Sorry to have left you all staring at my dirty laundry. Such is life. While I'm at it, I feel like I need to process something that is weighing on my heart.
In a recent Bible Study, the teacher gave some Godly and sound advice. It was, "do the next thing." This statement has helped me to live in the present while continually moving forward. My natural, un-sanctified personality is bent toward rushing ahead, skipping the next thing in order to get to the place I'm after. A silly example would be painting without taping properly. A serious example would be launching a new ministry without inquiring of the Lord, seeking His leadership and guidance and the blessing of those in a position of authority. In both situations, not doing the next thing lands you with a mess. Taping takes time, patience, humility and effort. Seeking God's direction, and other's blessing takes time, humility, patience and effort. God has graciously allowed many a mess in my life to fix me in this area. Some of those situations have been so painful that I now tend to err on the side of stagnation. I have found that "doing the next thing" helps me to be navigate the road between pushing my own agenda and paralysis.
Though I'm not perfect and I still make mistakes, I feel that by God's grace I am able to operate in victory in this area. But what about everybody else??
I have recently become annoyed and irritated with those who rush ahead to push their own ministry agendas. These people don't want to take the time to seek God, seek the leadership of their church, and the blessing of their elders and pastors. They use ministry as an excuse to prop themselves up and look good in front of others. They are more interested in positions of leadership and not as interested in positions of service. These are people who want to lead ministries in the church and yet are inconsistent with church attendance. These are people who want to speak into others lives from a platform but neglect speaking into others lives in sacrificial, weekly community groups. These are people who can't commit to the church nursery, but somehow they can commit to committee chair positions. These are people who have not been faithful with little, and yet expect to be entrusted with much.
I don't know about you, but after God has worked something in me, I am tempted to become self-righteous in the same area that I was once a great sinner. God help me. God help us. Let's do the next thing, sisters. When you are tempted to rush ahead, make sure that you seek wisdom, guidance, and blessing from God and those who are in authority over you. Take the time to do it right. For some of us, doing the next thing means asking our husbands for their blessing. For others it means submitting to the church leadership when they say that now is not a good time for this or that. For others, we have prayed, waited, and we have served humbly. Now God is asking us to press past our fears and take the risk of moving ahead in faith. No matter where you are at today, rest assured, you should do the next thing. Leave the end results up to God, but don't blame him if you end up with a mess. Learn your lesson and tape next time.
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