“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you; take your everyday ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God – you’ll be changed from the inside out.†Romans 12:1-2, Message Translation
Tracy Hurst wrote yesterday about using your ordinary life in extraordinary ways. I especially related to the following passage:
“There are days when all I feel like I do is get up, read the Word, change diapers, pick up the house, make dinner and go to bed.”
A lot of times, personally, I feel my days and weeks are from one activity to the next. We get through one thing, wipe our brows glad that it is over, and look to the next thing to do and get through. We have so much to do and be apart of that we know will affect other lives, I have to remind myself not to feel guilty for not being apart of everything.
But while I can often be guilty of trying to do as much as I can for others, and then feel drained at the end of the day, it is not necessary to function this way to be an impact. Tracy pointed out that it is important to serve God in the every day things, not realizing how the smallest smile in the grocery store can impact a person. Think about the difference it can make between friendly customer service, that goes out of their way to offer you a hand and a smile, and just the “Here are your groceries” leaving you to do it all yourself. Well, they are trying to sell you something and earn your repeat business by being friendly, what does your attitude say about your life? Does it make others want to know what you have that they don’t? Or does it make others glad they do not have your life?
On Monday I posted an interview with Rick Warren, He said “God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He’s more interested in what I am than what I do.We’re called human beings, not human doings”. Think about that, we are not comprised by the things we check off our list, or the good deeds we do, we are comprised by the goodness that is in us, and comes through us.
I needed this reminder today. As we have started a new school year and our schedule is so different. I find myself getting lost in the everyday stuff and not feeling I make a difference in the “big picture” of life. How easy we forget our families are an integral part of the “big picture”.
I so enjoyed that message. I also really liked the Rick Warren post too. I have always liked that saying, “We are human beings not humand doings”. Since I struggle with a chronic illness and am a wife and mother i sometimes get caught up in feeling guilty about not accomplishing tons of stuff on my to do list. But I have to remind myself that God is more interested in my character than checking things off on my to do list. Thanks for the encouragement! Also would you mind adding me to your blogroll? I’ll add you if you like. Thanks!