“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 NLT
Do you ever feel like you just aren’t doing enough? Not doing enough for God or for your job or your family or yourself? Something inside screams, “Do more! You aren’t measuring up!” I often feel that way. And right now, as I am recovering from injury and surgery, I have had to revisit the underlying motivations for those feelings and remind myself of what God called me to in the first place. I’ll never be able to do enough, and right now I am even more limited. So, what do I need to remember? Maybe you need to remember it, too.
God called you to be His child first. It can be hard to remember that God didn’t choose you so that you could serve Him. He didn’t call you to work. He called you to be His. The work flows out of the relationship. The work is an outflow of love. I read this in my devotion this morning: “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” (Psalms 4:3 NLT) God set you and I apart for Himself. That’s all.
My abilities are currently limited. I started out with a cast on my right wrist then added a brace on the left, followed by surgery and a brace on both wrists. I have had to learn to be left-handed, as much as I could be with a brace. But there are certain things I just can't do as well as I would like and some things I can’t do at all. I still need to and want to do my work well, but I remind myself that I do it for Him and He loves me, even with my limitations. He says I am enough and so are you.
God called you to serve Him. You and I have the tremendous privilege of serving God. Not as hired hands, but as participants in accomplishing His purposes. God’s purpose is the redemption of humanity, and we get to be co-laborers with Him. We serve as children alongside our Father. How awesome is that!
Even with my limitations, I have had the privilege of continuing to serve God by serving His people. My wrist braces have not kept me from my online coaching appointments, serving on the prayer team at church, or even typing (or voice-typing) my weekly blog. Limitations don’t prevent me from partnering with Him in His purposes. Whatever your limitations, my friend, you are still capable of serving Him. When you and I give Him the best we can He delights in it, regardless of our limited efforts. However you serve Him in love is enough.
God called you to receive all that is His. Your reward for working alongside your Father is all that belongs to Him. You and I inherit heaven. Is there any better payment? Heaven means we get to be in the presence of the One who loves us without any impediments to receiving His great love. Heaven starts the moment we give God our first YES. He wants you and I to enjoy heaven, His presence, right now. We don’t need to be or do more to enjoy it. You are enough.
Dear Friend, you may be beating yourself up for being less than you think you should be. You may think that your limitations prevent you from truly pleasing God. That is a lie. God has allowed your limitations and mine so that we press in to Him. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5) but with Him and for Him we can do all that is important.
Relax and rest, my friend. You are called and set apart to be His, to serve Him, and to receive the gift of His presence and all that is His. Do we need anything else? I am enough to because He is enough. And so are you.
Key Question: Who called you and why?
A Scripture to Consider: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 NLT
A YES Challenge: Think back to when you first became aware of God’s presence in your life. What feelings arise? Apply those emotions as a motivation for your work.
Prayer: Father, it is easy to get lost in the details and my limitations and forget that You are the reason I do what I do. You are the One who called me. The work I do is because of Your presence in my life. You are the reason I want my work to be excellent. I want to fulfill the potential You have placed within me, even with the limitations You allow. I want to remember that You have called me Yours. That makes all the difference.