Do Your Best and Forget The Rest

If you have ever seen this pet commercial you have felt bad for these animals. They work on our emotions and it makes me want to buy them all. If you didn't feel bad when you watched it I will have a special prayer blog for you later. These and other commercials like it make you feel that you aren't doing enough in your life to help others in need. I know your busy and that your life is chaotic. You have just enough time to work, spend time with family, sleep, serve at church, and sleep more. I want you to know that it's OK. You can't do everything! There is only 24 hours in a day, as Tony Horton says, "Do your best and forget the rest!"

You can't do everything, but you can do something. In your busy day, you will come into contact with many that need your help (on the job doesn't count). You can't help them all, but pick one and serve them. In Acts 3 Peter and John are going to worship in the temple and there begging is a crippled man. Peter tells the man that he had no money but then in the name of Christ healed the man. Peter didn't heal the man and give him money, because he couldn't. He did what he could. In the same way as you go through your day you may not be able to do it all, but you can share the love of Christ. Whether its going to your hospital and clearing out the sick, or putting up someone's grocery cart for them. When you notice someone in the office is a little down and out, take time to talk to them about life and not work. Show those around you Christ with your words and actions. You can't do everything, but you can do something.

Faith That Defines You

I hate the doctor and the dentist. Just the smell of their waiting room makes me scour the room for a place to hide or for someone who looks like me so they take him instead of me. I hate how you never really know what they are going to do until you go back into one of the patient rooms. However, I have devised a plan to not go to the doctor, a full proof can't touch this kind of plan. Ready?....I use my faith in God as an excuse not to go to the doctor. It sounds so Christiany, and those around me think I'm a Christian with 'strong faith' when they hear me say it, too.

I know what your thinking, "That's the most amazing idea ever, I can't believe I didn't think of that!" Because that's how faith works right? It's something we talk about to get others to see how we want to be perceived, right? Faith is just a facade to cover our own insecurities, right?

Over the last month God's been stretching my faith in Him and my faithfulness to Him. For those that know me you know that my wife and I are expecting our first baby in March (a little girl, Amiah, who is going to look and act way better than your daughter). With this event I'm getting another job so my wife can just relax and be pregnant (It's what we want, I'm not a sexist). I have found absolutely nothing in our area, and guess what it messes with my faith in God. I want to believe that He is my provider, but it's difficult when I don't see it. However, I know from past experiences with others and myself that God is faithful and just. He may not handle business the way I want to (working in an Apple store) but it will be His timing because His Will is preparing me for what He wants for me in the future.

Which brings me to my next confession, lately my faithfulness to God has been tested. There have been dark days and I wonder if pursuing God's Will is worth it, but then I remember that I'm called to serve not to be served. By being faithful to God I don't mean just acting like a Christian, but obeying Him fully. I want any job that pays full time but maybe that's not what God wants for me. Obeying God is not a pick and choose kind of life, it's giving my whole life to Him. I want the job that He wants me to have.

Faith shouldn't be an excuse for the way we live. It must be the one thing that defines us. When all Hell is breaking lose, but your faith in God grows, people who see this happen will be confused and want that type of peace and reassurance. My faith must be my rock so that no matter what happens in the house that's built on it, my foundation is always solid. Psalms 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." I don't want to put my faith in man, because we always screw it up. I want a faith that defines my life, not gives excuses to why I live the way I do.

Have you ever used your faith as an excuse? Comment about it.