... What about your dream of being a high school English teacher again? That didn't even make the list. Have you given up? Shelved that desire for the desire of hanging some shelves in the garage? What's WRONG with you? What kind of person makes such reachable goals, ones that don't hurt, ones that are simple to accomplish without God?"
Okay, that was Monday night. Then came Tuesday morning. Tuesday's child is full of grace, and God was faithful to help me confront those questions. I first had to ask, "Where are these questions coming from? Are they encouraging me to a closer walk with God or are they getting me to look at "the hand I've been dealt" (Satan's counterfeit expression for "the Sovereign, loving Hand of God gifting me with both pain and pleasure)?
Here's what I concluded, with God's gentle help:
First, I said, "Lord, some of my goals ARE small. Maybe I should have put loftier ones on there. If so, I submit the list to you and ask You to reprioritize, delete, add, alter, whatever You want."
He reminded me that "without faith it is impossible to please God." It's not "without hard work, blood, sweat, and tears it is impossible to please God."
He also reminded me that He doesn't have categories labeled "secular work" and "spiritual work." When given as an act of obedience and worship, all work is spiritual. If part of my job as a homemaker is to make the house run more smoothly, then we need shelves in the garage close to the kitchen door for the abundance of food brought in by the truckload to feed Four Men and a Baby-- And Two More Mouths Beside.
Yes, in all of eternity, I will gain more by reading the whole Bible. But I also know that ironing Paul's work clothes (second to my least favorite chore of grocery shopping)--and ironing them cheerfully and regularly--must count for something in God's economy.
So then I thought, "Ironing is a sacrifice. Sacrifices are not meant to be enjoyed."
True or false? True to the first statement, I confessed. False on the second statement. Jesus, "who for the joy set before him endured the cross...." If He could endure the cross, can I not endure the iron?
I loved that God would not allow Satan's lies to keep me in a midnightly snare of defeat.
God also reminded me that it is pride that says, "Such and such is doable, I don't need God to help me hang garage shelves." Watching too many DIY shows has tempted me into DIY Christianity.
Certainly ironing shirts cheerfully takes more faith (for me) than hanging garage shelves. (I'm fairly convinced Paul or Stephen will tackle that job.) Reading the Bible in a year definitely takes the power of the Holy Spirit. All three of these goals, however "small" or "great," will require sacrifice. But none of these goals, nor any other on my list, need be done without joy.
Maybe I need to go back and add #41: Iron Paul's shirts cheerfully and regularly.
After all, it doesn't have to hurt to please the Lord.
Just after posting my 40 New Year's Goals, I went to bed and was beseiged with thoughts like, "Those weren't all very spiritual goals.....Do you really think painting the garage interior should have made the Top 40?.... What about your dream of being a high school English teacher again? That didn't even make the list. Have you given up? Shelved that desire for the desire of hanging some shelves in the garage? What's WRONG with you? What kind of person makes such reachable goals, ones that don't hurt, ones that are simple to accomplish without God?"
Okay, that was Monday night. Then came Tuesday morning. Tuesday's child is full of grace, and God was faithful to help me confront those questions. I first had to ask, "Where are these questions coming from? Are they encouraging me to a closer walk with God or are they getting me to look at "the hand I've been dealt" (Satan's counterfeit expression for "the Sovereign, loving Hand of God gifting me with both pain and pleasure)?
Here's what I concluded, with God's gentle help:
First, I said, "Lord, some of my goals ARE small. Maybe I should have put loftier ones on there. If so, I submit the list to you and ask You to reprioritize, delete, add, alter, whatever You want."
He reminded me that "without faith it is impossible to please God." It's not "without hard work, blood, sweat, and tears it is impossible to please God."
He also reminded me that He doesn't have categories labeled "secular work" and "spiritual work." When given as an act of obedience and worship, all work is spiritual. If part of my job as a homemaker is to make the house run more smoothly, then we need shelves in the garage close to the kitchen door for the abundance of food brought in by the truckload to feed Four Men and a Baby-- And Two More Mouths Beside.
Yes, in all of eternity, I will gain more by reading the whole Bible. But I also know that ironing Paul's work clothes (second to my least favorite chore of grocery shopping)--and ironing them cheerfully and regularly--must count for something in God's economy.
So then I thought, "Ironing is a sacrifice. Sacrifices are not meant to be enjoyed."
True or false? True to the first statement, I confessed. False on the second statement. Jesus, "who for the joy set before him endured the cross...." If He could endure the cross, can I not endure the iron?
I loved that God would not allow Satan's lies to keep me in a midnightly snare of defeat.
God also reminded me that it is pride that says, "Such and such is doable, I don't need God to help me hang garage shelves." Watching too many DIY shows has tempted me into DIY Christianity.
Certainly ironing shirts cheerfully takes more faith (for me) than hanging garage shelves. (I'm fairly convinced Paul or Stephen will tackle that job.) Reading the Bible in a year definitely takes the power of the Holy Spirit. All three of these goals, however "small" or "great," will require sacrifice. But none of these goals, nor any other on my list, need be done without joy.
Maybe I need to go back and add #41: Iron Paul's shirts cheerfully and regularly.
After all, it doesn't have to hurt to please the Lord.
posted by Zoanna at
10:11 AM
1 Comments:
Zoanna,
I loved all the great truth in this entry! It was so encouraging and inspiring to read what you were thinking and how God challenged you and lead you down the right paths. Wow! Thanks for sharing!
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