Lately I have been wrestling through a few challenges... some growing pains. I love it that God loves me enough to convict me and change me - but the process is often painful... as well as exciting! And although i have by NO MEANS learned this lesson, I have a feeling I am not the only one who might be able to identify...
One of my greatest strengths is that I am a hard worker... I am very task oriented and conscious of what my responsibilities are and love to wholeheartedly dive into them! And ironically, I have often immaturely prided myself on my hard work ethic... ;) (Keeping it real here friends...)
The huge downside to this tendency is that I often view interruptions to my schedule as inconvenient and totally unwanted, and often struggle with feeling irritated and impatient when my plan is thrown off, when I feel like I lose my rhythm in the middle of a big project.
But in fact, those interruptions are almost always represented by people. People who are precious in God's sight and who should be valued MORE than I value my precious time and my important tasks.
I have been convicted by this as I think back on my day at times and wonder what did I get done?! I like to break out the measuring stick, to cross things off my list. But you cannot "measure" people. You cannot "cross them off the list" as finished.
This has been something God has been stirring in my heart for a while now, and then I was HUGELY convicted at a Beth Moore DVD bible study last week. Beth talked about the famous chapter from 1 Corinthians 13... "If I have not love, I am NOTHING."
And I have heard and read this chapter so. many. times.
But this time, it HIT ME. Even if I serve the LORD with my "git'r done" attitude and get THINGS DONE (good things!) for Him, but don't treat the people along the way with love - I may as well have done nothing. All of that hard work, those things I think are soooooo important are nothing if I can't lovingly welcome each interruption (person!) along the way.. And instead of viewing people as a distraction from the tasks I have to get done, to view people as MORE important, MORE valuable than my to-do list. That is what is most important in God's eyes.
So this is the prayer of my heart - that I would be SO FILLED with God's love that I would love people well. That I would someday learn to welcome, and even invite the unplanned interruptions and to handle with love and grace the unexpected. And no, I am not there yet, but am peacefully trusting God for HIS strength in MY weakness.
xoxo
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
1 Corinthians 13:2
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