Happy Friday Friends.....
Been thinking on this the past few days and thought I would share. The other day after church I was collecting the trash from the offices and bathrooms, and one of the members of our church stopped me and said "Thank You for Doing That!". He kinda took me off guard. And I looked down at the trash bags in my hands and thought....Well, Ok, this isnt your trash, But...."No Problem". (And let me first say...this isnt about someone having to tell me Thank You or they appreciate me, because thats not why I do what I do, so bare with me) After I walked away and stood in the ladies restroom collecting the trash in there, I thought to myself: No one (other than Pastoral staff) has ever thanked me for taking out the trash?? And then as quick as I thought it...God said...."Have you ever thanked anyone else for doing what they do????" And thats where it came..... Conviction. And I started thinking of all the people that do things for the church, for My church....that I have never Thanked. Their faces started showing in my head and I asked myself.....Why havent I? And me being honest here...thought....well I guess Ive always thought of what they were doing as their job....just like I think of what I do as my Job at the church. And then I cringed, and thought....well no....thats not what I mean.... I mean "Job" sounds kinda cold, and "Serving" at the church isnt a job. Right? But then...I thought...that is what people (me) sometimes think it is. Thats where the problem is. Thats where MY problem is. Dont get me wrong...Ive always thought it was a priveledge to "Serv" in any area of the church....but then Ive never understood people that complain about Serving. And when I thought about people thinking their Serving was a job....I thought....thats why people complain about it. They dont look at it as a sacrifice to God, they dont look at it as a worship...(because it is folks....whether its sweeping the floors, or throwing out the trash it can be Worship). And I say Can...because it all depends on how you do it and the attitude its done in.
And maybe Im the only selfish person who has ever thought of Serving as a Job, but God is changing my thoughts.
Ive been listening to a song lately that says: Do everything You Do To the Glory of Him that Saved You by Steven Curtis Chapman,
http://youtu.be/d3YLJCOKOzM
Ahhhh. Love this song. And as up beat and fun as this song is.....I was singing along in my car (jamming)when I said this part.....God swept into my car...and I started to cry.
"Tell the Story of Grace, with every Move that you make". And when I sang this part....God Said..."Thats what Your doing!". With everything I do..... Working....Playing...Taking out the trash.....Sending Emails (hehe).....Im telling the Story of HIS Grace! Thank You God for your Grace. Im only here today...Im only singing in the choir...only taking out the trash....only giving my Tithe.....Living My life...Only Because of HIS GRACE! My actions are telling others the story of HIS GRACE!
Friends, like this song says....
whatever you do...whether its disciplining your kids, folding laundry, teaching someone elses kids, directing adults, changing diapers, greeting people, answering phones....you get the picture....DO It Unto HIM that Saved You! Dont do it for people...because can I tell you something not so secret??? People will fail you, and if your doing it for them...Listen to Me from Experience Here....If You are doing it for Them....then when They fail you.....You will be Bitter. But, IF you are doing it for HIM who saved you...you will look at HIM and say....."Their All Yours God" and Keep On Going! And God just showed me that this can apply to our marriages too..... Your Marriage is a Worship to GOD! It is Ordained by God! And if You do your marriage unto HIM, then it doesnt matter what your husband or wife does....You Keep doing it UNTO HIM! THE ONE WHO SAVED YOU! It doesnt matter what they do....You Do EVERTHING Unto Him!
I Love You Friends, and I hope you know that I never send these emails out thinking I know or have it all together. Because I DONT! But Ive learned to listen to Gods voice, and to know that what He says to me.....is not just for Me sometimes.
Have a Great Weekend and Remember.....
Do Everything You Do to The Glory of Him Who Saved You!!!
And if I havent told you.............
THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO FOR HIM!
too blessed to be stressed.............
Michelle Sullivan
