My story
I am a 25 year old often feeling like I’m trapped in an 80 year old’s body. This is largely due to my lack of exercise and sedentary lifestyle, but it’s also coupled with the fact that I battle with genuinely wanting to do nothing, all the time. This battle intensifies as I say yes to almost everything asked of me.
I am very involved in church work and really any other project I believe are aligned with my purpose, so essentially I have allowed a lot to be placed on my plate. I am always genuinely excited or impassioned to serve because that has legitimately become my life. So at the end of the day I find myself willing yet weary.
Yes of course!
I use to say yes to everything under the sun, and then I believe I got convicted about not spreading myself too thin. I began to pride myself on being able to say no to the things that ultimately didn’t align with what I believe my purpose is. If it wasn’t media/communication, youth and leadership I would graciously turn down the offer.
I then realized that this honestly wasn’t working out because the influx of offers came from these specific areas. So I found myself saying yes because I believe if I have the opportunity to share my gifts with the body of Christ I genuinely should. What I recently realized is that I really haven’t been giving my best to any of the commitments I’ve made and have been rendering subpar work. Though others will be satisfied with the deliverables I am convicted that it was hardly my best.
Stewardship
I have been growing in my appreciation of stewardship and the fact that I will have to give an account for my life and the investment God made in me. This lesson has been clouding my judgment, because I guess I have interpreted it to mean, take on more things so you can do justice to what has been given to you.
The process has however led me to understand that the more desired from my life is not necessarily quantity but quality. A God-honouring way to have meaningful return on God’s investment in my life is to ensure that the work I produce is one that exemplifies excellence.
A God-honouring life
At the end of my time here on earth I want the Lord to say well done good and faithful servant. I believe for me that looks like investing properly and whole-heartedly into specific tasks and not everything that I consider myself good at. This truth also goes for my relationships.
I believe Jesus lived a very focused life, though a full life it was not an overly busy life. I encourage us to invest in what’s important to God, and what He specifically designed as our assignments. The scripture say in Proverbs chapter 3, verse 6 (KJV), “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Therefore if each task is considered first with God in mind and prayerfully engaging Him on your next step, He is sure to order your steps in the path He ultimately designed for you.
Jhonelle is a Jesus enthusiast and Christian youth leader. She’s a lover of all things related to discipleship and a freelance writer.
