Good morning girls! Happy May-Day! Where in the world did April go? Honestly, I'm glad May is here. It's one of my favorite months. The edge has been taken off the cold, but it's not too hot to spend sunny afternoons at the park or in the back yard. :) One of my favorite childhood memories is making May-Day baskets with a childhood friend. We'd fill them with flowers, drop them on a neighbor's doorstep, (one for each of our moms too) and run! I am going to make a basket with my own kids today.
Something has been on my mind all week that I want to share over coffee this morning. Actually, it started last week as I did my homework for Bible Study. It's been stirring in my heart and it came to head on Tuesday when I watched session 7's video. The question I have been asking myself is this: "Can I be content to just live out my life without ever being in the spotlight, and just find joy in the ordinary?"
Here's the deal. Humans crave attention. We want to be great at something and be recognized for that. I've been good at a lot of things in my time, but never really GREAT at anything. Don't get me wrong, I have talents and spiritual gifts that God has blessed me with, just as He has blessed all of His children. I value the person He has created me to be and I know who I am in Christ. I love being a mom, wife, and homemaker. Some days I just wonder if there is more potential there that God has in mind for me that perhaps I might be missing. It's all this study about destiny and providence that has gotten me to thinking. (Beth Moore studies have a way of doing that to me.)
Here are a few quotes from last week's lesson that really struck me to the core of my being.
"To live for the greatness of God is to live the great life."
"Spending ourselves for something infinitely greater still fans our parched souls with the God-given need to matter, but relieves us of the relentless pain of being the 'it' person at the center of it."
"Every one of us who embraces the glory of God as our purpose will end up doing great things precisely because we do God-things. His holy hand resting on the least act renders the ordinary extraordinary."
Did you catch that? The ordinary becomes extraordinary with the holy hand of God resting on the least of our actions in this life. That's where it hit me. Nothing that I do in this life is ordinary to Him when I am serving Him.
Let me leave you with one final quote from the video session.
"To serve God is to serve people and to serve people is to serve purpose."
There's only one thing I long to be "great" at in this lifetime, and that is loving Christ. In John 15:9-13 Christ said to his disciples "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Dear heavenly Father, grant it to me that I may experience that kind of love!
Blessings to all of you as you grow in the love and knowledge of Christ,
Melissa
9 comments:
A very nice post. Helped me refocus on God. Thank you. :)
Thanks for the post. It's a lot to reflect upon. I know exactly what you're talking about. It is definitely a struggle sometimes. It's okay to be ordinary. What is the study that you're doing? Have a great weekend!
I get those kinds of feelings too. Especially because "all" I am is a stay at home mom. God's been working on me too, reminding me I am raising up children who will move the earth for Him. When I look at it that way I am humbled and pray that I am teaching them to truly honor and serve Him like He deserves.
Melissa, how did your day go? I've been praying!!! May Day is one of my favorite childhood traditions, too. So much so that I bought little bundles of flowers today and ran them to each of my neighbors without them knowing! :)
Interesting that you mentioned potential...what is our potential? Is it what we have now or what God has in store for us that we can't even fathom what it is. I will have to find where I was just reading about potential and share it with you. I REALLY want to know what I'm supposed to be doing, too. And am I missing something?!
Ok, girlfriend...super big hugs to you!! Rest this weekend and get better~
Awesome points...very convicting. And just yesterday I was grumbling because (I felt) someone took credit for an idea I had. Now, that's just a small thing, not even in front of other people, but it made me realize how petty I can be over insignificant things. Apparently, I still think I need public credit?? Sad.
I think it's a struggle for all of us "regular" people when we see the stars of church/blogging/whatever in that we feel "less than our potential," which makes us dissatisfied with where God has us now. You've really made me think, Melissa! I will ponder over coffee...
Ah...you have given me pause....I've always been content to stay in the background but maybe I have also been hindering God and what he wants me to do....interesting.
Thank you for this post. It gives me a lot to think about. I know I need to stop and take a look at my priorities and remember to put God first... I get so distracted so easily sometimes.
What a lovely post! I love that you're making such sweet memories for your kids by making May Day baskets. Somehow life just seems to be rushing by too quickly.
Much to think about with being content with never being in the spotlight. My first thought was: "I hate the spotlight!" But as I pondered this more, I realized I may hate being put out there, but...I need to rest in doing great things for God and His kingdom, even when others may not see. Thanks for putting that into perspective. Which Beth Moore study is this?
Oh Melissa,
This is my post...I am so drawn to big and bold, yet I find peace in the quiet and appreciative...its such a hard walk right now, to keep that sense of peace and joy at home...where I am happiest...and yet to deal with that which continues to be at my feet in ministry as well...."To live for the greatness of God is to live the great life" is indeed my heart....I stay torn between keeping my head down and learning to be at home contentedly, then it seems God is so strongly sending me outside again, now the real balance is to learn to be "home" when I am home and to keep it as our family sanctuary where God's love lives!
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