Diligence

What to do when the Front Porch has a stench-

It seems to make sense that diligence would be the next topic. When I created this series I wrote it down all in one sitting. The Holy Spirit was moving strong inside of me and it came so quickly that my hand and pen could hardly keep up with my thoughts. Sometimes life is that way and then sometimes we sit on our porches wondering where on Earth all that copious inspiration that we had just a few weeks ago went.

My porch has been still and stagnant over the recent weeks. Prayer for my own life and issues has taken the place of time on the porch looking outward at others. Recent events have left me desperate for the Lord and feeling ill-equipped to pass along anything more than my bad attitude. I have been waiting for a fresh, sweet breeze to blow across my porch so that I could just breath it in. Feels like all I have gotten lately is a whiff of the pig farm a few miles away.

My attitude has literally been as dirty as a muddy pig. It wasn’t until tonight that it even occurred to me that my stinky attitude wasn’t really due to the things happening to me, but more my response to them. My perspective and my focus has been on me.
Diligence defined is the ‘persistent and hard-working effort in doing something.'
Well the only thing I have been very diligent about lately is thinking about my own problems.

I have diligently prayed for myself, my family, our challenges and I have diligently thought about myself, my family and our challenges, and well considering the Holy Spirit led this to be a topic of importance and seeing how it just happen to coincide with my lack of a good example of what Godly diligence looks like reminds me even more than we have a diligent God. A God who always has a persistent and hard-working effort in doing something…something for us, with us, through us.

My stinky and self-focused attitude has been completely blocking me from being useful to God in anyway. There is nothing is could do for me, with me or through me when my heart is so focused on myself.
I don’t have all the answers for how to stay diligent for God during difficult times. I obviously need a great deal of work in that area myself, but I do know that it is important. God calls us to look towards others and how we can help them even when we are struggling.

So baby steps…Next time you find yourself wrapped up in yourself and your woes, no matter how significant or insignificant they may be in relationship to the struggles of others, sit and have some devoted prayer time with God. Give it to him and give him the chance to take this burden off your shoulders. Allow yourself to trust in his perfect and infinite wisdom and know that he most certainly knows best for your life. He sees the big picture and only has a plan to prosper you.

After that time ask God to reveal to you someone in need. Someone in need of prayer, a friend in need of a hug or encouragement, the church in need of a volunteer, the next door neighbor in need of some gas for a lawnmower or the grocery clerk in need of Jesus; ask God to not only reveal them to you but give you a heart on fire and excited to focus your attention elsewhere. You know he’s got you covered. You know he is your comforter and protector. You have shared with him your heart and your worries and now he will bear that burden for you, but there is someone out there who God may be asking you to reach out to.

God can use our very toughest moments and still bring out the very best in us. We can be shining examples of what he is able to do in our lives if we allow him to bear our burdens so we can focus on the task he has for us that day.
Please don’t hesitate to leave your burdens here. We would love to pray for you so that you can go out there and be Jesus for someone else today.

Sweet Blessings,
Laurie