Read with me, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” Psalm 46:10a
Many of us are facing a season of continual toil. The state of the economy has introduced an increased demand on performance, work and efficiency. For many, circumstances have demanded a persistent pressing through and increased effort. When we experience this increase in load and volume, there is often a perceived spike in shame and guilt. Be it due to inability to spend as much time as you want on other important things or due to fewer resources to maintain certain ministry and life projects we are used to participating in, increase of effort in one area inadvertently demands redirected attention which potentially leads to guilt and feelings of inadequacy. For many, having to work more and smarter means they have less energy to expend on charity, missions, ministry and even family. If this rings true for you, I would like to encourage you to hope, today.
God, is still God. The one who made you, He who created you for good works, has not yet changed His mind about you. You are still called unto Him and His kingdom. I want to emphasize that life is dynamic, so is love, as is your relationship with Him. This allows much room for change in circumstances, while His goodness is constant. I want to remind you that circumstances do not change His covenant with you. If you love Him and profess Him as Lord, then I want to remind you that circumstantial changes have no effect on His love for you. You are still called, you are still known, you are still loved. As you are known, allow your heart to know Him. How do you know someone? You get acquainted with their heart, their agendas, their intentions, their habits, their voice, and their purpose.
Today, get still before Him. Quiet your heart and listen as He speaks, get to know His voice, and reacquaint yourself with His affections for you. In the secret place, in the quiet room of your heart, turn your affections toward Him. Let Him remind you of the covenant you made. Remember, He loves you. Put your hand on your heart, and love on Him. Just sit and be still. As you quiet the noise in your head, seek Him with all your heart, not allowing for distractions for a few minutes. Seek Him out, see Him stand out among the worries crowding your heart, hear His distinct tone carry a love song to you across the noise of opinions, feel the peace of His love transcend the fear that would drown you in unbelief, and know Him as your Saviour.
From here, ask Him again what is on His heart for you. Ask Him what to say yes to, and what to let go. You are not called to all the things all the time. Understand the seasons by studying the word and seeking His heart for you right now. More often than not you will come to find that you are called to those in front of you right now. He is such a resourceful God, He will see to it that those around you are met and encountered by someone on their journey, trust Him to fill the gaps you are witnessing, the areas you can’t fill. He is faithful to His own. And most importantly, just be. When we are stressed and exhausting ourselves with effort to do more, we tend to become very ineffectual witnesses of His heart and character. Worry, fretting, working, toiling – these do not witness well, and convey a message not of a love relationship but of a tumultuous dictatorship. This is not the message we want to convey to those we are ministering to. His heart is kind, slow to anger, rich in love, compassionate, patient, and longsuffering. Our lives should mirror this. Just be loved. Just be held. Let go of all the ten million little things you calling your name. Yield to the One. You already know His voice, follow it.
