Philippians 2:4 (NIV)
4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
When someone asks you to pray for them, you ask them details and write down their request. Then, as the Spirit leads, you find Scripture that is appropriate and you pray for them. Also, you follow up with them to see how things are going. Many people say they will pray for someone but they never do. I believe you should pray for them right away if possible. Say what you mean and mean what you say!
If you care too deeply, you take things very seriously; perhaps too seriously. You strive to do more than is required. You will probably be disappointed. Most of the world just wants to get by. They will tell you it is good enough. Good enough is rarely good and almost never enough! I don’t know about you but I want to be outstanding. I want to do things as if unto the Lord. When I have used my gifts and talents to their full extent and brought glory to God, that is good enough.
There is a way to not become disappointed. It is to look to the only One who really matters and follow His will and way. If you look to others to be appreciated and affirmed, you will be disappointed. If you look to God for guidance and go as He directs, you will feel a sense of peace and accomplishment. After all, the Lord established the work of our hands and ordained what He wanted you to do. Do it and you will be in the center of His will for you. What a place to be. Scripture tells us God will give us more than we can ask or imagine! Why then do we ask so little of ourselves and others. We settle for what we have and can do rather than ask God to work through us; better yet ask that we can work through Him!
Recently, I was asked to help with a project. Whenever someone asks me to work on something with or for them, I get excited. My mind races as to all the possibilities. One of the gifts God has given me is to be able to visualize the project and its completion. I can see it in my minds eye. As I have often found, the nay-sayers come out of the woodwork. I am faced with people who tell me it can’t be done before I even know what we are going to do. Life is filled with two kinds of people: cans and can’ts. You can’t do this. There is not enough time. We don’t have the budget for this. My experience has taught me to avoid the can’ts. Hang up and call back or just avoid them as much as possible. God’s resources are unlimited. Rely on Him and Him alone.
When you try to do a project for the Lord, the accuser will do his best to stop you. He will bring people against you. He will try to make you doubt yourself. He will slow down responses from those who have information you need. Go back and ask again. If it is really from God, He will show you a way. He will give you peace in your gut that this is His will. He will bring you people and resources. If it is His will, His word will not return to him void. Do not let anyone or anything stop you from what God has called you to do! But what if it is not His will? How will you know? I’m not positive. Psalm 37:4 (NIV)4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. That does not me God will give you whatever you want. It means God will place what He wants in your heart and give you all the resources, gifts and talents to accomplish what He has ordained. I try ignoring things to see if they will go away. If God wants it, He keeps bringing it back. He will make it known to me again and again. God is like Beverly Goldberg (TV Sitcom “The Goldbergs”) to me but that is a story for another day. He just won’t let it go! If the idea, project, concept just won’t go away, guess what. He will have His way. Might as well do it His way. Ignore the nay-sayers and move ahead. The Lord has given you the desires of your heart. Use them!
Father, our enemy tries to stop us from doing Your will. Protect us from his attacks and nay-sayers. Let Your will be done. And please, let us do it to Your glory!