Self Inflicted

Life. Life is drastically different today than it was three weeks ago and then it will be three weeks from now. In this time of transition a question has been plaguing me. When did I become this person driven be tasks? Looking around at our world, our churches, our families, our workplaces and pretty much everything else in life we are a task driven people. Often, mindlessly going from task to task sometimes so overwhelmed with the next thing on the to-do list that we forget our purpose.

I find myself in a predicament. These tasks are needed. But they rule my life. I think they have grabbed me and at times have caused me to miss opportunities. Chances to build relationship, to grow or just sit and be still. I don't know if life or ministry was ever intended to be this way. In reading through the Gospels I have found that the disciples lived drastically different lives than we do. They literally went place to place teaching, writing, giving and doing with passion. Because they took the command of Christ seriously, to go and make disciples of all nations. Fully relying on the strength of the Lord and the guiding of the Holy Spirit and not on themselves. It seemed so simple in comparison to the production it has turned into. The production in which the Gospel of Christ gets lost.

Do we have it all wrong?

When did it all become so mindless?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." We have no idea how big our God is, how much He has done and will do. We are programmed to yearn for eternity. And this yearning can be seen in some of why we do what we do. Yet, I think it gets lost. We get lost in the mindlessness of tasks. Tasks that cannot and will not ever satisfy. Tasks that Ecclesiastes claims are "Meaningless! Meaningless!...".

One thing I know. I serve a God who is bigger than all things, bigger than all tasks, big enough to know all the answers to my every question.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

Lord, help me live a life recklessly abandoned to You. Help me to rest in Your arms when the burdens of life seem too big to carry. May my hope forever be in You.