What Gets In Your Way?

What gets in your way? Once upon a time in the last 40 years I thought it was a secretary. In my mind if we would’ve just gotten a better secretary it would have taken care of every problem. I remember dad asking me “when that problem is out of the way, what excuse will you use then to keep from doing what you need to be doing.” It stung, but he was right. 

I wonder how many of our frustrations stem from us focusing on the wrong thing. You get upset over an elder who is not shepherding or standing (for whatever), your temperature rises over a co-laborer who certainly seems lazy, you can’t get beyond a deacon who won’t do his job, you have added angst over a member who you think it wanting you gone. 

Trust me I understand. 

I’d like to plant a thought that I pray will take root. Do your work. Preach, teach, exhort, minister, pray with and for. Do your work. Do it well. Do your work. Stop trying to be an elder, to run the church, to do all the work yourself. Do your work. Yes, some things will go undone but perhaps you will be surprised when someone steps forward that you did not think would and their spiritual life grows through the effort. Do your work. Cancel the future trip to the cardiologist because you were trying to drive every train, push every event, spin every plate. Do your work. Make full proof of your ministry.

This is not a rant, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. You’ll find greater peace, greater success, greater joy, and lower blood pressure if you’ll just do your work.