Arguing With Me
The following is an argument I have with myself from time to time. Mondays, I usually have this internal dialogue on Mondays. Also, please understand; this is not a complaint, but meant to inspire inspiration.
““Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5.19) I am not trying to quench the Spirit, -but the Spirit is whispering, and I am hard of hearing today! I need to be creative and write a sermon or bulletin article or something because [insert a need/desire that is based on good time management]. So, come on God, inspire me!”
No, you are right, God owes me nothing. And please understand- I am not demanding God do anything. I grow frustrated with myself for not being zealous all the time; for not being inspired all the time; for not being…a perfect soldier of the cross. But, why am I not on fire on Mondays?
Dear friend, perhaps you have already made an excuse for me. I love you. Thank you. I appreciate that you see my hard work. You are so very kind. However, “everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12.48). God has blessed me with so much, how can I not be inspired? I literally have “I am amazed” written over my office door (in Greek)!
Stop. Pray. Thank God. Count your blessings. “The Lord has been mindful of me. He blesses and blesses again.” “My hope is built on nothing less that Jesus blood and righteousness”.
Perhaps the reason I cannot hear the Spirit is because I am too busy with what I think I should be busy with, and not what I actually should be busy with. By pushing for zeal, I am not centered where I should be, I’m just pushing. That takes me back to childhood: “You have two ears and one mouth because you are supposed to listen twice as much as you talk” (thanks, Granola [my mamaw]) Which brings me to an all-too-familiar place; I need to spend more time in God’s Word. How can I give out what I do not take in. Which reminds me of WimpyJoe [my papaw]: “GIGO means garbage-in, garbage-out”. Let us strive to take in more Godly things than anything else. Otherwise, how can we expect to give out any good thing? (And by just like that, the bulletin article was complete)